Labor market sees 1.6 mln expats leaving due to Saudization measures: Jadwa

The total number of expatriates leaving the Saudi labor market in the past two years reached 1.6 million, attributed to the imposition of the expat and dependents’ fees in both 2018 and 2017, Jadwa Investment said in a recent report.

All sectors saw a decline in the number of expat workers in 2018, led by the construction sector by 910,000 workers, while the trade sector (retail and wholesale) saw 340,000 workers leaving the Kingdom.

In contrast, five sectors reported higher Saudization rates in 2018, topped by the social services sector which hired 52,000 Saudis, while the trade sector hired 43,000.

The combined number of nationals hired in the financial and telecom sectors reached 20,000, while 10,000 worked in the mining sector during the year.

A gradual increase in Saudization is expected in the coming period, including the trade sector which saw a big wave of nationalization in the period from September 2018 to January 2019, Jadwa said.

The firm added that the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program is likely to generate more jobs in sectors like the industrial, mining and trade sectors, as it focuses on local logistics services and export initiatives.