Fahad Al-Takhifi, secretary-general of the Ministry of Labor for Development, said that women’s fashion workshops are not allowed to employ men any longer. He pointed out that the ministry has made a number of regulations, the most important of which is stopping the recruitment of expatriate male workers.

He said the ministry has prepared a plan to employ women at these stores to be carried out in stages in coming months. “After completing the implementation of the plan, you will not find any male worker at these places,” Al-Takhifi said.

The ministry will organize sessions in Riyadh, where it will meet with businessmen and fashion workshop owners to discuss how to implement this move.

This will be followed by sessions in Jeddah and Dammam in the next two weeks.

He said the ministry is considering ideas to open up new opportunities and scopes suitable for female employment, where women would be in secluded places.

The ministry plans to expand the process of employing women only at women's wear stores to include female fashion workshops in accordance with strict rules of the ministry.