RIYADH — The percentage of Saudization in seven major economic activities in the Saudi private sector exceeded 50 percent by the end of the third quarter of the year 2020, according to a local newspaper report. The rate of Saudization in the private sector as a whole reached 23.8 percent during this period with the number of Saudi workers accounted for 2.03 million while non-Saudi workers represented 76.2 percent with 6.48 million workers, out of a total of 8.5 million workers in the private sector. The financial and insurance activities came up top among the list of seven economic activities with a Saudization rate of 83.6 percent. It was followed by public administration, defense and mandatory social insurance with 71.9 percent; activities of foreign organizations and entities 71.5 percent; mining and quarrying activities 63.2 percent; education 52.9 percent; information and communications 50.7 percent; and supplies of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning 50.6 percent, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported. Saudization in the sectors of agriculture, forestry and fishing; construction; administrative and support services; and the activities of productive families recorded the least percentage of Saudization with the rates of 15.5 percent, 13.5 percent, 12 percent and 11.4 percent respectively. The percentage is calculated on the basis of the private sector workers who are registered at the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI). The GOSI has classified professions in the private sector into 21 economic activities, and these include agriculture, forestry, and fishing, as well as mining and quarrying with a localization rate of 15.5 percent; manufacturing industries 63.2 percent; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supplies 50.6 percent; water supply, sewage activities, waste management and treatment with Saudization of 26.5 percent, construction 13.5 percent; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 23.4 percent; transportation and storage 25.3 percent; and accommodation activities and food services 20.2 percent. The classifications also include information and communications with a Saudization rate of 50.7 percent; financial and insurance activities 83.6 percent; real estate activities 31.9 percent; professional, scientific and technical activities 29.8 percent; administrative and support services activities 12 percent; public administration, defense and compulsory social insurance 71.9 percent; and education 52.9 percent. The human health and social service activities achieved localization rate of 48.3 percent; arts and entertainment 29.9 percent; other service activities 19.6 percent; household activities that employ individuals or produce goods and services 11.4 percent; and activities of foreign organizations and bodies 71.5 percent.
