RIYADH — The National Labor Observatory (NLO) has revealed that the Saudization percentage in the private sector during the third quarter of 2021 increased to 23.59%, up by 0.96% compared to the previous quarter, it was reported on Thursday.

The number of Saudi workers during the same period went up to around 60,000 employees, added the report.

The observatory pointed out that the number of Saudis in the private sector, according to data by the General Organization for Social Insurance, in the third quarter of 2021 stood at 1,826,875 subscribers, an increase of 3.41%, including 65.06% males and 34.94% females, the report said.

The increasing rate of localization during the third quarter is a result of endeavors of the Saudi Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) in developing and improving programs and initiatives aimed at supporting the national workforce, where it has contributed to employing more than 200,000 two-gender young people in private sector facilities throughout the first nine months of the year, the report went on to say.

The fund’s work strategy also led to coordinating and enhancing efforts with partners in private sector institutions to empower Saudis to receive jobs in the labor market, in addition to developing new and qualitative programs that accord with the needs and requirements of the labor market, issuance of decisions by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development on localizing several jobs and economic activities in the labor market, according to the report.

Moreover, Hadaf presents a package of initiatives and programs aiming at training, employing and empowering female and male citizens and supporting of businesses in all activities, sectors and professions. — SPA