This refers to the article by Abdullah Sayel, “200 riyals a month…anti-Saudization fee!” published on Nov. 25, which brings to the fore the ongoing Saudization drive in the country and the wedded problems facing the foreign labor thereby.
The latest in the controversy is the recent decision by the Ministry of Labor clamping a new fee on private sector investors collecting a fee of SR 200 a month (SR 2400 a year) from them soon. Once the records prove that any establishment or company did not meet the minimum requirement of Saudization percentage, the fee is due on each non-Saudi.
I believe the labor ministry has made exception to business with less then 50 employees. But the sentiment expressed by Abdullah Sayel and others do still stand.
This just shows again a non-professional way of handling things. I think the labor ministry first needs to function in a constructive way. Call your best Saudi industry minds and professional leaders, consult with them, make a work-group and act in a planned and phased manner to ensure long-term sustainability. In long term, most of expats may prefer to go home. The Middle East is low on population. Why you want to push your own majority population to low-end of skill sets and jobs. Instead through internships and mentor programs groom them to take up jobs higher up the value chain. — Kamruddin Zaman, By an email
Saudization needs planning
Saudization needs planning
