Thousands of Saudis take up jobs in Gulf countries

July 4, 2013

Jeddah, Jul 4: Saudis are now working in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries particularly Kuwait. In contrast, very few GCC citizens work in the Kingdom.

In 2012, a total of 4,854 Saudis worked in GCC countries, 2,825 if them in Kuwait, according to a report from the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).

The report said that 3,191 Saudis worked in the public sector in GCC countries, with 1,663 in the private sector. Kuwait had 1,169 Saudis working in their private sector. According to the report, there were 210 Saudis working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 12 in Qatar, 23 in Bahrain and 10 in Oman.

In contrast, only 1,413 GCC citizens worked in Saudi Arabia including 721 Kuwaitis, 501 Bahrainis, 150 Omanis and 18 Qataris. There were no UAE citizens working in the Kingdom. In addition, all GCC workers in the Kingdom worked in the private sector.

Saudi Arabia is considered a rapidly growing economy, with its multibillion-riyal projects and vast businesses.

According to the Global Wage Report 2012/13 issued by the International Labor Organization, there is a large difference in wages between GCC citizens and non-nationals because of the “Arabization” process taking place in the region, which seeks to increase the proportion of local employees.

Noura Al-Turki, an organization development manager at NESMA Holding, said Saudis should be proud of those seeking work in other countries.

“It is positive to see Saudis compete in the overseas job market rather than in the Kingdom. In the current globalization age, all companies are searching for talented people regardless of their nationality. Even though we have the strongest economy in the GCC, Saudis should work everywhere without being restricted by borders,” she said.

“The new generation of Saudis is very optimistic and always looking to have new experiences in the job market, which is why they work abroad.”

Al-Turki said the Kingdom needs more training centers offering special programs for employees.

She said some Saudis do not consider the Kingdom an attractive place to work. They complain of low wages, unsettled working hours, and discrimination by expatriate bosses.

Mohammed Al-Tawi, general manager of human resources at Taajeer Company, said companies must stop employing expatriates for top jobs in the Kingdom, at the expense of Saudis. He believes this has frustrated Saudis, leading them to seek jobs outside the country.

He believes that the "Saudi work environment is unhealthy for talented job seekers. If we have a look at the government sector, we will see there is no competition, with all employees getting equal promotions and equal salary raises. Such unfair evaluations have forced many Saudis to work in other GCC countries, in the private and government sectors.”

Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia offers the most job opportunities for expatriates, many prefer to work in other GCC countries because of the differences in lifestyle.

According to the survey, Saudi Arabia is the third-favored work destination after the UAE and Qatar. Expatriates prefer Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha as the best cities for living. Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam are low on the list of preferred places to work.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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