Saudi Arabia: Engineering jobs in the Kingdom are to be localized following a ministry decision, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The decision, from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, will apply to all private sector establishments in the Saudi market that employ five or more engineering professionals.

The 20 percent localization measure is intended to help graduates seek job opportunities in Saudi Arabia that best suit their degrees. It also aims to help develop the private sector in order to strengthen its contribution to the national economy.

There is a ministry manual setting out the benefits, details and implementation procedures of its decision. Business owners and job seekers can view the manual on the ministry’s official website.

The minister of labor and social development, Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, issued the decision as part of a series of measures to localize professions in cooperation and partnership with government and supervisory agencies to enable graduates with specific qualifications to obtain decent employment opportunities in the Kingdom.

Other professions that have been localized include dentistry and pharmacy.