RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has identified eight professions in the category of jobs targeted for 100 percent of Saudization in closed commercial complexes (malls). These professions include the positions of branch manager, section manager, section supervisor, branch assistant manager, sales' specialist, fund accounting supervisor, marketing specialist and customer service, the ministry said in a statement on its Twitter account. The ministry's clarification came after it began implementing total Saudization of malls effective from Aug. 4, in all regions of the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the field monitoring teams from the ministry started inspection tours of malls across the Kingdom. The inspection tours aimed to enhance awareness about the importance of implementing the decision, and to follow up on the extent of the malls' commitment to implement the decision and find out violations, especially since the expiry of the 120-day grace period given before the decision coming into force. The inspection tours are being undertaken under the leadership of Sattam Al-Harbi, deputy minister for control and development of the work environment, and a number of ministry officials. It is noteworthy that the ministry had revealed earlier that a limited number of activities and professions in malls would be exempted from 100 percent of jobs to Saudis in all activities and professions in malls as well as at mall management offices. These professions include cleaning work, loading and unloading, maintenance of recreational facilities, and barbershops. However, the percentage of employees should not exceed 20 percent of the entire workforce at the mall. This was the first among the three decisions issued by Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi in April this year, and these decisions aimed to create 51,000 jobs for Saudis in the employment market. A senior ministry official said recently that the decision to implement 100 percent mall Saudization is expected to generate jobs for 15,000 young Saudi men and women.
