RIYADH: The Saudi workforce stands to benefit as the Ministries of Human Resources and Social Development, and Health, have begun implementing a 35 percent nationalization of dental professions.
The new resolution, effective from March 10, will apply localization ratios to private sector establishments employing three or more workers in dental professions.
This decision aligns with the efforts of the two ministries to create improved job opportunities for male and female citizens across various regions of the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Health will oversee and ensure the implementation of this decision to boost labor market participation, aligning with the specialization of the dental profession.
Furthermore, it stated that private sector establishments will receive support and incentives from the HRSD system to aid Saudi employment.
These include support for recruitment and finding suitable workers, assistance with necessary training and qualification processes, support for job continuity, as well as granting priority access to localization and employment support programs through HRSD.
The ministry published procedural instructions on its website outlining localization requirements and professions, emphasizing the importance of enterprises complying with the regulations to avoid penalties imposed on violators.
In December 2023, Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant increase in the participation rate of nationals in the private sector, according to statistics published by the HRSD system.
The participation rate of Saudis in the private sector increased from 1.7 million in 2019 to 2.3 million in 2023, including more than 360,000 who had entered the labor market for the first time, the Saudi Press Agency reported in December.
According to the Labor Market Bulletin statistics released in December, this increase led to a decrease in the total unemployment rate to 8.3 percent in the second quarter of 2023. The reforms, strategy, and substantial support are reflected in the significant transformations of the Saudi labor market.
HRSD has made many efforts to turn the labor market in the Kingdom into an attractive one for talent and competition in global divisions.
The labor market strategy, through its initiatives in support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, has contributed to achieving tangible results at the national level. In 2022, Saudi Arabia secured first place among the G20 countries with a growth rate of 4.9 percent in worker productivity.
These efforts also contributed to reducing unemployment rates among Saudi women to 15.7 percent, the SPA report added.
