RIYADH, 7 January 2008 — Foreign workers in grocery shops, and retail and wholesale stores will gradually be replaced by Saudi nationals, according to a new commercial law passed by the Shoura Council yesterday.

The gradual shift will be made according to a timetable set by the Ministry of Labor. Working hours of all commercial shops and malls have also been changed according to the change in seasons.

Under the new law, all workers in commercial outlets will adhere to the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.

Sheesha outlets in the Kingdom — known to remain open until 3 a.m. in the coastal city of Jeddah — will be required to close by midnight during spring and summer, and at 11 a.m. during winter and fall.

The draft law, which was passed by the Shoura yesterday, will now go to the Council of Ministers for approval.

According to a Shoura member, the final draft was presented after two years of careful research and studies. Businessmen, owners and consumers were consulted on the articles contained in the law before being presented for discussion.

The law reiterates that all shops should be closed during prayer times, regardless of the season.

Article 4 of the law states that commercial centers and shops will only be able to operate between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., and that closing hours will be 10 p.m. during winter and fall.

However, there are a few exceptions. The municipalities will decide working hours for shops in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Local authorities in each region will set shopping hours during Ramadan and Eid holidays.

Shops that are required to open earlier than 6 a.m., such as vegetable markets and bakeries, can do so. However, closing hours for them will be the same as other shops.

Special legislation will be drafted for stores that work on a 24-hour basis, such as pharmacies, stores at gas stations and restaurants located on highways outside city boundaries.

Amusement parks, entertainment centers, restaurants and coffee shops will be allowed to remain open until midnight during summer and spring. They will close at 11 p.m. in winter and fall.

Commercial outlets will be allowed to remain open until midnight during school holidays, weekends and official holidays.

The law specifies that after an initial warning, penalties will be imposed on owners of stores or commercial outlets that violate the opening hours law. A SR100 fine, after a first warning, will be issued to owners of shops which are less than 100 square meters in floor space. A SR200 fine will be issued after the first warning to owners of shops which have a floor space of between 100 and 500 square meters. As for shops that are larger, a SR400 fine will be imposed.

The minister of labor or someone authorized by him in the municipality will decide the fines according to the new law. Citizens have the right to object to fines at the Court of Grievances within 60 days of their issuance.

“This is by far the best law which could be passed in this country,” said Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Zamil, a Shoura Council member and businessman.

He said it was essential for any society to organize its daily life according to a law that would be followed by everyone. “It brings the calmness and comfort back to the family, which is the core of society,” Al-Zamil said, adding that in European countries, shops close at 7 or 8 p.m.

Al-Zamil was among several Shoura members who favored that stores in the Kingdom close shortly after Isha prayers at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.

Even though the view did not receive the majority vote, Al-Zamil remained optimistic. “If we want things to change, we have to take gradual steps,” he said, adding that what was important at this stage was a law to organize commercial working hours.