RIYADH: The Ministry of Labor has admitted the rate of Saudization has not increased in the private sector. This was the frank assessment in a ministry report, in the possession of Okaz/Saudi Gazette. The ministry said that the reason for this was a surge in the recruitment of foreign workers. The ministry said that all the indications are that private firms have only achieved the minimum or the lowest rate of Saudization set by the ministry. The report showed that the rate of Saudization was 13.3 percent, with male workers at 12.8 percent and women at 36 percent. The ministry is now reviewing all its decisions on Saudization to determine obstacles hampering the process. The report showed that the average salaries at the private sector have dropped by 26 percent in 2009 to less than SR1,000 compared to SR1,353 in 2008. A statistical report also showed that the monthly salary of males dropped to below SR1,000 at a rate of 27 percent and the salary of females was at SR1,657 a month, a drop of 11 percent.
