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Saudi Arabia to ban expat recruitment for hospitality jobs

Saudi Arabia will soon ban expats from working in several hospitality jobs following a decision from the kingdom's labour authority to restrict certain hospitality jobs to its own citizens, said a report.
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Saudi Arabia will soon ban expats from working in several hospitality jobs following a decision from the kingdom's labour authority to restrict certain hospitality jobs to its own citizens, said a report.

The decision will apply to resorts and hotels rated three stars or higher, and hotel apartments rated four-star and above, said a report in Saudi Gazette.

The move comes as the kingdom seeks to create more opportunities for its citizens. The Saudisation policy will be implemented from year end, the ministry said.

The occupations restricted to Saudi nationals include hotel deputy manager, assistant head of IT Administration, director and assistant director of sales administration; sales representative and sales manager, fitness club supervisor, public services supervisor in a hotel, goods receiving clerk, room service orders clerk, restaurant or café waiter, tourism enquiry clerk, executive secretary, general administrative clerk, administrative employee and administrative coordinator.

Certain jobs have been categorized where at least one Saudi national should be mandatorily hired for the position. This condition would be subject to availability for the jobs in the company or the organisation. The jobs include a laundry supervisor, events section supervisor, food and beverages supervisor and a room service supervisor.

The decision also made it compulsory to Saudize at least 70 per cent of jobs in the two occupations — sales manager, and events and conferences sales manager. Exceptions include drivers, doormen and porters, the report said.

The decision bans the recruitment of expatriate workers, the transfer of their services, or assigning work to them for the jobs mentioned – directly or indirectly.

The ministry has stressed that any firm that violates the decision will be penalised according to the applicable regulation, it said.

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