Saudi Labor Reform Initiative Goes Into Effect

On Sunday, March 14, 2021, the new Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which seeks to “improve the contractual relationship” for workers in the Kingdom’s private sector, will come into force | Asharq Al-Awsat
On Sunday, March 14, 2021, the new Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which seeks to “improve the contractual relationship” for workers in the Kingdom’s private sector, will come into force | Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Labor Reform Initiative Goes Into Effect

On Sunday, March 14, 2021, the new Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which seeks to “improve the contractual relationship” for workers in the Kingdom’s private sector, will come into force | Asharq Al-Awsat
On Sunday, March 14, 2021, the new Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which seeks to “improve the contractual relationship” for workers in the Kingdom’s private sector, will come into force | Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia’s Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which was announced last November, has gone into effect as of Sunday, bringing the kingdom a step closer to its goal of developing human capital and empowering people by fostering a competitive but fair working environment.

Experts have confirmed that the initiative is a fundamental shift in the Saudi labor market and the relationship between the employer and expatriate workers.

They stressed the importance of improving the local labor market to match the kingdom’s aspirations and attract skilled workers.

The job mobility service offered by LRI helps eliminate unfair control and weak management of employment and forces employers to abide by the contractual relationship.

The vision of the LRI is to create an attractive labor market in the Kingdom that offers flexible working conditions for the contractual workers and helps to empower and improve human resources.

Prior to the reforms, sponsored foreign workers needed to take permission from their current employer to change their job. They also required approval before traveling outside the country or undertaking their administrative tasks.

Implementing contractual relationships will enable raising the efficiency of human capital operating in the Saudi labor market, said Mercer’s CEO in Saudi Arabia Mahmoud Ghazi.

Ghazi noted that the move standardizes work mobility according to fresh procedures and conditions that stem out of competency, merit, and professionalism.

The change brought about by the LRI to labor mobility will produce a qualitative leap in improving both employer and employee rights, Ghazi told Asharq Al-Awsat, adding that this will reflect positively on attracting investors to Saudi Arabia.

Economic analyst Abdulrahman al-Jubeiri has reaffirmed that the initiative brings about a number of advantages to the Saudi labor market.

“Implementing the LRI entails a list of pros that include increasing the competitiveness of the Saudi worker, improving the local work environment, advancing Saudi Arabia’s ranking in the international competitiveness index, and reducing employment costs,” Jubeiri told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He added that the LRI also supports greater opportunities for localizing jobs, technology, and experience in the kingdom.



Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
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Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco

Saudi Aramco announced on Thursday the inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

Through this collaboration, Saudi Aramco aims to highlight its investments in citizenship initiatives and its efforts to drive economic growth, support local fishermen and their livelihoods, build expertise, and adopt the best practices to enhance production and cultivate fish of marketable sizes that can compete globally.

The center is part of the company's broader efforts to protect marine life in the Arabian Gulf. It involves the establishment of a fish hatchery on Abu Ali Island in Jubail, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, designed to produce local fish species that have experienced population declines due to fishing practices and to reintroduce them into Gulf waters.

The center's operations are designed to encompass the complete fish life cycle within designated tanks, from broodstock for egg production to larval rearing using plankton produced on-site and finally to the release of juvenile fish into the Arabian Gulf. The hatchery employs advanced aquaculture technologies to ensure fish health, and it utilizes top-tier water recycling techniques to enhance performance and meet the company's circular economy objectives.

The project aligns with Saudi Aramco's mangrove plantation initiative, under which more than 43 million trees have been planted to date. Mangrove forests provide vital nursery habitats for the juvenile fish released into the Gulf, further supporting the sustainability of marine ecosystems.