JEDDAH: Labor Minister Mufrej Al-Haqabani has warned that companies firing Saudis would not be allowed to hire foreign workers, and that several measures were being introduced to ensure women citizens are employed.
Speaking at the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference that ended in Riyadh on Wednesday, he said every effort was being made to ensure Saudis are employed in the private sector, according to a report in a local publication.
He said the private sector employs 1.8 million Saudis and 8.9 million expatriates, mostly in the Eastern Province, Riyadh and Makkah. The proportion of Saudis working in the private sector in Riyadh is 17 percent and 19 percent in the Eastern Province.
He said there has not been a significant number of Saudis fired from their jobs. “But no company will be allowed further recruitment and services if it has to dismiss Saudis.”
The ministry was monitoring on a weekly basis Saudis being hired and fired in the private sector, he said. Al-Haqabani said his ministry wants women’s representation in the workforce from 22 percent to 30 percent.
There was “dysfunction” in the market with education qualifications not matching industry needs, he said.
“There is a large imbalance in the labor market in the Kingdom because of its great dependence on foreign workers. We also do not have jobs for women. The participation of Saudi women in the workforce is still low and concentrated mainly in health and education,” said Al-Haqbani.
Speaking on the rights of foreign workers, he said the expatriates are protected under Saudi law with regard to their contracts. Grievances against employers can be raised with the ministry through their embassies, he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Nidal Radwan, chairman of the National Committee for Labor, has called on the ministry to amend legislation that the committee believes is incompatible with Saudization efforts.
He said there was an urgent need to provide jobs with good pay and working conditions for citizens. “We must unite against employers who hire cheap unskilled foreign workers at the expense of our citizens. They are placing their personal interests above that of the public’s.”
He said the government must close the gap between the public and private sectors. This can only be accomplished by reducing the working week to 40 hours with two days off on the weekend, in addition to specifying a minimum wage and providing a decent work environment that offers health and recreational benefits.
Speaking at the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference that ended in Riyadh on Wednesday, he said every effort was being made to ensure Saudis are employed in the private sector, according to a report in a local publication.
He said the private sector employs 1.8 million Saudis and 8.9 million expatriates, mostly in the Eastern Province, Riyadh and Makkah. The proportion of Saudis working in the private sector in Riyadh is 17 percent and 19 percent in the Eastern Province.
He said there has not been a significant number of Saudis fired from their jobs. “But no company will be allowed further recruitment and services if it has to dismiss Saudis.”
The ministry was monitoring on a weekly basis Saudis being hired and fired in the private sector, he said. Al-Haqabani said his ministry wants women’s representation in the workforce from 22 percent to 30 percent.
There was “dysfunction” in the market with education qualifications not matching industry needs, he said.
“There is a large imbalance in the labor market in the Kingdom because of its great dependence on foreign workers. We also do not have jobs for women. The participation of Saudi women in the workforce is still low and concentrated mainly in health and education,” said Al-Haqbani.
Speaking on the rights of foreign workers, he said the expatriates are protected under Saudi law with regard to their contracts. Grievances against employers can be raised with the ministry through their embassies, he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Nidal Radwan, chairman of the National Committee for Labor, has called on the ministry to amend legislation that the committee believes is incompatible with Saudization efforts.
He said there was an urgent need to provide jobs with good pay and working conditions for citizens. “We must unite against employers who hire cheap unskilled foreign workers at the expense of our citizens. They are placing their personal interests above that of the public’s.”
He said the government must close the gap between the public and private sectors. This can only be accomplished by reducing the working week to 40 hours with two days off on the weekend, in addition to specifying a minimum wage and providing a decent work environment that offers health and recreational benefits.
