Recruitment Privacy Notice Template for Saudi Arabia

A Recruitment Privacy Notice is an essential legal document that you must provide to job applicants when collecting their personal data during your hiring process in Saudi Arabia. Under the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), this notice serves as a transparency mechanism, informing candidates about how their personal information will be processed, stored, and used throughout your recruitment activities.

When do you need this document?

You need a Recruitment Privacy Notice whenever you collect personal data from job applicants in Saudi Arabia. This includes when candidates submit applications through your website, recruitment platforms, or third-party agencies. The notice must be provided before or at the moment of data collection, whether you're hiring for permanent positions, temporary roles, or internships. If you use recruitment agencies, background check providers, or assessment services, your notice must explain these third-party relationships and data sharing arrangements. Organizations conducting international recruitment that includes Saudi candidates must also ensure compliance with PDPL requirements.

Key legal considerations

Your Recruitment Privacy Notice must establish a clear legal basis for processing candidate data under the PDPL, typically legitimate interest for recruitment purposes or contractual necessity for employment decisions. The document should comprehensively list all types of personal data you collect, including basic contact information, educational qualifications, work history, and any sensitive data such as health information or background check results. You must clearly explain data retention periods, specifying how long you keep successful and unsuccessful candidate information. The notice should detail candidate rights under the PDPL, including access, correction, deletion, and objection rights. If you use automated decision-making systems or AI in your recruitment process, this must be explicitly disclosed with information about the logic involved.

Legal requirements in Saudi Arabia

Under Saudi Arabia's PDPL and implementing regulations, your Recruitment Privacy Notice must be available in Arabic, and English if you recruit internationally. The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) regulations require specific cybersecurity measures for protecting candidate data, which should be referenced in your notice. You must obtain explicit consent for processing sensitive personal data categories and clearly explain any cross-border data transfers if you share candidate information with international offices or service providers. The Saudi Labor Law also influences what employment-related information you can collect and retain. Your notice must be easily accessible, written in clear language that candidates can understand, and regularly updated to reflect changes in your recruitment practices or regulatory requirements. Organizations must also designate a Data Protection Officer if they process large volumes of personal data and include their contact information in the notice.