Saudi Arabia allows citizens to take two jobs

Cairo: Saudis can work two jobs at the same time, labour authorities have said, as the kingdom seeks to create more jobs for its citizens.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has confirmed that there is no legal objection for the Saudi employee to keep two jobs, resolving a controversy over permissibility, Saudi news portal Al Weeam has reported.

The ministry said in case this employee is registered twice at the General Organisation for Social insurance, the first workplace where the citizen is employed would get the rate for Saudis’ employment.

Saudi Arabia, a country of around 34.8 million people, is home to a large community of migrant workers.

In recent years, the kingdom has launched a series of initiatives to employ its nationals and replace foreign workers in several fields including education, telecommunications and real estate as part of a labour policy known as “Saudisation”.

In June, ministerial decrees were announced restricting jobs in certain sectors to Saudis only. They covered, optics professions, customer services, licensed aviation professions including co-pilots and air controllers, sales outlets and periodic checks of cars.

In December, another decree localising employment for postal services and parcel transport across the country went into effect.

Saudi Arabia is also implementing a regional employment programme for its nationals.

As part of this programme, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources last month decreed localising a number of professions in the holy city of Medina.

The programme is being pursued by the ministry in partnership with the Interior Ministry and local authorities to provide more “motivating and productive” work opportunities to citizens, Okaz newspaper reported.

The latest decree covers localising jobs at restaurants in the city by 40 per cent of the total manpower, at coffeeshops and food and beverage wholesale outlets by 50 per cent each, the report said.