29 January 2018

12 jobs to be restricted to nationals in KSA

The KSA Minister of Labor and Social Development Dr Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafees has issued a ministerial decision that work in outlets of 12 activities and occupations will be restricted to Saudis from the beginning of the Hijri year 1440, which will around 18 September 2018, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

The official spokesman of the ministry, Khalid Abaakhel, said that jobs at locations that are scheduled to be restricted to Saudis include watch shops, eyeglasses stores, medical equipment stores, electrical and electronics shops, those selling car parts, building materials, carpets, cars and motorcycles, home furniture and ready-made offices, clothes, men's supplies, household utensils and pastry shops.

He added that decisions of feminisation - the inclusion of female employees - should be observed in respect of the activities and shops that have been decided upon by feminisation, and noted that the decision does not conflict with the decisions to Saudise the activities according to existing memorandums of understanding with the emirates of GCC regions that are in force. 

Saudisation, referred to as Nitaqat (نطاقات) refers to the restriction of specific jobs for Saudis with the aim of ensuring that nationals, and not expatriates, work in high-quality jobs in the long term. The strategy also mandates a minimum number of Saudi employees in companies.

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Read EY's 2017 note about updates to the Saudisation policy (PDF)