ABHA — The average monthly salary of Saudi women employees has exceeded that of their male counterparts in the second half of 2020, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper. The salary of men amounted to SR3,944 while the salary of women reached SR4,105 during the period and this increase in the salary of women was registered for the first time. The report was based on data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), and the National Labor Observatory of the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF). According to the report, the average salaries of new Saudi employees of both sexes recorded a slight difference of about SR231 at the end of the first half of 2020, with men's average salary amounted to SR4,539 while women's salary stood at 4,308. The salaries of women registered a growth of SR613 compared to SR603 for men on an annual basis. This showed an increase of SR603 (15.32 percent) and SR613 (16.59 percent) in the salaries of newly hired Saudi men and women respectively on an annual basis. The salaries of newly hired Saudi men reached SR3,963 while that of women reached SR3,695 by the end of the first half of 2020. The average salaries of Saudis in the private sector reached SR6,838 for men and SR4,476 for women. The average salary for males grew by 3.6 percent and for females by 8.2 percent on an annual basis, reaching SR6,596 for males and SR4,137 by the end of the first half of 2020. The report also covered the statistical figures of private sector establishments including individual, joint-stock, limited liability enterprises, and societies that are registered in the GOSI systems. There has been a continuous increase in their number from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021, and then decreased in the second quarter of 2021, where the number of establishments for the second quarter of 2021 reached 630,798 establishments, and the increase in the number of establishments reached 10 percent compared to the same quarter of 2020. While the percentage of decrease was 2.7 in the number of establishments in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter. During the second quarter, about 26.7 percent of the private sector establishments were in the wholesale and retail trade sector and the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The following are the average salary of the newly hired Saudi male and female staff in the private sector over the last two and a half years. First half 2019: men SR3,986, women SR3,624; second half of 2019: men 3,881, women 3,588; first half of 2020: men 3,963, women 3,695; second half of 2020: men 3,944, women 4,105; first half 2021: men 4,539, women 4,308. The following are the average salary of the Saudi male and female staff in the private sector over the last two and a half years. First half of 2019: men SR6,190, women SR4,285; second half of 2019: men 6,493, women 4,027; first half of 2020: male 6,596, female 4,137; second half of 2020: men 6,663, women 4,335; first half 2021: men 6,838, women 4,476. Number of private sector establishments: 2020: first quarter 563,430 establishments; second quarter 574,498; third quarter 605,922; fourth quarter 629,790. 2021: first quarter 648,184; second quarter 630,798 establishments.
