Saudi Labor Ministry plans to localize small groceries

 The Ministry of Labor and Social Development plans to limit work in small groceries to Saudi nationals, local press reported well-informed sources at the ministry as saying.
The step is expected to provide 20,000 jobs in the first year of implementation, the sources said. Plans are underway to localize jobs in a manner that will attract Saudi manpower and raise localization rates in high-priority sectors. In this context, more than 8,000 male and female Saudis were employed in the mobile sales and maintenance sector, the sources said.
In the car rental sector, more than 5,000 young Saudis are expected to take up jobs under plans to localize the sector by 100 percent.
The ministry previously announced the localization of jobs in shopping malls and centers. According to figures released by the Vision 2030 program, there are only 300,000 Saudis out of 1.5 million workers in the retail sector.
In Qasim, male and female employees working in shopping malls have stressed the importance of training in making the localization drive a success, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The localization of shopping centers in Qasim region will provide 4,000 jobs for male and female Saudis and curb cover-up businesses, they said.
The Shoura Council recently proposed the closure of small groceries and limiting retail activity to large shopping centers that will employ more male and female Saudis. The proposal received the full support of businessmen, economists and citizens.