Saudi Arabia is a land where thousands of foreigner travel to seek for a better job and this has increased a large number of expatriates working in the Kingdom.
Last month General authorities for statistics issued a preliminary number that showed the population of Saudi Kingdom has grown from 6 million to 32.6 million which was an increase of 870,000 compared with the number issued at the end of 2016.
Among this 32.6 million, it was stated that the total number of Saudi’s are 20.4 million and non-Saudi are 12.2 million.
According to the latest figure, the number of labors force in the Kingdom stood 13.5 million, among which 5.8 million are Saudis labors and more depressing is that the rest 7.7 million are foreign worker working in the Kingdom.
It is sad to say that in Saudi Arabia the number of unemployed Saudis are increasing day by day while the figure of employed foreign workers has topped up to 7.7 million.
In Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Countries, we see a large number of foreigners working in every field and very less number of locals, which is a huge crisis for the country and a question arise, why are so many locals unemployed in their own homeland?
In Europe and America, only a few numbers of jobs are occupied by the foreigners and the rest seats are secured for the citizens.
It can also be seen that the foreigners such as Latinos, Africans, and Arabs work as taxi drivers, municipal workers, laborer, and vendors while other nationals are hired in multinational and private firms considering their qualification and scientific knowledge.
The US Government prefer to offer citizenship to highly qualified staffs such as Scientists, researchers, doctors, and engineers to benefit from them while Saudis struggle throughout their life earning low wages just to satisfy their needs.
This is very much saddening and a point to ponder over. The US can do this because of its geographical size but this does not mean that the same program can be helpful in Saudi Arabia and deprive its own citizens of jobs.
8 million expatriate workers are hired in private sectors while three million Saudis are still striving to find a better job. This is a sad reality that many graduated and well qualified Saudis to face difficulties to find a suitable job considering their qualification.
They are pushed to work in market and trade giving up their dream to find a better job. The Saudization program has unveiled the fact that the Saudis are unable to compete with expats at places of work because of unfair competition between them.
This is the reason the statistics authority expects an increase in the number of expatriate workers. But now it is the time to stop hiring foreign workers in the private sector companies and the time to apply nationalization of jobs system.
Establishments must activate the decision to limit all professions related to employment and human resource development to Saudis only.
This decision had already appeared in the form of a beautiful infographic in 2016 on the ministry’s portal but they did not take any action to implement it.
But now there is a need to implement this decision and develop a system whereby all new appointments are made on the basis of national identity and get confirmation of interior ministry.
If we, citizens of the Kingdom, fail now, we will have to continue our struggle for jobs, especially after the entry of new investment companies that come to implement vital projects in the country.
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