Haj pilgrims
The job titles are: Hajj controller, customer service, mechanical technician, driver and engineer, according to the ministry. Illustrative image. Image Credit: Gulf News Archives

Cairo: Saudi Arabia has announced vacancies during the upcoming Islamic Hajj pilgrimage as the kingdom is gearing up for the annual season due this year in June.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said a number of seasonal Hajj jobs are available for work in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as well as in the port city of Jeddah.

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The job titles are: Hajj controller, customer service, mechanical technician, driver and engineer, according to the ministry.

Those interested in the vacancies are invited to apply until next Saturday via the link: hajcareers,haj.gov.sa .

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The exact number of the wanted applicants is not clear yet.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened e-registration for its citizens and foreign Muslims residing in the kingdom who wish to perform Hajj this year. The ministry launched four Hajj packages with their prices ranging from SR4,099 to SR13,265 depending on accommodation level.

The ministry also said prices of these packages can be paid in three instalments.

In the first, 20 per cent of the overall cost is to be paid until the first of the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan corresponding to March 11; the second instalment stands at 40% with the deadline being the 20th of Ramadan expected on March 31; and the third has to be paid by the 20th of the following Islamic month of Shawwal corresponding to April 29.

Some 1.8 million pilgrims from around the world last year performed Hajj in and around Mecca, marking the return of their numbers to pre-pandemic levels.

Saudi Arabia has embarked on early preparations for this year’s Hajj under a new strategy for overseas pilgrims.

Accordingly, no specific places would be allotted any more for countries at the holy sites. Instead, places for different countries will be designated depending on the time of finalising contracts.

The new mechanism aims at facilitating preparations for Hajj, an obligatory Islamic duty that must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by Muslims who can afford it physically and financially.