The president of Asharqia Chamber downplayed the unemployment rate among Saudis and said 1.6 million citizens have been employed in the private sector with total salaries amounting to SR80 billion annually.
“A few months ago when we conducted an interview for 800 jobs, we noticed that 90 percent of some 7,000 applicants were already employed and they came seeking better jobs,” said Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid.
“There are more than 1.6 million citizens registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) as private sector employees with annual salaries reaching SR80 billion,” Al-Rashid said dismissing reports that the private sector had insufficient numbers of Saudi employees.
In comments published on Al-Arabiya news channel’s website, Al-Rashid said most Saudis are not qualified to fill the jobs currently occupied by expats. There are more than seven million foreign workers registered with GOSI.
“A good number of Saudi job seekers do not possess a university degree,” the Asharqia chief said. “Many of them prefer to have their own enterprises.”
Al-Rashid disputed findings that salaries offered by private companies were lower than that of government departments, a fact which encourages Saudis to look for government jobs rather than in the private sector.
“I believe that the salary offered by the public and private sectors to candidates having the same qualifications is equal. A job seeker with an intermediate education would not get a good salary in the public sector either,” he said.
The Labor Ministry has instructed private companies to provide a minimum salary of SR3,000 to Saudi employees.
Al-Rashid said the unemployment rate among the Saudis is exaggerated and most reports in this respect are not based on correct statistics.
According to the Civil Affairs Ministry, there are 1.2 million Saudis working in the public sector with women accounting for 38.3 percent.
The number of non-Saudis working in the public sector reached 73,827 by the end of 2013. Most of them are in the health sector while many others are in the general education and higher education sectors.
Saudi unemployment rate is ‘exaggerated’
Saudi unemployment rate is ‘exaggerated’
KSrelief’s efforts alleviate suffering worldwide
- Among the Kingdom’s most notable humanitarian achievements is the Saudi Separation of Conjoined Twins Program, launched in 1990, which has gained regional and international recognition for its excellence
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia continues to consolidate its leading role in international humanitarian work, embodying the values of generosity and human solidarity through wide-ranging relief efforts across the globe.
Since its inception, the Kingdom has provided more than $142 billion in humanitarian, development, and charitable assistance and implemented 8,457 projects in 173 countries worldwide.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center was established in 2015, with the aim to boost transparency, impartiality, and professionalism.
Its work extends beyond the provision of emergency assistance to include empowering affected communities and enhancing their capacity to recover from crises, reflecting the Kingdom’s enduring commitment to sustainable humanitarian impact.
Among the Kingdom’s most notable humanitarian achievements is the Saudi Separation of Conjoined Twins Program, launched in 1990, which has gained regional and international recognition for its excellence.
