Saudi Arabia has become a magnet for companies seeking to expand their businesses into the Middle East, with sectors like technology, finance and tourism leading the way.
The kingdom has made significant strides in becoming a family-friendly destination. Investments in international schools, cultural hubs and modern infrastructure are now a critical part of its appeal, successfully drawing professionals who once commuted weekly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
I have observed first hand how a surge of international interest has transformed the employment market in Saudi Arabia, presenting new challenges and opportunities for both businesses and jobseekers.
Hiring on the rise
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan is reshaping hiring behaviours. Global companies, from private equity to law, are establishing new offices in Riyadh to access domestic opportunities. Numerous US-based law firms are taking advantage of the kingdom’s growing economic appeal.
We are continuing to see the construction sector booming. Saudi Arabia’s ambitious projects, underpinned by a real estate market valued at $1.1 trillion, are fuelling a huge demand for construction talent. Whether it’s engineers, project managers or specialised construction workers, professionals in these industries are highly sought-after.
Meanwhile, the technology sector is also on an upwards trajectory. The Saudi government’s substantial investments in the industry, including smart city initiatives like Neom, the roll-out of 5G networks and the development of cloud computing and data centres across the country, are driving demand for engineers, IT professionals and sustainability experts.
Changing priorities
Meanwhile, jobseeker priorities in the region have shifted significantly. If we rewind to 2019, inflated salaries were the main pull for professionals to move to Saudi Arabia. However, in today’s market, salary inflation is no longer the driving factor it once was.
Today, candidates prioritise career progression, family-friendly environments and work-life balance.
While Saudi Arabia’s job market is growing, competition with established hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi is fierce. Both cities offer strong lifestyle benefits and a wealth of global connectivity.
For the kingdom’s employers to compete, they must create value propositions that go beyond compensation. Offering tailored relocation packages that address specific family needs, transparent career progression pathways and flexible working arrangements can make Saudi employers stand out.
Moving to the kingdom can pose challenges and those who do not speak Arabic may face some language barriers in more remote areas. In addition, international workers relocating to the country may be asked to pay dependent fees: a monthly expense paid for each family member, adding substantial costs for those with families.
Employers can help ease this transition. For example, covering dependent fees or providing specialised relocation support for families can alleviate some challenges. Offering a competitive base salary package will always be vital, but providing additional benefits beyond the basic package, such as tuition fees for children, joining bonuses, annual travel tickets and employment retention bonuses will help businesses stand out to international jobseekers.
Companies in Saudi Arabia must also align their recruitment strategies with government policies, such as the Saudisation initiative, to integrate local talent while still offering appealing employment propositions to international workers for specialised roles.
Transparent communication of career trajectories, coupled with strong employer branding and supportive onboarding processes, can help to attract both local and international talent.
Looking ahead, Saudi Arabia’s job market will thrive. Being an emerging market, career growth opportunities are unparalleled. Professionals entering leadership roles in transformative projects like Neom and the Red Sea Development can pioneer industry standards and oversee groundbreaking initiatives.
Vision 2030 places a strategic focus on diversifying into non-oil sectors, opening up opportunities to build new, thriving industries. Professionals stepping into leadership positions in these sectors have the potential to shape industries from the ground up.
By addressing the needs of both local and international professionals, Saudi employers can secure their place as leaders in a rapidly evolving regional market.
While the current jobs market in the kingdom is flooded with business opportunities, jobseekers’ ever-evolving preferences, coupled with competition from the UAE, mean that companies must continuously innovate to stand out from the competition in the Middle East.
Zahra Clark is the head of the Middle East and North Africa region for Tiger Recruitment
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Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Naga
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
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ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
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SPECS
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