RIYADH: Saudi small businesses with less than nine workers will now have an extended three years to pay their financial fees, thanks to a decision approved by the Cabinet. The agreement aims to support the growth of small establishments and ensure their continuity in the labor market. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development provided two clarifications on how the decision will be implemented. The first applies to two expatriate workers in the establishment who will be exempt if the owner is full-time and registered with social insurance. Secondly, four expatriate employees in the establishment will be exempt if the owner is full-time and registered with social insurance. Additionally, if at least one worker, other than the owner, is a Saudi national, full-time, and registered with social insurance, they will also be exempt. The maximum number of exemptions allowed is limited to four expatriate employees. The move is the latest in Saudi Arabia to booost the small and medium enterprise sector. In August last year, the Social Development Bank allocated SR6.4 billion ($1.7 billion) in loans for the first half of 2023, mostly targeting SMEs. In a board meeting chaired by Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi, SDB announced that over 150,000 beneficiaries availed the bank’s financial services with a total of SR2.6 billion dedicated to supporting 5,700 firms in the sector through the first half of the year. The bank said that it increased its clients" saving behavior by 20 percent, with the creation of over 23,000 new savings accounts in the first half of the year. Highlighting the bank’s achievements, Al-Rajhi mentioned that the SDB’s support to enterprises exceeded its initial targets by 30 percent. During the meeting, Ibrahim Al-Rashid, CEO of SDB, unveiled plans for the upcoming years as the bank intends to allocate over SR35 billion from the current year to 2025, with SR24 billion earmarked specifically for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and freelancers. Al-Rashid also discussed the bank’s initiatives to launch specialized platforms, including the Dulani Business Center to further support the entrepreneurial sector. Moreover, during the first half of the year, SDB introduced several targeted empowerment programs and capacity-building solutions to strengthen SMEs and ensure their sustainability. One of these programs was the innovative training project launched in May to empower Saudi families and microenterprises. The project brought together regional and global experts to deliver 13 specialized training programs.