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Ministry of Human Resources: Saudi Labor Market Not Affected by Seasonal Visas

The third edition of the Digital Transformation Forum for the Ministry of Human Resources was held in Jeddah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The third edition of the Digital Transformation Forum for the Ministry of Human Resources was held in Jeddah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Ministry of Human Resources: Saudi Labor Market Not Affected by Seasonal Visas

The third edition of the Digital Transformation Forum for the Ministry of Human Resources was held in Jeddah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The third edition of the Digital Transformation Forum for the Ministry of Human Resources was held in Jeddah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Assistant Undersecretary for Systems and Business Development at the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources Dr. Ahmed Al-Abdullah said that the local labor market has not been affected by seasonal visas. He emphasized that there are no challenges in this area, and efforts are currently underway to automate seasonal and temporary visas to serve all beneficiaries.

Al-Abdullah made these remarks during the launch of the third edition of the Digital Transformation Forum for the Ministry of Human Resources in Jeddah, under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah, and in the presence of Prince Saud bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, along with several officials and tech and digital transformation enthusiasts.

Before the start of the sessions, the Ministry’s Undersecretary for Digital Transformation, Eng. Faisal Bakhashwain, highlighted that Saudi Arabia has made unprecedented achievements in digital transformation, which positioned the country high on global digital competitiveness indices.

He added: “We have exceeded our targets for 2030, aiming to place Saudi Arabia among the top 10 countries in the world in digital transformation, a goal made possible through the support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, who have played a key role in advancing government transformation and the digital economy.”

Al-Abdullah, for his part, told Asharq Al-Awsat that specific criteria and regulations apply to establishments seeking seasonal visas, particularly those operating during the Hajj season. These visas are granted based on business requirements submitted through the “Qiwa” platform. He also noted that the Ministry successfully countered 1.2 million cyberattacks in September.

The Ministry collaborates with over 128 countries on professional verification and assessment to raise the competency of workers in the private sector, he said, adding that 400 offices have been set up for international domestic labor recruitment.

“When it comes to labor market violations, we intervene to prevent any irregularities by working with relevant authorities to correct and encourage compliance,” he stressed.

The Ministry has introduced 12 models using emerging technologies for Saudization decisions, which previously took up to six months but now can be completed in just two working days using artificial intelligence, Al-Abdullah remarked.

A new billing system is also set to launch in the coming days, along with robotic programs to boost support and transparency for families eligible for social security, with data being collected from over 19 sources.

Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Shared Services Ismail Al-Ghamdi noted that the forum aligns with the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to keep pace with rapid technological advancements and achieve the objectives of Vision 2030 in digital transformation.

Over 1,000 services have been automated, leading to the launch of numerous digital platforms that have significantly improved the beneficiary experience and satisfaction, he revealed.

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Business

Iraq in Talks with Gulf States on Pipeline Exports beyond Hormuz

Workers carry out maintenance on a pipeline at a gas separation station in the Zubair oil field near Basra (AP). 
Workers carry out maintenance on a pipeline at a gas separation station in the Zubair oil field near Basra (AP). 
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Iraq in Talks with Gulf States on Pipeline Exports beyond Hormuz

Workers carry out maintenance on a pipeline at a gas separation station in the Zubair oil field near Basra (AP). 
Workers carry out maintenance on a pipeline at a gas separation station in the Zubair oil field near Basra (AP). 

Iraq is in talks with Gulf countries to use their pipeline networks to secure alternative oil export routes beyond the Strait of Hormuz, the state oil marketer SOMO said Thursday.

The move is part of an emergency strategy by the oil ministry to tap regional infrastructure and bypass maritime chokepoints, ensuring Iraqi crude continues to reach global markets while offsetting higher transport costs linked to the current crisis.

Ali Nizar al-Shatari, head of the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), said the ministry is prioritizing negotiations to access Gulf pipeline systems extending beyond the Strait of Hormuz and into the Arabian Sea, allowing exports to avoid areas of military tension.

“The goal is to secure stable routes that guarantee efficient flows of Iraqi oil at lower transport costs,” Shatari said, adding that Iraq generated about $2 billion in oil revenues in March, up 28 percent from February.

