Saudi companies can transfer your personal data outside the Kingdom, but only under specific conditions set out in Article 11 of the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL). The transfer must serve a legitimate purpose, must not conflict with Saudi national security or public interests, and the receiving country or entity must provide an adequate level of data protection comparable to Saudi standards.
This matters for expats whose data may naturally flow across borders — for instance, a multinational employer sending HR records to a head office abroad, or a regional e-commerce platform sharing your details with overseas payment processors. Under the law, the company transferring your data remains responsible for ensuring it is protected even after it leaves the Kingdom.
If you are concerned about international data transfers, you can ask the company directly which countries your data is sent to and what safeguards are in place. This is part of the information you are entitled to under Article 9. If you believe a company is transferring your data internationally without meeting the legal requirements, you can file a complaint with SDAIA, which oversees enforcement under Article 18. Violations can result in fines of up to SAR 5,000,000 under Article 19.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a lawyer licensed in Saudi Arabia.