Nearly 1.9 million foreigners, mostly Asians, have left Saudi Arabia over the past two years as a result of a government campaign to reduce reliance on expatriates and create jobs for Saudis within its Vision 2030 development plan.
In the second quarter of this year, the number of expatriates departing the Gulf Kingdom reached about 128,000, according to a report issued by the Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment Company.
Around 109,000 of those who left in the first quarter worked in the construction sector, while 44,000 were in the trade sector.
As a result, unemployment among Saudis continued to decline, reaching around 12.3% at the end of the second quarter compared with 12.5% in the first quarter.
“The measures taken by the government, including imposition of fees on expatriates and a campaign to deport illegal residents, are expected to boost job opportunities for Saudi nationals,” the report said.
“Allowing shops and other businesses to operate 24 hours a day and plans to develop the tourism sector will also contribute to creating jobs for nationals.”
Official data showed Saudi Arabia has around 10 million foreigners, mainly from South and Southeast Asian countries. They account for nearly a third of the Kingdom’s total population of 31 million.
