JEDDAH The number of workers in the communications and information technology sector fell by 40 percent in 2015, bringing down salaries by 53 percent compared to 2014. Total amount of salaries paid to workers in the sector declined by SR7.2 billion in 2015 when workers were given a salary of SR6.3 billion against SR13.5 billion in the previous year. Figures provided by the General Statistics Department showed a decrease of 57,200 workers in the sector in 2015 when the number of workers reached 87,300 compared to 144,500 in 2014. At present Saudis account for 58 percent of workers in the sector (50,700) while expats represent 42 percent or 36,600 workers, said Al-Eqtisadiah business daily in a report. "The average salary received by workers in the sector amounted to SR7,800 monthly and SR93,300 annually," the report said based on figures given by the statistics department. The sector posted a profit of SR9.4 billion in 2015 after making a revenue of SR47.5 billion with the expenditure crossing SR38.1 billion, the report explained. Of the 11,056 firms in the sector, 4,584 or 41 percent engage in computer repair works, 2,327 firms or 21 percent in telecom maintenance and 1,063 firms in wireless services. The telecom sector employs the largest number of (39,405) workers or 45 percent of the total workers in the sector while computer maintenance 9,679 workers or 11 percent and telecom maintenance 7,304 workers or eight percent, the report pointed out. Saudis now occupy the lion's share of jobs in the sector or 32,787 workers (65 percent) who receive 69 percent of salaries in the sector, which amounted to 4.3 percent of expenditures in 2015 while the total salary in the sector amounted to SR6.3 billion. Telecom is the most important business in the sector accounting for SR29 billion or 61 percent of the total revenue of SR47.5 billion. It contributes 64 percent or SR24.3 billion of total expenditure in the sector, which is SR38.1 billion, the report said. The Labor and Social Development Ministry decided to Saudize jobs of telecom sales and maintenance in March 2015 and gave traders a time limit of six months to comply with the rule. "The above figures cover profit-oriented businesses in both public and private sectors and do not cover firms working in government and foreign sectors, the paper said.
