Saudi Arabia: Bring in workers but train Saudis too: Al-Ghosaibi

Once the rallying cry of Saudi Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al-Ghosaibi's drive to make the Kingdom's economy owned and operated by Saudis, "saudization" has hit a brick wall.

"Saudization has actually been reduced in many sectors since I took over," Al-Ghosaibi told gathered guests at the Jeddah Economic Forum on Tuesday. Last year we issued 1.8 million visas for expat workers, which is more than we have ever issued in one year."

And Al-Ghosaibi said he is perfectly content to continue issuing visas for foreign workers as long as the sponsor is willing to show him a plan that will provide training for Saudis along the same lines. The days of bringing in foreign workers to do jobs that Saudis can do or be trained to do are over.

"If you want a hundred visas," he said, "then show me a plan that will train a hundred Saudis, as well."

Saudization or, now, "localization" has been criticized by many private sector employers who say that the Saudi work force is too inexperienced, too untrained and too devoid of a work ethic to have acquired the skills and tenacity to hold down many jobs in the private sector.

He rejected that argument, taking up the defense of Saudi youth and calling the nation's boys and girls "committed and responsible." Then, turning the table on employers, he accused the private sector of offering inadequate employment, arguing that the private sector must offer the same holidays, the same pay and the same general employment environment as the government offers.

He pointed to Aramco as an example of what is needed to lure and keep workers in the private sector.

"There is no complaint about Saudi youth from them," he maintained, going on to praise those young Saudis who have struck out on their own, taking out loans to start successful businesses.

"Women in the workplace" was also on his agenda, and he said that his ministry is trying to expand the presence of women in the workforce slowly but effectively. "

Job opportunities should be made available to women on an equal basis with men," he said, highlighting the need to increase the opportunities for women.

"Right now, 90 percent of working women in Saudi Arabia are school teachers while 10 percent are advisers. But increasing and diversifying the role of women in the workforce is not solely the job of government, he stressed.

"The primary reason that there are so few women in other sectors is that they do not receive the support of their families to explore new or different ground," he said.

- Saudi Gazette