Latest news with #Jadarat
Arabian Post
30-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Saudi FDI Soars as Unemployment Plummets
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Net foreign direct investment surged to SAR 22.2 billion in Q1 2025, marking a 44 per cent year‑on‑year rise, the General Authority for Statistics reported on Sunday. Though slightly down from SAR 24 billion in Q4 2024, the inflows underscore robust investor interest. Meanwhile, unemployment eased across the board, with significant gains for women and youth. Government data show inward FDI at SAR 24 billion in Q1, a 24 per cent increase year‑on‑year but a 6 per cent dip compared to late 2024. Despite this quarterly slowdown, inflows remain well above Q1 2024's SAR 19.4 billion. The rebound follows strategic efforts under Vision 2030, including high-profile giga‑projects in tourism, sports and entertainment and regulatory reforms aimed at boosting foreign investor confidence. ADVERTISEMENT Analysts caution that current FDI levels are still far short of Saudi Arabia's $100 billion annual target. Obstacles such as a complex legal environment and perceptions of the Kingdom as a capital exporter persist. The government has responded by conditioning state‑contract awards on regional headquarters being based locally, along with plans to overhaul investment laws to increase transparency. On the labour front, the overall unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above dropped to 7.8 per cent in Q1, down from 8.5 per cent in Q4 2024. Among Saudi nationals, unemployment eased to 7.6 per cent, compared to 8.4 per cent in the previous quarter; male unemployment declined from 5.1 per cent to 4.7 per cent and female unemployment from 14.3 per cent to 13 per cent. These figures follow earlier statistics showing an even lower unemployment rate among Saudi nationals: 6.3 per cent, the lowest on record, driven in part by historic falls in female joblessness, which reached 10.5 per cent. GASTAT's labour bulletin also highlighted a rise in overall participation to 68.2 per cent, up 1.8 points from Q4 2024. Within that, Saudi male participation climbed to 66.4 per cent, while female participation rose to 36.3 per cent. The youth labour market showed varied outcomes: unemployment among young Saudi women fell to 11.6 per cent, while male youth unemployment dropped to 11.6 per cent as well, even as their participation rate declined. Experts link these shifts to targeted labour reforms, including expanded digital employment platforms such as Jadarat, and programmes that encourage female workforce inclusion under Vision 2030. Economic diversification is evident in the deeper GDP breakdown. Non‑oil sectors grew by 4.2 per cent in Q1, significantly outpacing oil activity, which fell by 1.4 per cent, according to GASTAT. Government services also rose by 3.2 per cent, driving overall GDP growth of 2.7 per cent year‑on‑year. These shifts highlight the evolving composition of the economy away from hydrocarbons. The resilience in FDI and labour metrics comes amid projected fiscal pressures. Saudi Arabia is expected to run a SAR 101 billion deficit in 2025, to be funded largely through debt. Even so, credit agencies note that net public debt remains low at approximately 17 per cent of GDP, leaving room for continued borrowing. Policy-makers point to dynamic growth in private‑sector activity and infrastructure investment as evidence of broader momentum. Nonetheless, flows remain below long‑term targets, and uncertainties linger over the pace of regulatory liberalisation and investor protections. Combined, these indicators illustrate an economy in transition. FDI strength and labour market improvement reflect clear progress, especially on domestic policy fronts aligned with Vision 2030 goals. Yet government targets for transformative investment and full private‑sector integration remain distant, and persistent structural rigidities could slow advancement. Moving forward, success will hinge on deepening institutional reforms—such as streamlined licensing, improved legal frameworks, and enhanced foreign equity rights—and sustaining social policies that widen labour force inclusivity, notably among women and youth. Economic forecasts anticipate moderating oil prices and slower government expenditure later in 2025, placing even greater emphasis on private capital inflows and sustainable domestic job creation. These emerging trends offer insight into Saudi Arabia's efforts to recalibrate its economic model—balancing fiscal constraints with bold ambitions. While the pace of change remains uneven, the current data points to structural momentum that, if sustained, could reshape the Kingdom's economy over the remainder of the decade.
