Saudi Arabia expands Saudization targets to boost local employment in key sectors
Date
1/27/2025 8:40:28 AM
(MENAFN) Saudi professionals in fields such as dentistry, pharmacy, accounting, and technical engineering will soon benefit from expanded job opportunities as part of the Kingdom’s new Saudization targets under its Vision 2030 plan. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), in collaboration with health, commerce, and housing authorities, aims to localize 269 professions to further integrate Saudi nationals into the workforce.
This new effort builds on previous measures, including the significant increase in Saudization rates for specific sectors. For example, in October, Saudi Arabia raised Saudization targets to 65 percent for radiology, 70 percent for medical laboratories, and 80 percent for physiotherapy and therapeutic nutrition. The updated rules, effective July 27, will require community pharmacies and medical complexes to achieve a 35 percent Saudization rate, hospitals to reach 65 percent, and other pharmacy-related businesses to maintain a 55 percent rate. Companies with five or more pharmacy professionals will be subject to these new requirements.
Saudization, which was launched in 2011, aims to reduce unemployment by setting specific quotas for Saudi workers in the private sector. The program has already shown significant success, with the unemployment rate dropping from 12.8 percent in 2018 to 7.1 percent by mid-2024, exceeding the initial Vision 2030 goal of 8 percent. As a result, the Kingdom has revised its target to achieve a 5 percent unemployment rate by 2030.
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