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The National Center for Health Workforce Planning revealed that registered healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia now total more than 800,000 as the sector benefits from the Health Sector Transformation Program launched under Vision 2030. This includes over 460,000 Saudi practitioners and others from 140 countries across various specialties, marking substantial growth in national capabilities. The center’s findings, last updated in July 2026, underscore improvements in workforce sustainability and efficiency.
The center’s data shows the proportion of Saudi physicians climbed from 31 percent in 2018 to 40 percent in 2026 while the number of classified Saudi physicians surged 295 percent from 2015 levels. Saudi dentists have grown to more than 32,000, a 357 percent rise since 2015, achieving a ratio of 107.6 per 100,000 population that tops the G20 average of 77.4. Meanwhile, undergraduate dental graduates declined 44 percent between 2018 and 2025 to help match supply with market needs, the report indicated.
According to the National Center for Health Workforce Planning, nursing and midwifery practitioners exceed 290,000 in total with more than 110,000 Saudis, whose representation increased from 30 percent in 2018 to 38 percent. Saudi pharmacists now account for 52 percent of the profession, up from 32 percent, equating to over 25,000 professionals. Medical sciences fields have Saudis at 87 percent of 247,000 roles after a 179 percent expansion since 2015.
Training programs have scaled up significantly with the center reporting 10,916 residency positions in Saudi Board programs for 2025, a 202 percent increase from 2018, and 25,876 trainees enrolled in 195 programs. The SCFHS Health Academy has trained more than 40,000 people via linked employment schemes across over 37 cities partnering with more than 350 employers, including dedicated cohorts of 14,400 patient care technicians and 6,918 dental assistants. Private sector localization advanced to 55 percent in 2026, the center noted, aiding reductions in job seekers listed on the Jadarat platform.
A U.S. Department of Commerce country commercial guide places Saudi Arabia as accounting for 60 percent of GCC healthcare expenditure with the government allocating SAR 214 billion to the sector in 2024, about 17 percent of the national budget. The healthcare market is expected to reach approximately $102 billion by 2035 as both public and private spending rise. These workforce figures align with ongoing efforts to position the Kingdom as a regional leader in specialized medical services.