Arab News
29-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi unemployment rate drops to 2.8% in Q1: GASTAT
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's overall unemployment rate dropped to 2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2025, down 0.7 percentage points from the previous quarter, official data showed. According to figures released by the General Authority for Statistics, the jobless rate also declined by 0.7 points year on year. The labor force participation rate for both Saudis and non-Saudis increased to 68.2 percent, marking a rise of 1.8 points from the previous quarter and 2.2 points from the same period last year. The Kingdom's strengthening labor market aligns with Vision 2030, the nation's strategic roadmap focused on creating job opportunities for citizens and driving economic growth. Curbing joblessness remains a core pillar of the broader socio-economic reform agenda. In its latest release, GASTAT stated: 'The employment-to-population ratio for Saudis increased by 0.5 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching 48.0 percent, and increased by 0.5 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2024.' Among Saudi nationals, the jobless rate fell to 6.3 percent in the first quarter — a 0.7-point drop from the earlier quarter and 1.3 points lower year on year. Participation in the workforce among Saudis edged up to 51.3 percent, a quarterly improvement of 0.2 points. To support job seekers and streamline employment efforts, the Kingdom continues to promote digital platforms such as Jadarat, a unified national system for connecting Saudis to job opportunities. The share of Saudi women engaged in the labor force rose to 36.3 percent in the first quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from the preceding quarter. 'Additionally, the employment to population ratio of Saudi females increased by 0.7 percentage points, reaching 32.5 percent. At the same time, the unemployment rate of Saudi females decreased by 1.4 percentage points, recording 10.5 percent, compared to the previous quarter of 2024,' GASTAT added. Among Saudi men, participation in economic activity increased slightly to 66.4 percent, while their unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percentage points to 4.0 percent. GASTAT's report also revealed that 94.8 percent of unemployed Saudis are open to working in the private sector. Of these, 76.1 percent of women and 86.3 percent of men expressed willingness to work at least eight hours a day. Additionally, 58.7 percent of Saudi women seeking employment and 40.4 percent of their male counterparts expressed willingness to commute for one hour or more to reach their workplace. Alongside the survey findings, GASTAT also published register-based labor market statistics for the same timeframe. The number of Saudis registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance and the Civil Service rose to 2.92 million in the first quarter of 2025, up from 2.89 million in the previous quarter. Of these, 2.42 million were employed in the private sector and 492,620 in the public sector. Meanwhile, the total number of registered workers in the Kingdom — including Saudis and non-Saudis — increased to 12.8 million, compared to 12.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Gulf Insider
07-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia Opens Applications for Over 10,000 Teaching Jobs
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education has opened applications for 10,494 teaching positions for the coming academic year, as part of a nationwide initiative to fill staffing needs across all public education departments. The hiring process, structured under a spatial contracting system, will take place through the Jadarat national employment platform, targeting graduates in specific disciplines required to meet school demands. Applications will open on Friday, March 7, 2025 and close on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 for male applicants. Also read: Saudi Banks Banned From Using Whatsapp for Customer Service
Leaders
04-03-2025
- General
- Leaders
Saudi Arabia Opens Hiring for Over 10,000 Teaching Jobs
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education has opened the hiring process for 10,494 teaching positions for the coming academic year, according to Gulf News. The announcement represents an integral part of a broader initiative designed basically to fill staffing needs across all public education departments in the Kingdom. Hiring Process Based on a spatial contracting system, the process targets graduates in specific disciplines in order to meet school demands. Crucially, the ministry will receive applications through the Jadarat national employment platform starting from Friday, March 7, 2025, and concluding on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, for male applicants. Meanwhile, female candidates can submit their applications from Friday, March 14, 2025, until Wednesday, March 19, 2025. The recruitment process will be compatible with the executive regulations of the civil service's human resources framework. To ensure the coverage of critical subject areas in schools, the ministry has classified the available positions under the category of 'practicing teacher' and they cover several disciplines. Selection Process As for the selection process, the ministry relies on an accurate evaluation system that takes into consideration the following factors: Cumulative GPA (10%) Graduation seniority (10%) General professional teaching license exam score (30%) Subject-specific teaching license exam score (50%) Therefore, the applicants must meet application requirements and pass evaluation criteria. Assessment Process It is worth noting that candidates will undergo detailed assessments, including standardized competency testing, ensuring that only the most capable educators are selected. On Sunday, March 23, the ministry will unveil the initial list of selected candidates. Consequently, it will hold in-person interviews and document verification on Tuesday, April 29, at designated education department offices. On Sunday, July 27, the ministry will announce the final selection of candidates. After this process, selected candidates must participate in mandatory training programs through the National Institute for Educational Professional Development. Related Topics: Saudi Arabia Expands Chinese Language Teaching Program to Meet Growing Demand Higher Education: Saudi Arabia's Emergence as Global Destination Over 102,000 Saudi Students to Learn Chinese Language by End of 2025 Short link : Post Views: 17
CairoScene
04-03-2025
- General
- CairoScene
Ministry of Education Opens Applications for 10,494 Teaching Jobs
Applications are accepted through the national employment platform, 'Jadarat', for graduates in specified specialisations. The Ministry of Education has opened applications for 10,494 teaching positions under the spatial contract system across all general education departments for the 1447 academic year. Applications are accepted through the national employment platform, 'Jadarat', for graduates in specified specialisations. Applications for male candidates run from March 7th to March 12th, 2025, while female candidates can apply from March 14th to March 19th, 2025. Initial nominations will be announced on March 23rd, with interviews and document verification set for April 29th. Final results will be released on July 27th, 2025. Selection is based on GPA (10%), graduation seniority (10%), the general professional exam (30%), and the subject-specific exam (50%). The initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance teaching quality through standardized assessments and mandatory professional training.
