Saudi Arabia bans companies from recruiting foreign workers

Dubai, Apr 1 (UNI) In a decision that would adversely affect the job prospects of Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has banned 107 companies from recruiting foreign workers as punishment for their failure to meet Saudisation targets.

The Ministry of Labour has also warned employers that it is serious about Saudisation and would crack the whip on errant firms.

The companies that are put on the ban list are those with more than 100 foreign workers with a Saudisation percentage of one per cent or less.

The Saudisation requirement applies to any company with 20 or more employees, Arab News reported.

The official unemployment rate among Saudi men is put at nine per cent and among women at 22 per cent.

UNI