Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH — A group of investors in the beauty salons sector in Jeddah has successfully managed to create a new committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry that will look into the challenges the sector faces after significant changes in the regulation of the job market.



Among the main obstacles are the absence of enough qualified Saudi women who are willing to work in this sector and the strict Ministry of Labor restrictions that ban the employment of expatriate women unless they transfer their iqamas (residence permits).



Madhawi Al-Hassoon, head of the newly launched committee, said the challenges in this sector include strictly adhering to Saudization targets and the tough penalties that have resulted in the closure of many businesses.



According to Al-Hassoon, beauty salons have been using dependents of expatriates for 30 years, something that is now considered illegal. They are now obliged to Saudize the sector in a short period of time.



The ministry has forced them to do so, she said, regardless of the absence of qualified and trained Saudis and most importantly the lack of citizens willing to work in this sector.



She added that unfortunately Saudi women are still looking down upon in this sector and refuse to work for beauty salons.



This, she noted, resulted in losses because businesses tend to train Saudi employees only to lose them a short time afterward.



The new beauty salons committee with 19 members, said investors in the sector, is a source of hope.



They hoped the committee would raise their concerns and provide solutions to the sector’s challenges and seek cooperation from the Ministry of Labor to overcome these obstacles.



Al-Hassoon said: “We hope to raise our voices and protect the investors in this sector. Not least, we will highlight obstacles we face and discuss solutions with decision makers.”

 

Jeddah used to have 1,800 beauty salons five years ago. This number, said Al-Hassoon, has reached 5,000 this year, indicating a high potential for growth in this sector.