Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Development has restricted 12 occupations to Saudi nationals.
The labour and development minister Ali Al-Ghafees issued the decree on Monday, noting that the decree will be effective at the start of the next Hijri year, Saudi Gazette reported.
Expats in Saudi Arabia have therefore been banned from working in watch shops, optical stores, medical equipment stores, electrical and electronics shops, and outlets selling spare car parts.
Other occupations and fields include building material shops, outlets selling all types of carpets, automobile and mobile shops, shops selling home furniture and ready-made office material, sale outlets of ready-made garments, children clothes and men’s supplies, household utensils shops and pastry shops, according to the newspaper.
As for the feminisation of shops, ministry spokesperson Khaled Aba Al-Khail said this will continue as planned.
The third phase of feminisation commenced in October 2017.
The new decree will not affect the memoranda of understanding signed with various regional governorates to restrict jobs to Saudis.
Pharmacies, located in malls, which sell cosmetics and make-up accessories will also be feminised.
