RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) launched the first phase of the Skill Verification Program (SVP) in Egypt. The program was launched in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Manpower, by carrying out the skills examination system in both Egypt and Saudi Arabia in order to raise the efficiency of professional labor and the quality of professional services provided in the Saudi labor market. Five professions such as plumber, electrician, welder, automobile mechanic, and carpenter were selected for the skill testing in the first phase of the external track of the program. The ministry is working to add a group of other professional fields in the coming phases of the program. This comes within the framework of the ministry's efforts to activate the program in several countries. Pakistan was the first country to utilize the Saudi skilled workers' program by starting it in September 2022. Pakistan was followed by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The Skill Verification Program contributes to ensuring that the worker possesses the necessary skills to perform the profession that he wants to take up before entering the Saudi labor market. The SVP has become a basic requirement for the process of bringing professional workers to Saudi Arabia for specific professions, which can be obtained from one of the examination centers approved in the worker's country before his arrival. They have to sit for and pass two tests, one theoretical and the other practical. The SVP seeks to be a leading contributor to the development of the professional workforce, according to international standards to meet the needs of the Saudi labor market, in addition to raising the quality of services and enhancing productivity in the labor market. It is noteworthy that the SVP comes along with a package of other development programs, all of which fall under the umbrella of "professional accreditation," which reflects Saudi Arabia's efforts to create a solid and attractive labor market, characterized by high flexibility, rapid response to changes, and attracting the best quality skills.
