Saudi Arabia to create 340,000 jobs for nationals in 3 years

Dubai: Saudi Arabia plans to generate more than 340,000 additional jobs for its citizens in the private sector over the next three years, as the government rolls out a new phase of its flagship labour market localisation programme.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced on Thursday the launch of the second phase of the Nitaqat AlM utawar Programme, a policy designed to expand Saudi participation in the private workforce and reduce reliance on expatriate labour.

The new phase builds on the strong performance of the programme’s first stage, which the ministry said resulted in the employment of more than 550,000 Saudi nationals in the private sector since its introduction in 2022, well above the original target of 340,000 jobs.

The programme is set to help lower unemployment, stimulate job localisation and increase the presence of Saudi workers across a wide range of industries.

Announcing the new phase, Ahmed Al Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, said the updated programme had been carefully calibrated to balance two priorities: accelerating Saudisation while safeguarding the growth and competitiveness of the private sector.

“The programme is based on a comprehensive analysis of labour market conditions and the operational capacity of establishments across different sectors,” he said. “Our objective is to create more employment opportunities for Saudi nationals in a way that supports sustainable economic growth.”

Al Rajhi added that earlier phases of Nitaqat had demonstrated the ability of Saudi citizens to perform and excel across a wide range of professions. That experience, he said, had laid the groundwork for a new stage focused on empowering national talent and strengthening its long-term role in the labour market.

Thee second phase is intended not only to increase job numbers but also to improve job quality and market stability. It would help create a more sustainable balance between labour supply and demand, reinforce private-sector confidence and support the broader objectives of the national economy.

Abdullah Abuthnain, Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for the Labour Sector, said the new phase was informed by extensive analytical studies covering all sectors and business sizes.

“These studies allowed us to propose realistic and targeted Saudisation rates that reflect the nature of each activity and current market conditions,” he said, pointing to the growing availability of qualified Saudi workers who have already shown their capacity to fill these roles.

According to Abuthnain, the updated approach is expected to enhance job stability, raise productivity and deliver “genuine sustainability” in the Saudi labour market.