DUBAI 11 September 2018: Effective today [11 September 2018], employment across four sub-sectors within the retail sector in Saudi Arabia will be restricted to Saudi nationals only.
Foreign nationals will be prohibited from working in forty-three different professions, according to immigration specialists, Fragomen.
Thirteen professions across three additional sub-sectors will be subject to restrictions effective from 9 November 2018, and forty-four designations within five other sub-sectors will be affected from 7 January 2019 onwards.
Affected Sub-sectors
Professions restricted to Saudi nationals are within the below listed sub-sectors:
From 11 September 2018 onwards:
· Automobile and motorbike showrooms;
· Shops selling ready-to-wear apparel, children and men’s cloths;
· Shops selling home and office furniture; and
· Shops selling household goods and utensils.
From 9 November 2018 onwards:
· Electrical appliances and electronics shops;
· Shops selling watches; and
· Shops selling optical instruments.
From 7 January 2019 onwards:
· Medical appliances and equipment shops;
· Shops selling building and construction materials;
· Shops selling vehicle spare parts;
· Shops selling carpets; and
· Confectionery shops.