Saudi Arabia not to renew contracts of expat health workers after 10 years

Dubai: Saudi authorities will not renew the employment contracts of expatriate health employees who have exceeded 10 years of service in the kingdom, except for outstanding and highly qualified professionals.

The move follows a circular issued by Abdul Rahman Al Aiban, undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Human Resources, in implementation of the Saudi government’s resolution that sets 10 years only for the employment contracts of non-Saudi staff.

The circular comes within a plan to ‘Saudise’ the health sector by replacing expatriate staff with Saudis.

In July, the kingdom embarked on implementing the first phase of a plan to replace expatriate pharmacists in the country where 20 per cent of pharmacy jobs will be gradually replaced with Saudi pharmacists ‘Saudised’ according to an official decision by the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.