ANNOUNCEMENT 30 Jan 2018

According to consistent press reports, the government of Saudi Arabia for the first time restricted 12 retail job types to Saudi men and women exclusively.

NUMBER OF INTERVENTIONS

1

  • 1 harmful
  • 0 neutral
  • 0 liberalising

SOURCE

Masrawy. السعودية تعلن 12 مهنة ممنوعة على الوافدين (إنفوجرافيك). 2018. Arabic. http://www.masrawy.com/news/news_economy/details/2018/1/29/1251778/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-12-%D9%85%D9%87%D9%86%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%85%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A5%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%83-

Arab News. 2018. Labor Ministry designates 12 job types as Saudi-only. English. http://www.arabnews.com/node/1235656/saudi-arabia

Thompson Reuters. Zwaya. 2018. Saudi Arabia adds 12 new activities to jobs off-limits to expats. English. https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Saudi_Arabia_adds_12_new_activities_to_jobs_offlimits_to_expats-ZAWYA20180129132301/

Inception date: 11 Sep 2018 | Removal date: open ended

Labour market access

According to consistent press reports, the Ministry of Labor and Social Development for the first time limited work in twelve retail activities (i.e. activities executed in standard retail locations such as shops, malls, and outlets) exclusively to local Saudi men and women. Previously, these specified retail activities were also available to foreigners in the Saudi jurisdiction, from a job access perspective.

Specifically, the retail categories which are now banned to foreigners within the Saudi jurisdiction are :

  • Watches,
  • Eyewear,
  • Medical equipment and devices,
  • Electrical and electronic appliances,
  • Auto parts,
  • Building materials,
  • Carpets,
  • Cars and motorcycles,
  • Home and office furniture,
  • Children’s clothing and men’s accessories,
  • Home kitchenware, and
  • Confectioneries.

 

The prior elaborated ban will be effective starting next Hijri year (11 September 2018) and has been put in place for the purpose of enhancing the job opportunity pool available to local Saudi residents (thus, in line with the overall Saudization program goals to enforce localisation in the national economy and, labour market).

AFFECTED SECTORS

 
N/A

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

 
N/A