RYADH – In a bid to pressure companies into hiring more Saudi citizens andreduce unemployment in the country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has imposeda restriction on the expatriates from working in 12 sectors. Over onemillion Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia are also likely to be affected bythe decision.

The tighter policy has been approved by Labor Minister Ali bin Nasseral-Ghafis, a report in Prabhat Khabar said.

The new rule could potentially affect large numbers of people since about12 million foreigners work in Saudi Arabia, doing many of the strenuous,dangerous and lower-paid jobs shunned by 20 million Saudi citizens.

Minister of Labour and Social Development will restrict working in these 12sectors in a phased manner.

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates fromSeptember 11, 2018:

– Car and motorbike showrooms

– Readymade clothes stores

– Home and office furniture stores

– Home appliances and kitchen utensils stores

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates fromNovember 9, 2018

– Electronics stores

– Watches and clocks stores

– Optics stores

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates fromJanuary 7, 2019

– Medical equipment and supplies stores

– Building material stores

– Auto spare parts stores

– Carpet selling stores

– Sweet shops

The jobless rate among Saudis aged 15 to 24 stood at 32.6 percent lastyear, according to the International Labour Organisation. Saudi Arabiaposted an economic contraction in 2017 for the first time in eight yearsdue to severe austerity measures.

The new rule is a part of the ongoing economic reforms launched last yearto ease joblessness among Saudis by 2020.