RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in partnership with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, announced the decision to Saudize 25 percent of engineering professions in the private sector effective from July 21, 2024. This will be applicable to all private sector establishments that employ five employees in the engineering professions. This decision comes within the efforts of the two ministries aimed at providing more stimulating and productive job opportunities for male and female citizens in various regions of the Kingdom. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing said that it will work to follow up and implement this decision, which raises the level of participation in the labor market. The ministry will supervise its implementation in a manner consistent with the requirements of the labor market and the specialization of engineering professions. The ministry also confirmed that the private sector establishments will benefit from the incentives and support programs provided by the human resources and social development system to help establishments employ Saudis, including supporting the process of attracting and searching for suitable workers, supporting the necessary training and qualification process, and supporting the recruitment and career continuation process. This is in addition to giving priority in benefiting from all nationalization support programs available in the system, and support and employment programs through the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF). The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development will sign agreements with a number of private sector entities in this regard and that is in implementation of the government decisions related to the Saudization of engineering professions. According to the data from the Saudi Council of Engineers, the total number of engineers, technicians and specialists affiliated with it reached 448,528. The number of engineering companies and offices, including 3,267 engineering offices and 1,123 engineering companies, reached 4,390. Saudis constitute 34.17 percent of the total number of engineers and technicians affiliated with the council. The percentage of females out of the total number of engineers and technicians was 3.19 percent, while the percentage of men was 96.81. According to the source, the decisions are expected to contribute to providing quality job opportunities for qualified Saudis and thus increasing their participation in the labor market by providing more than 8,000 jobs in engineering professions. It will also contribute to providing more than 8,000 other jobs for engineering technical professions. It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development had previously issued a decision requiring the localization of 20 percent of the total number of engineering professionals in the private sector establishments in which five or more engineers work, while setting a minimum wage for registered engineers. It also published a guide explaining the details of the Saudization decision, the proposed rates of Saudization, the targeted activities and professions, the mechanism for calculating the percentage for workers, as well as the penalties imposed on establishments that do not adhere to the required Saudization rates, and clarification of the government support programs provided by the human resources system and the competent bodies to support the private sector in Saudization of the sector.
