The unemployment rate among expatriates born in the Kingdom has soared alarmingly during the last two years following the implementation of the Nitaqat program which aims to nationalize jobs across the different sectors.

This segment of expats can only find jobs with a limited number of private firms which are in the green zone of the nationalization program.

“Many expatriates are facing difficulties with finding jobs in companies classified in the green zone according to the new labor regulations. Most of these expatriates have been born in the Kingdom and are dependents of expatriates who need to transfer their sponsorships from their legal guardians to that of the firm employing them,” Dr. Fadal Abu Al-Ainain, a financial adviser of a private firm said.

Speaking to Arab News, he said: “However, only a very limited number of private companies in the green zone hire expats while Saudization in the rest of the companies especially those in the petrochemical sector reaches 95 percent.”

He explained that the Nitaqat program allows expat workers classified in the red zone to transfer their sponsorships to companies in the green zone which leads to many expatriates searching for jobs in companies classified in the green zone.

However, many dependents of expatriates in the Kingdom did not transfer their sponsorship and instead left their jobs and stayed at home, especially women who were working as teachers in private schools.

“I left my job in one of the companies classified in the red zone. But there are only a limited number of companies in the green zone willing to hire expats,” Waleed Abu Al-Khair, a Yemeni resident who was born in Jeddah told Arab News.

Salah Habib, a Palestinian resident who was also born in the Kingdom has a similar story to tell. “I am still an expat dependent and I need to transfer my sponsorship but most companies which are in the red and yellow zones cannot transfer sponsorships of their expat workers.”

He added that in the past, several employers allowed expats to work without transferring their sponsorships. But the intensification of the labor campaigns forced these employers to let their workers go or face punitive action for breaking the law.