RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is continuing its efforts to improve the quality of labor market outcomes through the Professional Accreditation Program, which has achieved record numbers since its launch and accredited about 209,500 workers in various professions, covering over 1,000 occupations worldwide.
The program aims to ensure that expatriate workers possess the necessary skills and qualifications in line with the requirements of each profession, aligning with the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations to guarantee a more efficient and high-quality work environment, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The program includes the professional verification and professional inspection services, both of which operate according to specific mechanisms and methodologies.
The professional verification service aims to verify the skills, experience, and certifications of expatriate workers in high-skill jobs. This process is fully automated and conducted through a unified electronic platform with a maximum processing time of 15 working days.
The professional inspection service targets workers with medium and low skill levels in professions that do not require academic degrees. It also assesses the skill levels of expatriate workers through practical and theoretical tests conducted both before and after workers enter the Kingdom.
The program enables employers to assess their workforce while using around 127 professional examination centers inside and outside the Kingdom.
The service is used by five countries among the largest exporters of expatriate workers to the Saudi labor market: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Egypt.
The program continues to grow and expand, covering additional countries and more professions, and this will result in raising awareness among employers and government and private institutions about the importance of employing qualified expatriate workers, ensuring job performance quality and improving the professional qualifications of workers across various sectors.
The program aims to regulate the entry of workers with the necessary knowledge and skills into the Kingdom and contribute to creating a labor market with trusted competencies.
