Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) started implementing its decision to reserve jobs in various sectors for local residents in the cities of Madinah and Jazan on July 8, as part of its localisation of workforce programme.
The Saudi ministry of human resources and social development (MHRDD)’s regional localization programme, in partnership with the municipalities of Madinah and Jazan, aims to provide more job opportunities for Saudi men and women.
Interestingly, cleaning and manual labour jobs have been excluded from the decree. However, the number of exempt workers must not constitute more than 20 percent of the total staff.
Localisation in Madinah
In Madinah, 40 percent of the jobs in restaurants, banquets, fast food outlets and juices shops, will be localised.
Similarly, 50 percent of the jobs in cafes and ice cream shops will be reserved for the local population. Moreover, in the city’s wholesale food and beverage outlets, 50 percent jobs will be localised.
Localisation in Jazan
In Jizan, 70 percent of the jobs in advertising agencies, photography services, and computer and laptop stores will also be reserved for the locals.
In recent years, the Kingdom launched a series of initiatives to employ its citizens and replace expatriate workers in various fields, including education, communications and real estate, as part of a labour policy known as Saudisation.
Saudi Arabia, with a population of 3,21,75,224, is home to a large pool of expatriate workers.
