Dubai/Riyadh: The Saudi Lab-our Ministry said it issued about one million work visas in 2009.
A report released by the ministry noted that the number of Saudi jobseekers who were already registered at its offices around the kingdom reached 111,860.
It added that out of the 982,420 work visas issued in 2009, the Riyadh region had the lion's share of applications with more than 300,000 visas issued.
This was followed by the Eastern province, where the number of visas reached 199,890.
The Makkah region was third as the number of visa applications forwarded by the ministry reached 185,120.
Petroleum sector
Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy as the pet-roleum sector accounts for roughly 80 per cent of budget revenues, 45 per cent of GDP and 90 per cent of export earnings.
The Saudi government has been keen to take all measures to cut unemployment and create more jobs for its citizens.
Though it has been applying a "Saudisation" strategy, observers noted that it has not succeeded in cutting the increasing number of expatriate workers, particularly in the private sector.
To further enhance the employment of Saudis, the cabinet approved in July 2009 the Saudi Employment Strategy, which aims to increase employment and productivity.
The vision of the strategy focuses on providing "adequate numbers of job opportunities with suitable wages to employ all Saudi manpower and to realise competitive advantages for the national economy."
