Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Ministry of Labor has stopped issuing visas for men to work at ladies' tailoring and dressmaking shops, according to a senior official at the ministry. Abdul Munem Al-Shahri, assistant undersecretary for special programs at the ministry, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the ministry has also halted transfer of male staff to work at such shops. The concerned government agencies have started informing those who want to open ladies' tailoring shops that they will no longer be allowed to hire male staff to work at such shops. "Inspectors from the ministry will carry out raids on ladies' tailoring shops to ascertain that whether these shops are adhering to the new regulations. The ministry sees it as one of the most suitable sectors for women to work," he said. Al-Shahri said the ministry has plans to implement 100 percent Saudization and feminization in this sector. "The ministry is working to increase the percentage of Saudization in this sector in a phased manner. We are chalking out a time bound plan focusing on providing training to women to take up jobs and develop their skills in this sector, besides reducing dependence on men," he said, adding that the ministry is carrying out studies to speed up feminization of ladies' tailoring and décor shops. In a related development, Ahmad Al-Humaidan, deputy minister of labor, will hold a press conference at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday to unveil the salient features of the new Labor Law, which will come into force on Oct. 18. The minister will explain details of the new regulations and major amendments made in the law and the reasons for this. The amended law aims at spurring the Kingdom's economic growth and activating the employment market by protecting the rights and interests of both employers and employees, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
