A survey conducted by the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has shown that fewer Saudis quit their jobs last year after getting salary increases.

The rate fell from 45 to 50 percent in 2012 to 40 percent in 2013, according to the study presented at the third job fair organized by the MCCI with 22 private companies.

However, many newly recruited Saudis appear unable to cope with the pressure of their jobs, said Hasan Kansara, an MCCI board member and supervisor of the job fair project.

"We conducted a survey covering 22 companies that participated in the project organized Tuesday for the youth," said Kansara.

"Despite a rise in the average minimum salary to between SR3,500 and SR4,500, work pressure remains a major challenge for employees," he said.

In addition, those who received more money still complained that it was not enough to compensate them for the pressure of work.

Kansara said the participating companies offered 1,200 jobs in various categories, including hospitality, services, architecture, security and engineering. Sixty percent of the jobs were for the hospitality sector followed by security jobs.

Over 2,000 young Saudis attended the fair looking for jobs. However, only 400 men were able to find jobs even though there were many positions available, Kansara said.

He said the chamber and the Human Resources Development Fund are studying the possibility of preparing a database of all those seriously looking for jobs.

He said Saudis could be prevented from quitting their jobs if they are trained to understand their work functions and how to handle pressure.

He said many jobs offered at the fair required a bachelor's degree as a minimum qualification.

According to statistics, 84.2 percent of Saudis with a bachelor's degree are unemployed, the highest rate in the Kingdom, while only 32.9 percent of secondary school graduates are unemployed.

A total of 52.6 percent of unemployed secondary school graduates are male, while only 16 percent of unemployed men have a bachelor's degree, he said.

He said the MCCI was trying its best to replace expatriates with qualified Saudi workers.