The Labor Ministry is preparing to launch another campaign to nationalize jobs in more than 250,000 retail shops across the country within the next few years. At present, about 80 percent of these shops are run by foreigners.
“Many of these shops were found closed following raids against undocumented workers as their owners fear they would be taken to task for running cover-up business,” said a ministry official.
He said the ministry would implement the new scheme after holding detailed talks with owners of supermarkets and other retail shops. “It will be experimented first at some preselected commercial centers,” he said.
The move aims at creating more job opportunities for unemployed Saudis. It will include establishment of women-only commercial centers to provide secure workplaces for women.
The ministry also intends to offer a variety of incentives for shop owners to employ Saudi men and women. It will deploy inspectors to ensure the implementation of the Cabinet decisions relating to the employment of Saudi women.
The ministry will establish employment offices at commercial centers and take steps to protect the rights of Saudi workers, the official said. It will also provide transport services to Saudi workers.
“We will allocate money from the Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) for providing transportation with the support of private companies,” the official said.
Special regulations will be enacted to promote Saudization of jobs in the retail sector and at commercial centers. The ministry will also conduct a survey of shops closed as a result of the new labor laws.
“We will supply qualified Saudi workers to the various commercial centers and shops,” the ministry official said, adding that their salaries would be supported by HRDF. “We will also establish nurseries at these centers to take care of the children of female workers with HRDF support,” he said.
MoL plans to Saudize 250,000 more jobs
