JEDDAH: IBRAHIM NAFFEE ARABNEWS

Blue collar jobs “by nature are not suitable for Saudi citizens,” says Labor Minister Adel Fakeih.

The perception that Saudis do not want to take up unskilled jobs is changing, according to Nidal Radwan, chairman of the National Committee of Labor in the Kingdom.

“Social perceptions began changing dramatically in recent times toward unskilled jobs and Saudis are now interested to work in any profession. There are many Saudis who are working as cashiers, which was considered a shame a few years ago,” Radwan said.

With thousands of expatriate workers preferring to leave the Kingdom after the recent government concessions to correct the local labor market, a lot of unskilled jobs, such as cleaners, construction workers, plumbers and electricians, occupied predominantly by expatriates from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines, will be up for grabs by Saudis.

Tens of thousands of illegal expats have registered with their consulates over the past 30 days in an effort to acquire airline tickets to go back home, consulates and embassy officials told Arab News.

An estimated 6,000 Pakistanis, 60,000 Indians, nearly 10,000 Filipinos, 7,000 Sri Lankans and other nationalities have sought permission to leave the Kingdom.

Radwan said that though there are jobs, the problem is Saudis graduating from technical institutes do not have enough experience to do these jobs. Wages are also low in such jobs.

Almost 86 percent of expatriate workers occupy mostly blue-collar jobs that “by nature are not suitable to Saudi Arabian citizens,” Labor Minister Adel Fakeih said in an interview with a local newspaper recently.

Unemployment in Saudi Arabia has reached almost two million out of a population of 26 million, which translates to 10.5 percent. Rising unemployment triggered government efforts to restructure the country’s mostly-expatriate work force by pushing to replace expatriate labor with Saudis. There are about 8 million foreign workers, 68 percent of whom earn salaries of less than SR 1,000.

Saeed Hatab, who has an air-conditioning repair workshop, said: “I think it really is a problem to find Saudis who want to work as electricians. Their wages do not exceed SR 800 per month. I am depending on expat workers from Pakistan. However, I have three workers who have told me they will leave the Kingdom within one month. At the same time, the summer is coming and we will receive a lot of orders to fix air-conditioners. Consequently, I am looking currently for new workers.”

Abdullah Baker Radwan, head of the contractors forum and member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It is not easy to find a Saudi who would work as construction worker. They are required to move with construction projects. Expat workers can go to different cities and live in harsh environments, especially those that require them to leave near construction projects.”