He said SOMO exported around 18 million barrels of crude from Basra, Kirkuk and the Kurdistan region by using all available outlets, including southern ports that operated until early March and northern routes to Türkiye’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

As part of efforts to diversify export options, Shatari revealed that the first shipments of fuel oil and Basra Medium crude successfully reached Syrian ports.

He noted that Iraq had signed a deal to export 50,000 barrels per day via this route, describing cooperation with Syria as “very significant,” with storage and security provided to ensure safe delivery to the port of Baniyas.

The route has proven effective and could become a permanent option after the crisis, he added.

Shatari further noted that the oil ministry is close to completing repairs on the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline, which suffered extensive damage in previous years.

Technical teams have inspected the most difficult terrain, with about 200 kilometers (125 miles) still to be assessed in the coming days before full pumping of Kirkuk crude resumes.

In a notable logistical move, Iraq has begun pumping Basra crude northwards for export via Ceyhan.

Flows started at 170,000 barrels per day and are expected to stabilize between 200,000 and 250,000 bpd, helping offset disrupted southern exports and supply energy-hungry markets in Europe and the Americas.

Shatari said Iraq has benefited from rising global prices by selling Kirkuk crude — a medium-grade oil — at strong premiums.

He also confirmed the reactivation of an agreement with the Kurdistan region to reuse the pipeline through the region to Ceyhan, helping lift total exports to 18 million barrels in March.

This came despite a drop in production in Kurdistan fields to about 200,000 bpd due to security threats, he added.

 

 

Business

World Food Prices Rose in March as Iran War Lifted Energy Costs, FAO Says

A farmer carries harvested rice at a paddy field in Samahani, Aceh province on April 2, 2026. (AFP)
A farmer carries harvested rice at a paddy field in Samahani, Aceh province on April 2, 2026. (AFP)
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World Food Prices Rose in March as Iran War Lifted Energy Costs, FAO Says

A farmer carries harvested rice at a paddy field in Samahani, Aceh province on April 2, 2026. (AFP)
A farmer carries harvested rice at a paddy field in Samahani, Aceh province on April 2, 2026. (AFP)

The war in the Middle East has pushed food commodity prices higher due to higher energy and fertilizer costs, the UN's food agency said Friday. 

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said its Food Price Index, which measures the monthly changes in international prices of a basket of food commodities, had increased 2.4 percent in March from February. 

It was the second rise in a row, which the agency said was largely due to higher energy prices linked to conflict in the Middle East. 

Within the index, the category of vegetable oil saw the sharpest rise, of 5.1 percent over February, as palm oil prices reached their highest point since the middle of 2022, due to effects from spiking crude oil prices, FAO said. 

However, a "broadly comfortable" supply of cereal has cushioned the damaged from the conflict, FAO said. 

"Price rises since the conflict began have been modest, driven mainly by higher oil prices and cushioned by ample global cereal supplies," said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero in a statement. 

But he warned that if the conflict goes on beyond 40 days and the high prices on fertilizer continue, "farmers will have to choose: farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops". 

"Those choices will hit future yields and shape our food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and all of the next." 

Disruptions to production and supply chain routes had also introduced "additional uncertainty" into the outlook for wheat and maize, FAO found. 

Business

Turkish Inflation Near 2% Monthly in March, Below Forecasts

A full moon rises behind Galata Tower, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP)
A full moon rises behind Galata Tower, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP)
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Turkish Inflation Near 2% Monthly in March, Below Forecasts

A full moon rises behind Galata Tower, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP)
A full moon rises behind Galata Tower, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP)

Turkish consumer price inflation was 1.94% month-on-month in March, while the annual figure fell to 30.87%, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed ‌on Friday.

In ‌a Reuters ‌poll, ⁠monthly inflation was ⁠forecast to be 2.32%, with the annual rate seen at 31.4%, driven by ⁠a rise in ‌fuel prices ‌and weather-related pressures ‌on food inflation.

In ‌February, consumer prices rose 2.96% month-on-month and 31.53% year-on-year, broadly in ‌line with estimates and reinforcing expectations that ⁠the ⁠disinflation process may be stalling.

The data also showed the domestic producer index rose 2.30% month-on-month in March for an annual increase of 28.08%.