Saudi Arabia denies plans to switch to 3-day weekend

Cairo/Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has denied media reports that it is considering plans to switch to a three-day weekend.

The ministry called on media to seek correct information before carrying reports. The denial comes after media reports stated that the Kingdom is planning to switch to 4-day work system.

The reports said Saudi Arabia is studying a new labour system to create jobs and attract investors.

“The labour system is being studied with the aim of making Saudi Arabia an attraction to investors,” Saudi Minister of Human Resources Ahmed Al Rajhi was quoted as saying at a press conference in the capital Riyadh. He was answering a question about possibility of introducing in the kingdom a shorter work week of four days, giving workers a three-day weekend.

“While interested in setting work hours and days, we are also interested in making the market an attraction to investors and create jobs,” he added, without giving details about the envisaged work week.

Saudi Arabia hosts a large community of expat workers.

Last March, the kingdom enforced major labour reforms, allowing job mobility and regulating the exit and re-entry visa issuance for expatriate workers without employers’ approval.