Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Minister of Labor and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi has issued a decision to Saudize the management, and leading and specialist professions in the tourism hospitality sector.

The decision includes hotels classified as 3-star and above, resorts, hotel suites, and villas classified as 4-star and above.

The ministry’s decision stipulates 100 percent Saudization of jobs in the tourism hospitality sector in three tracks.

First, jobs in the following administrations (sections) and their subsidiary units will be restricted to Saudi men and women only. These include reservation, purchases, marketing and front desks, except occupations like that of bellboy, parking valet, driver and doorman.

The decision comes into effect on Jumad Al-Awwal 1, 1441H. The decision also includes 100 percent Saudization of some jobs, as of Dhul Qa’dah 1, 1441H.

The occupations include hotel deputy manager, assistant head of IT Administration, director and assistant director of sales administration; sales representative and sales manager, fitness club supervisor, public services supervisor in a hotel, goods receiving clerk, room service orders clerk, restaurant or café waiter, tourism enquiry clerk, executive secretary, general administrative clerk, administrative employee and administrative coordinator.

The number of Saudis in the following occupations should not be less than one (i.e., at least one), if they are available in the firm: food and beverages supervisor, room service supervisor, events section supervisor, and laundry supervisor.

The decision also made it compulsory to Saudize at least 70 percent of jobs in the two occupations — sales manager, and events and conferences sales manager, as of Jumad Al-Awwal 1442H.

The decision has banned employers from recruiting expatriate workers, or transferring their services, assigning work to them, or using them in the jobs mentioned in the decision, whether directly or indirectly.

The ministry has stressed that any firm that violates this decision, will be penalized according to the penalties for violating Saudization of occupations restricted to Saudi men and women, mentioned in the list of violations and their respective penalties approved by the ministry.