Saudi Ruler Reassures Expat Professionals Their Futures Are Safe

The Saudi ruler’s recent statement intended to reassure expats their future in the Kingdom is safe may or may not have fallen on deaf ears.

Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s interview was intended to confirm that his government and all Saudi peoples respect and appreciate the contributions expats have made to the development of the country. The ruler said Saudi would continue its need for expat workers in order to carry out existing and future development projects, noting there are some 10 million foreign workers and their families at present in the kingdom.

He believes the number of foreigners will increase over time as the Kingdom’s human resources needs grow along with its ambitions, with more jobs being created for both Saudi nationals and foreign workers. His economic reforms, he explained, were intended to encourage private companies to offer more jobs to Saudis rather than being used to drive out foreigners from the land. Even so, many expats at present in the Kingdom are concerned that increasing Saudization will mean the end of their contracts.

According to the Crown Prince, the new Saudi green card available to expatriate workers is an indication of the welcome with which skilled foreigners are greeted. The card confers many benefits, including permanent residency if desired. The Prince’s focus seems to be on skilled migrants, especially as his Vision 2030 is aimed at making the country a regional economic powerhouse. Highly qualified expatriate professionals, he believes, would greatly benefit the Kingdom as well as not becoming a financial burden on the state.

Meanwhile in Bahrain, lawmakers are sponsoring a bill which would force private healthcare organisations to employ Bahrainis rather than expats. If passed, the bill will stifle hospitals’ decisions to hire on merit rather than on nationality. Worse still, it recommends expats working in private healthcare facilities should face termination of their contracts once Bahraini nationals become available to take their jobs. The proposal includes doctors and nurses as well as pharmacists, and is due to be debated on 24 April.