Jeddah, Rabi'I 10, 1436, Jan 1, 2015, SPA -- Minister of Labor Adel bin Mohammed Faqih today said that the enforcement of Nitaqat (zones) program on private sector companies resulted in the employment of some 750,000 Saudi nationals in the private sector by the beginning of the Hijra calendar, an increase to 15.6 percent, up from seven percent. In the Academic Dialogue titled "labor and laborers policies" hosted by King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Faqih said the number of unemployed in Saudi Arabia amounted to 650,000, females and males. The minister of labor tackled the challenges facing his ministry, citing the employment of women and men, and presented a number of programs, including Nitaqat, Taqat, Droob and together website. In this regard, he said Nitaqat divides the Saudi labor market into 58 activities, five sizes and 290 categories. According to latest statistics, 84% of the companies are falling in the safe zones, he said, adding that following the launch of Nitaqat II program, it was apparent that more than one million Saudi nationals are joining the private sector with salaries of more than 3,000 Saudi Riyal each. He disclosed that phase III of Nitaqat will be launched in Rajab, four months from now. He concluded that his ministry is considering, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, enforcing anti-forgery and counterfeiting system. --SPA 23:35 LOCAL TIME 20:35 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w