The Saudization process needs to be accelerated and efforts should be exerted to identify and penalize companies resorting to fake methods to escape the process, a workshop has recommended. The workshop, part of the three-day Human Resources Forum at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Indus?try here, was attended by Minister of Labor Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, Lama Sulaiman, head of the Jeddah Council of Human Resources Development and representatives from “Tasheel” an office created to classify the companies according to the sectors and to verify validation of the license of each firm. Dr. Mufarrej Al-Haqbani, Deputy Minister of Labor, said drastic plans are in the cards for achieving the real Saudization targets according to the needs of the market. The JCCI will bear the responsibility for verifying the real needs for Saudi employees within each firm and organization. Moreover, incentive inspections will be carried out in companies to “ensure no deceitful ways to escape the Saudization process,” said Al-Haqbani This workshop, Al-Haqbani added, will propose suitable penalties on establishments for any violation to escape the recommended percentage of Saudization. “Job visas will be limited according to the Saudization percentage,” he said. The workshop has discussed the feasibility of establishing a new high commission for settlement of labor conflicts, he added. __
