Foreign Investment in Saudi Arabia
We take foreign investors into the Saudi market under the Investment Law (Royal Decree M/19 of 1446H) — in force since February 2025 — from investment registration with the Ministry of Investment (MISA) through structuring, licensing, and the compliance a new operation carries from day one. The Kingdom rebuilt its investment regime around a single promise: foreign and local investors are now treated equally, and entry runs on registration, not licensing.
The legal landscape
This is Vision 2030’s centerpiece reform. The new Investment Law replaced the Foreign Investment Law of 2000 (Royal Decree M/1 of 1421H) and redrew the ground rules: the foreign-investment license is gone, replaced by registration with MISA; the law defines an “investor” without distinguishing foreign from local, guaranteeing equal treatment in like circumstances; investors may freely transfer funds into and out of the Kingdom without delay; and property is protected against expropriation except by final judicial ruling with fair compensation. The Implementing Regulations (Ministerial Resolution 1086 of 1446H) operationalize the regime, 100% foreign ownership remains available in most sectors subject to the excluded-activities list, and the Regional Headquarters (RHQ) program ties access to government contracting to a Saudi RHQ — with substantial long-term incentives attached.
Who we act for
International companies making their first Saudi entry; investors upgrading a legacy licensed presence to the new registration regime; groups weighing an RHQ against their government-contracting pipeline; regional and GCC investors expanding into the Kingdom; and family offices and funds that need the protections of the new law reflected in how their investment is structured.
What we do
- Entry strategy and registration — mapping your activity to the investment rules and completing MISA registration, so the entity you build matches the business you plan.
- Structuring — the vehicle behind the investment (LLC, JSC, branch, RHQ), formed and governed through our corporate practice.
- Investor protections — building the law’s guarantees — equal treatment, fund transfer, expropriation protection — into the investment’s documentation and structure.
- RHQ advisory — assessing whether the program’s incentives and contracting access fit your group, and executing the establishment.
- Incentives and sector rules — eligibility for investment incentives, and navigating restricted or conditioned activities.
- Day-one compliance — the obligations that arrive with the registration: workforce and Saudization, data protection, and sector regimes, coordinated across the firm’s practices.
How an engagement runs
We assess the activity, sector rules, and optimal structure; agree the entry plan; execute registration, formation, and licensing end to end; and stay on as Saudi counsel while the operation scales.
Why Temairik for foreign investment
Market entry succeeds when the seams hold — registration to structure, structure to workforce, workforce to compliance. This firm runs all nine specializations under one roof, so a foreign investor gets one counsel across the whole entry.
Planning your Saudi market entry? Discuss your investment with our team →
Related reading: the new Investment Law explained · MISA registration · 100% ownership and sector rules · the RHQ decision.
Frequently asked questions
What law governs foreign investment in Saudi Arabia?
The Investment Law (Royal Decree M/19 of 1446H), in force since February 2025, which replaced the Foreign Investment Law of 2000 and unified the rules for local and foreign investors.
Do foreign investors still need a MISA license?
No — the new law replaced the foreign-investment license with registration with the Ministry of Investment before engaging in investment activity.
Can a foreign investor own 100% of a Saudi business?
In most sectors, yes — subject to the excluded and restricted activities list. The activity determines what ownership is available.
Are foreign investors treated the same as Saudi investors?
Yes — the Investment Law guarantees equal treatment of local and foreign investors in like circumstances, and defines "investor" without a nationality distinction.
Can I move my money out of Saudi Arabia?
Yes — investors may freely and without delay transfer funds, returns, and profits into and out of the Kingdom through legal channels.
What is the RHQ program?
The Regional Headquarters program ties access to Saudi government contracting to maintaining a regional headquarters in the Kingdom, with long-term incentives for qualifying RHQs.
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