For decades now Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been an attraction for people from all over the world who come here to work. The movement goes on, and despite high rates of unemployment among Saudis our country continues to receive people from other countries. At the same time, we have not witnessed any kind of counter-movement by which Saudis travel abroad to work in other countries.
Saudi college graduates could find better employment conditions in the neighboring GCC states. Unfortunately, there are no employment or coordination offices to organize the process and help them to find work abroad.
I am confident such a thing would be a big success if neighboring countries opened their doors by providing employment opportunities for these youth. It is surprising to see that in neighboring Gulf countries, foreigners work in the military including the armed forces, police, civil defense and many other sectors.
Najd, the heart of Arabia, has historically been compared to a pot that overflows once full, an indication of the waves of migration that saw people from the area go to the eastern coast, Iraq and Syria in search of a livelihood. Some returned home after a few years but many decided to stay and begin new lives. As a result, many of us now have relatives in Gulf countries where our ancestors settled after moving there to escape harsh economic conditions.
History very often repeats itself. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if people began moving out again. This country now has too many mouths to feed, and many of its young people are qualified university graduates who could easily take up jobs in different areas, whether civilian or military.
The question is why there aren’t any specialized agencies to coordinate with businesses and governments in other Gulf countries for the employment of Saudis. Our businessmen never stop saying that Saudi youth lack the qualifications, enthusiasm and motivation that make them employable assets. This is no more than prejudice. The youth have proven the opposite as shown by the jobs they are now doing. Saudi youth can prove themselves if the wage they are paid is an accurate reflection of prevailing economic conditions.
