Cairo: All employees manning private security companies in Saudi Arabia must be Saudi nationals, the kingdom’s public prosecution has said.
The stipulation also applies to security guards of residences of pilgrims gathering in Saudi Arabia to perform annual Hajj rites.
Violators would initially be warned and later slapped with a maximum fine of SR50,000, closure of the site at the centre of the infringement for two months and eventually revocation of the licence.
Saudi Arabia, a country of around 32.2 million people, is home to a large community of migrant workers.
In recent years, the kingdom has launched a series of initiatives to employ its nationals and replace foreign workers in several fields including education, telecommunications and real estate as part of a labour policy known as “Saudisation”.
In mid-2022, ministerial decrees were announced restricting jobs in certain sectors to Saudis only. They covered, optics professions, customer services, licensed aviation professions including co-pilots and air controllers, sales outlets and periodic checks of cars.
In December, another decree localising employment for postal services and parcel transport across the country went into effect.
Saudi Arabia is also implementing a regional employment programme for its nationals.
As part of this programme, last January the Ministry of Human Resources decreed localising a number of professions in the holy city of Medina.
The programme is pursued by the ministry in partnership with the Interior Ministry and local authorities to provide more “motivating and productive” work opportunities for Saudi citizens.
