ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia is increasing the number of employment opportunities for foreigners including Pakistanis, as part of its economic reform program under Saudi Vision 2030.
Although the country is still following its policy of “Saudization,” which means giving preference to Saudi citizens in hiring across different industries, authorities maintain that this will not result in fewer jobs for expatriates. Rather, the jobs offered are becoming highly specialized, demanding more technical skills and practical experience from applicants.
According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, Pakistan’s economic restructuring in Saudi Arabia is aimed at reducing its reliance on oil exports and establishing an economy driven by the private sector. This process is providing numerous opportunities for Pakistani specialists in mining, construction, engineering, health care, IT, and other vital sectors.
Authorities confirm that Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy is facilitating rapid growth in many valuable industries, including mining and minerals, renewable energy, telecoms, logistics, healthcare, military manufacturing, tourism, culture, sports, and entertainment.
Moreover, there exists high demand for people skilled in mining, particularly those with knowledge on infrastructure development and exploration in the mining of gold, phosphates, and uranium. At the same time, there is huge demand for specialists in renewable energies such as solar and wind power generation.
There are great changes occurring in the digital sphere as well, and the opportunities exist in areas like e-governance platforms, telecommunication systems, cloud computing, and data sharing technologies. At the same time, opportunities are created by logistics and transportation development, which include ports construction, railway engineering, and global transport facilitation.
On the other hand, the area of healthcare will continue requiring specialists in the fields of chronic diseases treatment, healthcare management, and private healthcare insurance systems. Simultaneously, the country’s defense industry is offering good employment opportunities for specialists in aviation technology and electronics.
Tourism and hospitality industries are experiencing growth because of the increased number of tourists, specifically religious pilgrims, as well as heritage conservation and entertainment projects. Moreover, sports and cultural industries experience growing international investments.
