Latest news with #LaborMarketStrategy
Saudi Gazette
21-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi beneficiaries of HADAF support jump 93% to 143,000 in 1Q 2025
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF) has extended support to hire as many as 143,000 Saudi men and women in the private sector establishments during the first quarter of 2025 and this figure showed a jump of 93 percent compared to the same period last year. The HADAF said in a statement that the number of beneficiaries of the training, empowerment, and guidance services and programs, carried out by the Fund, during the first quarter of this year reached 1.18 million, a growth rate of 4 percent compared to the first quarter of last year. The number of establishments that benefited from the HADAF support programs during the same period exceeded 98,000 in various sectors of the labor market across the Kingdom. This number recorded a growth rate of 37 percent compared to the same period last year, of which 93 percent were medium, small, and micro enterprises. The total amount spent by HADAF on training, empowerment, and guidance support programs during the first quarter amounted to SR1.83 billion. HADAF Director General Turki Al-Jawini said that the Fund works in effective partnership with various government and private sector entities to support and empower Saudi men and women to obtain job opportunities in the labor market. "The Fund has witnessed many transformations stemming from our leadership's commitment to investing in human capital," he said. Al-Jawini indicated that there has been remarkable growth in the number of Saudi individuals and private sector establishments that benefited from the Fund's training, empowerment, and guidance support services and programs. This is part of the Fund's efforts to meet the changing demands and requirements of the labor market and improve its is after taking into account the needs and priority economic sectors, and developing training, empowerment, and career guidance support programs targeting national cadres, in line with achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Labor Market Strategy.
Arab News
17-04-2025
- Health
- Arab News
First phase of Saudization in healthcare professions starts today
RIYADH: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in partnership with the Ministry of Health, announced the commencement of the first phase of Saudization in the healthcare sector. Saudization rates will increase across four key private-sector healthcare professions as of April 17, 2025 in line with the approved professional titles, the MHRSD said in a series of posts on X. The first phase targets specific Saudization percentages: 65 percent for radiology, 80 percent for clinical nutrition, the same for physiotherapy, and 70 percent for medical laboratories, it added. The stipulated minimum monthly salaries are SR7,000 for specialists and SR5,000 for technicians in these roles. The decision, according to the MHRSD, aligns with ongoing efforts by each ministry to enhance the participation of national talent in the labor market and to provide productive and lucrative job opportunities for Saudi citizens, while simultaneously supporting the objectives of the Labor Market Strategy and the Health Sector Transformation Program. 'It's a steady step towards empowering national competencies in the healthcare professions, investing in their capabilities and skills to build their professional futures and enhance their opportunities in the private sector,' the MHRSD said. The initial implementation covers all establishments, regardless of size, in the major cities — Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam and Al-Khobar. Large and mega-sized companies in other regions of the Kingdom are also included in this first phase. The second phase of implementation, which will encompass the remaining establishments throughout the Kingdom, is scheduled to begin on Oct. 17, 2025. Comprehensive procedural guidelines outlining the decision and the mandatory Saudization rates are available on the official website of the MHRSD. Businesses that fail to meet Saudi localization quotas are subject to fines. The MHRSD urged all relevant establishments to comply with these regulations to avoid penalties. The Kingdom in October 2024 announced higher mandatory localization rates in four private sector health professions with the mandatory localization rate in radiology to be raised to 65 percent, medical laboratory to 70 percent, therapeutic nutrition to 80 percent and physiotherapy to 80 percent. Welcoming the decision, Abdullah Ahmed, a physiotherapist in Riyadh said: 'It's a good decision for Saudi graduates in this sector and aligns with the Kingdom's efforts to make more employment opportunities available for nationals in the private sector.' In March 2024, the MHRSD and the MOH began implementing a mandatory 35 percent localization rate in dental professions. They also applied localization ratios to private sector establishments employing three or more workers in dental professions.
Argaam
30-01-2025
- Business
- Argaam
HRSD implemented 80% of Labor Market Strategy: Minister
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) Ahmad AlRajhi said that the ministry launched many initiatives to support the labor market, including the Labor Market Strategy, which was launched in 2020, 80% of which was implemented so far. In a statement on the sidelines of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC), AlRajhi said that the number of Saudis working in the private sector increased from 1.7 million to 2.4 million within four years, while the women's participation increased from 20% before launching Saudi Vision 2030 to 36%, exceeding the specified target for 2030. During the GLMC, the minister announced the launch of two main initiatives, including the International Labor Market Academy in partnership with the World Bank with the aim of training policymakers to develop appropriate strategies for the labor market, where 50 policy makers will be trained this year, 200 in the next year, and 300 in 2027. The initiatives include the future work report, as a strategic report that provides data and analyzes to support decision makers in addressing the challenges of the labor market, he added. The GLMC is witnessing today a qualitative leap in participation, as the number of participants reached 5,000 from 100 countries, compared to 2,000 participants from 70 countries in the previous version, which reflects the growing global interest in the challenges of the labor market, AlRajhi further indicated. Moreover, he noted that the ministerial round table meeting focused on employing youth and reducing unemployment rate, as well as highlighting three main axes of the conference this year, including the skills gap and the requirements of the labor market, the population change and its impact on the labor market, and the green economy and the unemployment rate among youth. This conference is not just an annual event, but a pivotal platform that contributes to the development of strategic solutions for the global labor market, and we look forward to continuing this momentum, the minister concluded.
Zawya
27-01-2025
- Business
- Zawya
HADAF supports employment of 437,000 Saudis in private sector in 2024
JEDDAH — The Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF) announced that it has contributed to the employment of 437,000 Saudi male and female citizens in private sector establishments during 2024 through dedicated programs and initiatives. The private sector employment figures represent a 17 percent growth rate compared to 2023. Additionally, the HADAF provided training, empowerment, and guidance services to two million beneficiaries in 2024, reflecting a 5 percent increase over the previous year. More than179000 establishments across various labor market sectors have benefited from the Fund's services, marking a substantial growth rate of 49 percent compared to 2023. Notably, 95 percent of these establishments were medium, small, and micro enterprises. The total expenditure on training, empowerment, and guidance support programs during the past year amounted to SR 7.74 billion. The HADAF also noted that the sustainability index of the national workforce in the labor market, measured after one year of employment or program completion, stood at 81 percent. HADAF Director General Turki Al-Jawini emphasized that the Fund operates in effective partnership with various government and private sectors to empower the nation's youth and secure job opportunities. He noted that the Fund underwent significant transformations over the past year, driven by the leadership's commitment to investing in human capital. Al-Jawini highlighted the increasing number of beneficiaries who have been successfully employed through the Fund's training, empowerment, and guidance services. These efforts align with the HADAF's mission to adapt to labor market changes and requirements. He underlined the HADAF's commitment to enhancing labor market efficiency, addressing the needs of priority economic sectors, and developing training, empowerment, and career guidance programs for national professionals. These initiatives aimED to realize the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Labor Market Strategy. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
