Saudi Arabia is giving a three-month deadline to private-sector companies failing to adhere to Saudisation quotas, Labour Minister Adel Faqih said on Sunday (September 11th).

Failure to hire Saudi citizens could result in the government blocking hiring and other expansion programmes in the private sector, Emirates 24/7 reported. Firms that hire Saudis will be rewarded with government incentives allowing the companies to bring in more expatriate workers.

"The Ministry of Labour is working on new rules as part of the programme to ensure no company" will circumvent the new requirements, Faqih said.