CV Format for Saudi Arabia: Sample for Pakistanis (2026)

A Saudi recruiter can open fifty CVs from Pakistan in one morning, and most of them look exactly like a CV made for a job in Lahore: CNIC number at the top, father's name, domicile, and no word about visa status. That CV is not wrong. It is just in the wrong format for Saudi Arabia, and it quietly loses to the one that answers the recruiter's questions on page one.

This guide shows you the CV format for Saudi Arabia that employers there expect in 2026: the sections in the right order, what personal details to add (and what to drop), the photo question, the licenses that matter for your profession, and a sample you can follow line by line.

Saudi Arabia is the biggest job market for Pakistanis abroad. Bureau of Emigration figures show 143,586 Pakistani workers went to Saudi Arabia between January and May 2026, more than any other country (Gulf News). Competition is real, so the format has to be right.

Already have a CV? Get your free CV score on Cvalto first. It takes about a minute and shows what to fix before you send it to a Saudi employer.

What is the CV format for Saudi Arabia?

Most private companies in Saudi Arabia, and the agencies that hire for them, expect a clean, professional CV that is quick to scan. In practice that means:

• One column, with clear headings and no tables, text boxes or skill bars.
• Reverse chronological order: your latest job first, then the one before it.
• Length: two pages for most experienced candidates, one page for freshers.
• Language: English. It is the normal language for CVs in the Saudi private sector for foreign hires. If you speak Arabic, list it as a strong extra skill.
• File type: a text-based PDF, unless the job ad asks for a Word file.

Many large Saudi employers and recruitment portals also screen CVs with ATS software. We cover how that filtering works in our guide on the ATS-friendly CV for Gulf jobs. This guide focuses on the Saudi format itself.

Saudi Arabia CV format: the sections in order

Use this order. It puts the details a Saudi recruiter checks first right at the top.

1. Header: full name, job title you are applying for, phone with country code (+92 or +966), professional email, city and country, LinkedIn link. Photo on the right if you use one.
2. Personal details: nationality, Iqama or visa status, availability or notice period, driving license. More on this below.
3. Professional summary: three or four lines on your role, years of experience, main skills and one real result.
4. Core skills: eight to twelve skills taken from the job ad, written as plain words.
5. Work experience: job title, company, city, country, dates (month and year), then four to six bullet points with results.
6. Education: degree, university, year. Add attestation status if you have it.
7. Licenses and certifications: professional registration, trade test, software or safety certificates.
8. Languages: English, Urdu, Arabic (if any), with a simple level such as fluent or basic.

References can be one line at the end: "Available on request."

Personal details on a Saudi CV: what to add and what to drop

This is where most Pakistani CVs go wrong for Saudi jobs. A recruiter in Riyadh or Jeddah wants to know one thing fast: can this person legally start, and when?

Add these:

• Nationality: "Pakistani".
• Iqama or visa status: if you are already in Saudi Arabia, write your status clearly, for example "Iqama holder, transferable" or "Iqama holder, available after release". If you are in Pakistan, write "Based in Pakistan, available to relocate" or "Ready to join on employment visa".
• Notice period or availability: "Available immediately" or "One month notice".
• Driving license: say which one you hold (Saudi, GCC or Pakistani). For driver and field roles this line can decide the shortlist.

Usually leave these out:

• CNIC number, father's name, domicile and religion. These belong on Pakistani government forms, not on a Saudi private sector CV.
• Passport number. The employer collects it later for the visa.
• Your full home address. City and country are enough.

Some Saudi employers still ask for date of birth or marital status. Add them only when the job ad or the agency asks.

Not sure your current CV has the right Saudi details? The Cvalto CV maker has a Saudi Arabia format built in. It rewrites your old CV into the Saudi layout, with the right personal details section and an optional photo.

Photo on a Saudi CV: yes or no?

For Saudi Arabia, the honest answer is: usually yes. A photo is common on Saudi CVs and many employers expect one. Some international companies do not ask for it, and the job ad will often tell you.

If you add a photo:

• Use a recent passport-style headshot with a plain, light background.
• Wear formal or business clothing.
• Place it as a normal image in the header, not inside a table or a design box, so software can still read the text around it.
• Do not use a selfie, a group photo cropped down, or a filtered picture.

If you decide to leave it off, nothing else on the CV changes. Just keep the header clean.

Licenses and checks to mention on your Saudi CV

Saudi Arabia has professional rules that many Pakistani candidates do not mention on their CV, even when they already meet them. A single line here can move you ahead of candidates who say nothing. Only write what is true for you.

Engineers. The Saudi Council of Engineers states that all engineers who practice the profession in the Kingdom must be registered with the Council, and that includes expat engineers (Saudi Council of Engineers). If you have Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) registration, list it with your number. If your Saudi accreditation is done or in process, say so.

Nurses, doctors and other health workers. The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) handles professional classification through its Mumaris+ system. For non-Saudis it asks for at least one year of experience, a valid registration from your home country, and verification of foreign qualifications through an approved company (SCFHS). On your CV, list your Pakistani nursing council or PMDC registration, your years of clinical experience, and your SCFHS status if you have started it.

