An official source in the Ministry of Labor said that the new strategy for employing Saudis includes dividing workers in the Kingdom into four categories – high, medium, low and unskilled. The source also said that work permits will be issued to Saudi and expatriate workers in all professions in order to link the worker's permit with his professional record, , Al-Madina Arabic daily said Friday. The source added that a fee will be imposed for obtaining a professional license and that the concerned authorities will specify the amount soon. The work permit fee will be set according to the applicant's qualifications – 50 percent of the fee ceiling will be imposed on medium skilled workers, 75 percent on low skilled and 100 percent on unskilled workers. This will be done with the aim of keeping workers needed by the labor market. The revenue collected from work permits will be directed to the Human Resources Development Fund to be used to improve the productivity of Saudi workers. The imposition of work permit fees will contribute to improving productivity as one of the most important causes for low productivity in the Kingdom is the recruitment of large numbers of marginally unskilled expatriate workers. At the same time, unemployed Saudi nationals will be trained for work in jobs that do not require high skills. The new labor strategy also includes the expansion of licensing specialist professional societies with the aim of upgrading professions and developing their members professionally. These societies will coordinate with the Ministry of Labor in laying down the criteria for practicing the related professions. The societies will expand their functions, such as providing social services to their members with special conditions, including health insurance, education, the establishment of clubs and programs for saving and lending.
