Riyadh, June 01: Saudi Arabia plans to limit the number of work permits given to foreigners to try to increase employment among Saudis, and larger firms will need to meet higher quotas, the labour minister said Tuesday.
Companies will have till September 7 to achieve a prescribed quota of Saudi employees, Labour Minister Adel Fakieh said. “The larger the company is, the higher rate of Saudisation is required from it … If companies exerted even the smallest of efforts the unemployment rate would fall significantly,” he said.
Businesses will be deprived of their privileges if they do not comply.
Fakieh said on Monday the government would not renew work permits for foreign workers who have spent six years in the country.
–Agencies