Expat Workers ‘Play Key Role’ in Saudi Society
MENIAL JOB: An expat domestic helper does not only prepare food for the family but also cleans the house.
RIYADH: Expatriate workers, especially domestic workers, have a significant role in contemporary Saudi society, say prominent personalities.
“Their contribution could be seen in various aspects of Saudi way of life,” said Dr. Mohsin Shaikh Al-Hassan, well-known Islamic scholar and TV host.
He said that 30 years ago, Saudi women did the household chores, but now they go to work at 6 in the morning and return home at 5 p.m.
“In their absence, domestic helpers do the work at home like cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and preparing food for the family,” he said.
They also need, he said, nannies to look after their children while they’re away from home.
A former university professor said that having domestic workers like drivers is also a sign of prestige for many Saudi nationals.
“There could be a number of women in a family. Each one of them needs somebody to drive for them if they go to office or school,” he said.
He said the presence of expat workers is due to the fact that they are ready to take up jobs that are avoided by Saudis like being a janitor or street cleaner.
“Many Saudi youth are satisfied with clerical positions to avoid blue-collar jobs, which expatriate workers are willing to take,” he said.
He added that unless they change their mindset toward work, the services of expatriate workers will always be needed in the Kingdom.
An expat involved in the construction sector said that the Saudization program is all right, but it will not be able to totally exclude foreign manpower in the Kingdom’s labor market.
A report some time back said there were 9.2 million expatriate workers who have remitted some SR1.4 trillion in 22 years.