Here's our top tips on how you can find a job in Saudi Arabia and important things to consider when applying
10 September 2018
| Last updated on 10 September 2018
If you find yourself looking for a job in Saudi Arabia, you may not know where to begin your search but here are some tips to consider when applying for jobs.
Expats in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have, at times, found it hard to find a job in the country – due to the limit of the Arabic language, limit to certain industries or the lack of knowledge of the area.
However, if you are planning on moving to Saudi to find a job, there are different methods to apply and important hiring processes to consider that affect the country - like Saudization.
What is Saudization?
If you’ve heard the term “Saudization” being used more frequently recently, you need to know that it’s not by coincidence.
And now expats have to face the very real idea of Saudization in the work sector. This means that employers can start firing expats and hiring local Saudis if they are qualified for the same job.
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While the idea stems from a move to lower the 12.8 percent unemployment rate of Saudi Arabia, the new movement highly favours local citizens over those expatriates who have come from abroad.
Almost 100,000 Saudis have graduated from universities abroad by using the King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program and have entered the workforce in Saudi Arabia. Saudization aims to help those graduates find appropriate jobs in their own country, even if it means letting some people off.
Who is likely to witness Saudization?
If you’re working in a small to medium company, then expect to see a higher rate of Saudization – this is because these types of enterprises are usually the ones with the highest cost of expatriate employment, according to the Saudi Gauzette.
Saudi Arabia’s neighbor, the UAE, has had a similar attempt of a movement called “Emiratization.” While also aiming to fight the employment gap, the movement has still not been taken into full effect.
How can I find a job in Saudi Arabia?
The best and most efficient way to find a job in Riyadh, Jeddah or anywhere else in Saudi Arabia is to start your job search online. There are multiple job search engines that will help you apply to your desired role.
Start by making work profiles on websites like LinkedIn, Bayt, Expatriates.com, Indeed, GulfTalent.com, MySaudiJobs.com, Glassdoor, Monster and many more.
Upload your CV on your profile and make your experiences as clear as possible to facilitate employers in finding the best job for you. Also, make sure to create alerts for the job title you are looking for, as it notifies you every day of new jobs in Saudi Arabia that might have opened up.
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It is also advised to visit the company’s website to look for a job vacancy section to apply online directly. Or to find an email you can send your CV and cover letter to – sometimes companies have general contact emails but at times they look through that inbox for prospect employees.
You can also consider calling a company and asking about their job vacancies and sending your CV to the HR of the company.
Vacant jobs in Saudi Arabia
Whether you’re looking for jobs in engineering, business, media or labour, the term Saudization shouldn't scare you off, there are still many open jobs in Saudi Arabia’s market and loads are hiring foreigners right now.
