Effective Date: 09/02/2026

1. Introduction

Smart Hiring Gulf (“Smart Hiring Gulf”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of job seekers, employers, clients, and website visitors. As a smart hiring and recruitment solutions platform operating in and serving users across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and internationally, we process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy laws.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal data when you access or use our website, services, and related platforms (collectively, the “Services”).

Where applicable, we aim to comply with relevant data protection laws including:

  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users located in the European Economic Area (EEA).
  • UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data.
  • Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL).
  • Other applicable data protection regulations within GCC jurisdictions.

By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

  • Job seekers/candidates.
  • Employers, recruiters, and client organizations.
  • Website visitors.
  • Any individual whose personal data is provided to us in connection with recruitment and HR services.

3. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data necessary to provide recruitment and HR technology services effectively.

3.1 Data Collected from Job Seekers

When you apply for jobs or register on our platform, we may collect:

  • Full name
  • Contact details (email address, phone number, address)
  • Nationality and residency status
  • Resume/CV information
  • Employment history and job titles
  • Educational qualifications
  • Skills and certifications
  • Professional licenses (if applicable)
  • Salary expectations
  • References (if provided)
  • Profile photo (if uploaded)
  • Any additional information you voluntarily provide

3.2 Data Collected from Employers and Clients

When organizations engage with our Services, we may collect:

  • Company name
  • Business contact details
  • Authorized representative’s name and contact details
  • Job vacancy details
  • Recruitment preferences and hiring criteria
  • Billing and payment information (where applicable)

3.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Referring URLs
  • Pages viewed and time spent on the website
  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies
  • Usage analytics data

4. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data through:

  1. Direct Input – When users register, submit resumes, apply for jobs, fill contact forms, or communicate with us.
  2. Employer Submissions – When employers share candidate or recruitment-related data.
  3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies – Through browser cookies and analytics tools.
  4. Third-Party Sources – Such as professional networking platforms (where permitted by law) or publicly available professional profiles.
  5. Service Providers – When integrated HR or recruitment systems are used.

5. Purpose of Processing Personal Data

We process personal data for legitimate business and recruitment purposes, including:

  • Matching candidates with job opportunities.
  • Facilitating recruitment and hiring processes.
  • Verifying candidate qualifications and experience.
  • Communicating job opportunities and service updates.
  • Managing employer accounts and job postings.
  • Improving our platform functionality and user experience.
  • Conducting analytics and performance monitoring.
  • Complying with legal and regulatory obligations.
  • Protecting against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

Where required by law, we rely on appropriate legal bases for processing, such as:

  • Consent (e.g., marketing communications).
  • Performance of a contract.
  • Legal obligations.
  • Legitimate business interests.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell personal data. However, we may share personal data under the following circumstances:

6.1 With Employers and Clients

Candidate data may be shared with prospective employers for recruitment purposes.

6.2 With Service Providers

We may share data with trusted third-party providers who assist us in:

  • Cloud hosting services
  • Data storage
  • IT support
  • Analytics services
  • Payment processing
  • Email communication services

All service providers are contractually obligated to maintain confidentiality and comply with applicable data protection laws.

6.3 Legal and Regulatory Authorities

We may disclose personal data:

  • To comply with legal obligations.
  • In response to lawful requests from authorities.
  • To protect our legal rights or prevent fraud.

6.4 Business Transfers

In case of merger, acquisition, restructuring, or asset sale, personal data may be transferred as part of business assets, subject to confidentiality safeguards.

7. International Data Transfers

Given the international nature of recruitment, personal data may be transferred across GCC countries and, where necessary, outside the region.

Where such transfers occur, we ensure appropriate safeguards are implemented, such as:

  • Standard contractual clauses.
  • Data processing agreements.
  • Transfers to jurisdictions recognized as providing adequate data protection.
  • Additional technical and organizational security measures.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to:

  • Fulfill recruitment and business purposes.
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
  • Resolve disputes and enforce agreements.

Typical retention guidelines:

  • Candidate profiles: Retained for a reasonable period (e.g., 1–3 years) unless deletion is requested earlier.
  • Employer account data: Retained during active engagement and for a legally required period thereafter.
  • Website analytics data: Retained according to analytics provider retention policies.

We may anonymize data for statistical purposes, in which case it is no longer considered personal data.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Enhance user experience.
  • Remember user preferences.
  • Analyze website traffic.
  • Improve platform performance.

Users can manage cookie preferences through browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Data Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including:

  • Secure hosting environments.
  • Encryption (where appropriate).
  • Access control and role-based permissions.
  • Regular system monitoring and vulnerability management.
  • Confidentiality agreements with staff and partners.

While we strive to protect personal data, no system is entirely secure. Users are encouraged to use strong passwords and maintain confidentiality of login credentials.

11. User Rights

Subject to applicable law, users may have the following rights:

  • Right to access personal data.
  • Right to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to request deletion of personal data.
  • Right to restrict or object to certain processing.
  • Right to data portability (where applicable).
  • Right to withdraw consent at any time.
  • Right to lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority.

Requests can be submitted using the contact details below. We may require identity verification before processing requests.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are intended for individuals aged 18 years or older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware of such data collection, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of those websites separately.

14. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect legal, technical, or operational changes. The updated version will be published on our website with the revised effective date.

Continued use of our Services after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

15. Contact Information

For privacy-related inquiries, data access requests, or complaints, please contact:

Smart Hiring Gulf
Website: https://smarthiringgulf.com
Email: support@smarthiringgulf.com

If you are located in a GCC jurisdiction with a designated data protection authority, you may also contact the relevant supervisory authority in your country of residence.

Acknowledgment

By accessing and using Smart Hiring Gulf’s Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the processing of your personal data as described herein.