Drivers, electricians, plumbers and other skilled trades. Saudi Arabia runs a Skill Verification Program (Takamol) with NAVTTC in Pakistan. NAVTTC says the test is mandatory only for occupations notified by Saudi Takamol, and its list covers 108 trades (NAVTTC Takamol). If you have passed it, write "Takamol skill verification: passed" with the trade name. It tells the agent your paperwork is ready.

Degree attestation. Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention in December 2022 and Pakistan joined in March 2023 (HCCH). For Pakistani degrees this usually means HEC attestation first, then an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Rules can change and some employers ask for more, so confirm with your employer or agent. On the CV, a short note under Education works well: "Degree HEC attested and apostilled".

Saudi CV sample (example you can follow)

Here is an example layout for an accountant applying from Pakistan. The details are illustrative. Replace every line with your own real information.

Header

• Your Full Name | Accountant
• +92 300 0000000 | yourname@email.com | Islamabad, Pakistan | linkedin.com/in/yourname

Personal details

• Nationality: Pakistani
• Status: Based in Pakistan, available to relocate on employment visa
• Availability: One month notice
• Driving license: Pakistani

Professional summary

Accountant with 5 years of experience in accounts payable, bank reconciliation and VAT reporting for trading companies. Skilled in SAP and Excel. Reduced month-end closing time from 8 days to 5 by building a reconciliation checklist.

Core skills

Accounts payable, bank reconciliation, VAT returns, IFRS basics, SAP FI, Advanced Excel, financial reporting, vendor management.

Work experience

Senior Accountant, ABC Trading Company, Lahore, Pakistan (March 2022 to present)

• Managed accounts payable for 300+ vendors and cleared a 2 month backlog in 6 weeks.
• Prepared monthly VAT and tax reports with zero late filings.

Education

• B.Com (Hons), University of the Punjab, 2019. Degree HEC attested and apostilled.

Languages

• English (fluent), Urdu (native), Arabic (basic)

See the difference from a typical Pakistani CV? The recruiter knows your nationality, status and notice period before reading a single bullet point, and every bullet shows a result, not a duty.

If you want help turning plain duties into results like these, our guide on the CV format in Pakistan has more before and after examples.

Saudi CV format in Word or PDF?

Write it in Word, send it as a PDF. Word is easier to edit for each job, and a text-based PDF keeps your layout the same on every screen. Send Word only when the job ad or the agency asks for it.

You do not need to start from a blank page:

• Free Word template: download the Gulf CV template (with a photo box) from our free CV templates page. No sign-up needed.
• Saudi format, done for you: the Cvalto CV maker builds a complete Saudi Arabia CV from your old CV or from scratch, using only your real experience.

Before you save the final PDF, open it and try to select the text with your mouse. If you cannot select it, it is an image, and software cannot read it.

Where Pakistanis find jobs in Saudi Arabia

Your CV format matters most where you send it. The main channels Pakistanis use:

• Bayt, GulfTalent and Naukrigulf: the big Gulf job portals. Fill your profile fully and upload the same CV.
• LinkedIn: set your location preference to Saudi Arabia and follow companies in your field. Our guide on how to make a LinkedIn profile for jobs shows how to get found by recruiters.
• Licensed overseas employment promoters in Pakistan: use only agents licensed by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, and never pay anyone just to "forward your CV".
• Company career pages: large Saudi employers post jobs on their own websites.

When you apply to a specific job, match your CV to that ad. Copy the job title they use and add the skills they list, if you really have them.

Applying for a specific Saudi job? Paste the job ad into Cvalto Job match. You will see your ATS score for that exact job and the keywords your CV is missing.

A short, job-specific cover letter also helps with agencies. Our cover letter guide has samples you can adapt.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a CV for Saudi Arabia?

Use one column, latest job first, two pages at most. Start with your name, target job title and contact details, then add nationality, Iqama or visa status and notice period. Follow with a short summary, skills from the job ad, experience with results, education, licenses and languages. Save it as a text-based PDF.

Is a photo required on a CV for Saudi Arabia?

It is not a legal requirement, but a photo is common and many Saudi employers expect one. Use a recent passport-style headshot with a plain background, and leave it off only if the job ad says not to include one.

Should my CV for Saudi Arabia be in Arabic or English?

English is fine for most private sector jobs that Pakistanis apply for. If you speak or read Arabic, list it under Languages, because it is a real advantage. Cvalto writes CVs in English, and Arabic is coming soon.

What is the CV format for Saudi Arabia for nurses and drivers?

The layout is the same, but the details change. Nurses should list their Pakistani nursing council registration, clinical experience in years and SCFHS classification status. Drivers should list the license type they hold, the vehicles they drive, and their Takamol skill test result if they have one.

How many pages should a Saudi CV be?

Two pages for most experienced candidates and one page for fresh graduates. If yours runs longer, cut old jobs to one or two lines and remove duties that do not match the job you want.

Get your Saudi CV ready this week

A Saudi recruiter decides fast. Give them your status, your licenses and your results in the first half of page one, and you are already ahead of most CVs in the pile.

Start with a free check: upload your CV to Cvalto and see your ATS score, missing keywords and formatting issues. The free plan includes 1 analysis and 1 CV generation. When you are ready for more, one-time packs start from Rs 500 and unlock all rewrites, cover letters and PDF downloads, with no subscription. See pricing.