Saudi Arabia to provide nationals 33,000 job opportunities

Move is in line with the kingdom's Vision 2030

Mandatory nationalisation of the workforce, such as Saudisation in Saudi Arabia, shown here, and Emiratisation in the UAE, involves state-imposed quotas for certain professions. Reuters

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development on Wednesday issued six major decisions to nationalise jobs for Saudi nationals.

They cover postal and parcel transport services, optics professions, customer services, licensed aviation professions, including co-pilots and air controllers, sales outlets and motor vehicle inspectors.

Last year, almost two million Saudis entered the private sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

MHRSD said the move aims to provide Saudi nationals with more than 33,000 job opportunities, in line with the kingdom's Vision 2030, to increase their participation in the labour market.

The implementation of licenced aviation professions will be carried out over two years.

The ministry’s decision applies to all private companies in aviation, which will be required to have five or more employees in specified professions.

All employees must obtain professional accreditation from the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

The ministry said this decision will provide more than 4,000 jobs.

The first phase will begin in March, with 100 per cent nationalisation of jobs for co-pilot, air controller, and dispatcher professions. The jobs of aviation transport pilot and cabin crew will amount to 50 per cent of jobs.

The second phase of nationalisation of jobs in aviation will take place from 2024, and this will cover the Saudisation of pilots and cabin crew by 70 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively.

The professions in the optics industry will be localised by 50 per cent by March 2023.

Every optical firm must have four employees or more out of ten in each department, and all employees must obtain accreditation from the Saudi Commission for Health specialities.

The ministry will also nationalise vehicle inspection professions completely, starting next year, to provide more than 5,000 job opportunities.

Postal and parcel delivery services outlets will be nationalised by the end of the year. All chief executive positions will be 100 per cent localised, and the first and second levels of top management jobs will be 60 and 70 per cent localised.

This will provide more than 7,000 jobs in postal services.

The ministry announced that all customer service sector jobs will be 100 per cent nationalised, starting December, and will create more than 4,000 jobs.

All sales outlets will be 70 per cent nationalised, with the aim of providing more than 12,000 jobs and will be carried out within a year.

MHRSD also announced that 100 per cent of jobs in the cinema sector, including sales and food and beverage departments, will be localised.