Employment Saudi fund helps 17% more citizens join private sector By Edmund Bower January 27, 2025, 1:26 PM Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced expanded Saudisation targets to increase the proportion of Saudi professionals across 269 industries HR help for Saudisation effort Assisted 437,000 employees 49% increase in companies The Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) contributed to the employment of 437,000 Saudi citizens in the private sector in 2024, 17 percent more than the year before, the fund has announced. The fund said it also provided training and guidance services to 2 million people last year in support of the kingdom’s “Saudisation” efforts to get more nationals into work. More than 179,000 establishments used Hadaf’s services in 2024, a 49 percent increase compared to 2023. About 95 percent were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to the Saudi Gazette. The kingdom is particularly focused on the Saudisation of the private sector and well-paying, strategic professions. Saudi Arabia exceeds 2030 target for regional HQs ‘Saudisation’ creates 500,000 jobs for home nationals 35,000 Saudi citizens take up private sector jobs in July On Sunday, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced expanded Saudisation targets that would increase the proportion of Saudi professionals across 269 industries. The new targets include a 65 percent rate of Saudis working in hospital pharmacies, 35 percent in community pharmacies and medical centres and 55 percent in “other pharmacies”. There were similar percentage increases in dentistry, for which the ministry is aiming for 55 percent Saudi workers, accountancy, for which rates are expected to rise to 70 percent, and technical engineering, for which the target is 30 percent.