18 firms to hire expat workers for contractors

A total of 18 recruitment firms in the Kingdom will hire workers for contractors on a short-term basis to complete stalled projects, according to industry experts.
These construction companies are, nevertheless, in need of enhanced, long-term recruitment initiatives to cover for the shortage of workers in the local market.
“We need more than 30 recruitment firms licensed in the Kingdom since construction firms lost more than 70,000 foreign workers in the last two years,” said Abdulaziz Al-Khayat, a member in the contractors’ committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
The move is expected to provide much needed relief to the Saudi construction industry, which has been struggling with a dire labor shortage. The hiring program was launched at the end of the amnesty period on Nov. 3, 2013.
The move is aimed at compensating for the departure of thousands of expatriate construction workers who failed to correct their statues during the grace period.
Recruitment companies will also aim to provide trained and qualified workers according to company needs.
Abdullah Radwan, also a member of the committee, said the program would help resolve labor shortages.
“There are only 18 recruitment firms that have been licensed to launch labor rental programs,” Radwan told Arab News.
He said the program will provide construction firms with workers on short-term contracts without having to transfer their sponsorships.
Awad Al-Zahrani, a member of the recruitment committee at the JCCI, said a number of recruitment companies were preparing training programs for workers.
The Ministry of Labor had earlier issued more than 220,000 visas to recruitment companies and establishments in both the private and public sectors, said Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, director-general of employment.
Around 176,000 visas were given to companies in the public and private sector, while the rest were allocated for domestic recruitment.
Labor Minister Adel Fakeih had announced that almost 90,000 visas had been granted last year, of which more than 63,000 were allocated to the private sector and around 26,000 for domestic recruitment.
Companies recruit workers and offer labor services to both the private and public sectors, in addition to domestic recruitment.
“Other licensed companies are in the pipeline after applying for preliminary approval,” he added.