Looking for your next job opportunity abroad? You may find it in Saudi Arabia.
The Middle Eastern country expressed its intention to hire a staggering one million highly skilled Filipino workers within the next two years, the Department of Migrant Workers revealed on Tuesday.
The Philippines and Saudi Arabia reportedly explored the possibility of implementing a specialized employment program designed to address the pressing labor demands of the Gulf state.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly looking for more Filipino workers to fill its labor needs in the hospitality, construction, and information and technology sectors.
Secretary of Migrant Workers Susan Ople emphasized the need for a delicate balance between Saudi Arabia’s call for an increased workforce and the local job market’s requirements.
Ople stated, “While we are eager to accommodate their labor needs, we must ensure that our own job market remains robust by expanding skills training initiatives and offering ample opportunities for internships. This way, we can sustain our workforce and meet the needs of our external partners simultaneously.”
Saudi Arabia will reportedly send a technical delegation to the Philippines in June. Meanwhile, officials from the Department of Migrant Workers met with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed Al-Rajhi, in Riyadh last week.
About 700,000 Filipinos are currently employed in various sectors across Saudi Arabia. However, due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of Filipino workers in the kingdom reduced from around 1.5 million from the pre-pandemic levels.
