Suspension of scarcity allowance in Saudi universities: New conditions and percentages
Saudi universities have begun taking decisive steps to restructure and regulate the disbursement of the "scarcity allowance" to faculty members, as part of a comprehensive campaign to review financial entitlements in line with updated regulations. Human resources departments at several universities have started suspending the allowance for specializations that do not meet the requirements of the unified professional classification or exceed the approved Saudization quotas, effective with the February payroll.
Linking eligibility to the "Anjaz" platform and professional classification
Informed sources revealed that the suspension decisions were a direct result of the "alignment" processes implemented through the "Anjaz" human resources system. The Ministry had previously mandated that all academics update their employment data, specifying their general and specialized fields with meticulous accuracy according to the unified Saudi classification of educational levels and specializations. Thorough reviews revealed that many specializations no longer met the "scarcity" criteria, necessitating the elimination of the allowance for these specializations to ensure fairness and efficient spending.
Background of the decision and its economic dimensions
This move comes within the broader context of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the Human Capital Development Program, where these measures aim to curb financial waste and direct resources toward specializations that are genuinely suffering from a shortage of national talent. Historically, the "scarcity allowance" was established to attract talent to specializations that were experiencing a lack of interest or shortage of Saudi personnel. With the increasing number of Saudi graduates in various fields and the rising rates of Saudization in the academic sector, it has become necessary to review these allowances to keep pace with the current changes in the academic job market.
Disbursement conditions and localization rates
The universities based their recent decisions on precise and rigorous criteria, most notably that the percentage of Saudis in any given specialization should not exceed 50%. If the Saudization rate exceeds this limit, the "scarcity" requirement is no longer valid, and the allowance is suspended. The regulations also stipulated that the faculty member's specific specialization must match the titles stated in their appointment letter and, for medical colleges, must align with the classification of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
Details of allowance percentages by specialization
The regulations set varying percentages for the disbursement of the allowance, reflecting the extent of the academic market's need for each specialization, and they are as follows:
- 40%: For engineering, medical, health, and computer specialties (which are the highest percentage due to the continuous need for these personnel).
- 30%: For administrative, financial, and legal (law) disciplines.
- 25%: For the disciplines of languages and translation, basic and applied sciences, readings, special education, and kindergarten.
- 20%: For lecturers and teaching assistants working in colleges located in outlying governorates, as an encouragement to work in those areas.
Continuation and suspension guidelines
The administrative regulations confirmed that the allowance will continue to be disbursed to eligible employees during summer vacation and sabbatical leave periods, in order to ensure the financial stability of academics dedicated to scientific research. Conversely, the right to the allowance is immediately forfeited in cases of secondment or assignment to work outside the university. The payroll departments urged members whose allowances were suspended to review their data and ensure its accuracy, emphasizing that the accuracy of the entered data is the determining factor in reinstating eligibility in the future, should the conditions be met.
