The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) announced that Saudization of sales, purchase, and project management professions comes into force effective from Sunday, Dec. 24. This is after the end of the grace period granted by the ministry earlier. The percentage of Saudization to be implemented varies in each one of these three vital sectors. According to the ministry, the localization of sales professions is at a rate of 15 percent for establishments that employ five or more workers in sales jobs. The sales professions that come under Saudization include wholesale sales manager, retail sales manager, sales specialist, information and communications technology equipment sales specialist, and sales representative. The ministry stated that as of Sunday 50 percent Saudization came into force in procurement professions. The most prominent of these professions are purchasing manager, purchasing representative, contracts manager, tender specialist, and procurement specialist. The ministry’s decision also includes 35 percent localization of project management professions in the first phase. The most prominent among these professions include manager of project management, project management specialist, project manager, project management office specialist, communications project manager and business services project manager. Saudization of this sector will be implemented, in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in two phases. The first phase targets 35 percent and the second phase 40 percent of the total number of workers in project management professions in all the firms where there are three or more workers, and the minimum wage has been set at SR6000. The ministry, in partnership with other ministries and supervisory authorities, embarked on the Saudization journey with the aim of providing more stimulating and productive job opportunities for Saudis and raising the level of their participation in the labor market. This is in continuation of the ministry’s efforts aimed at creating more jobs for young Saudi men and women in addition to providing them with a stimulating, productive, and stable work environment in various regions of the Kingdom. It also aims to raise the level of their participation in the labor market, and enhance their contribution to the economic system. The ministry confirmed that it will provide a package of incentives to encourage the private sector establishments and help them employ Saudis. These include supporting the process of attracting and searching for suitable workers, supporting training and qualification as well as the recruitment process and career continuity, in addition to the priority of benefiting from all nationalization support programs available in the system, and support programs being implemented through the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF). The ministry issued a guide explaining the details of the decisions to localize professions and the mechanism for implementing them. It also stressed the need for establishments to comply with the Saudization regulations so as to avoid the statutory penalties that will be applied against the violators.