JEDDAH — The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has stipulated two conditions for those who are entitled to obtain industrial and mining consultancy licenses. According to the conditions, only Saudi citizens with a minimum qualification of a university bachelor's degree can apply for the license, of which the procedures will commence during this week. The ministry has allocated three categories for the provision of the consultancy license. In the category A, the licensee required to obtain 10 points while the category B requires the licensee to obtain 15 points. The category C requires the licensee to obtain a minimum of 20 points. Holders of a bachelor's degree will be classified as having obtained five points, while holders of a master's degree will have 10 points whereas holders of a doctoral degree will get 15 points. The ministry has limited the granting of consultancy licenses for industry and mining to only Saudis with practical experience of not less than three years, after obtaining the academic qualification from a recognized authority. The practical experience shall be approved by the competent authorities that the ministry determines on its official website, with the availability of the minimum points in the designated category in which the applicant wants to obtain the license. The ministry will allocate a registry for those who obtain license to practice the professions of industrial consulting and mining consulting. It is prohibited to practice these professions without a license from the ministry. It is also not allowed to transfer the license to others. The ministry stipulated that the licensee must adhere to ethics of the profession. In the event of committing any violation, the violator will be punished with a warning, suspension of the license for a temporary period determined by a specialized committee, or cancellation of the license. There is a possibility of imposing more than one penalty in accordance with the severity of the violation.
