1.9m workers joined labor force in 2015

A recent report for the Ministry of Labor and Social Development confirmed that the number of workers recruited for economic activities last year reached 1,938,080.

The Riyadh region ranked first in attracting workers in agriculture, mining and oil extraction, manufacturing, construction, and wholesale and retail trade, transport, storage, transportation, electricity, gas, water, finance, insurance and real estate services, collective, social, personal services and other activities.
The report showed that the total number of workers recruited in the field of agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing reached 163 090; Riyadh region had 64,890 workers, or 38 percent of the total number of expats in the sector; followed by the Asir region where the number reached 15,925 workers for 9.7 percent of the total labor force in the agricultural sector. Makkah region came third, where the number of labor reached 14,694, or 9 percent, while Al-Qassim came fourth with 14,074 workers with 8.6 percent.
In the field of manufacturing, the total number of expats reached 127,122, where the Riyadh region came first in terms of labor recruitment at 48,958 workers, or 38 percent of the total number of workers in this field, while the Eastern Province came second with 27,218 workers or 21 percent; followed by Makkah reaching 20,835 workers with 16 percent; and Al-Qassim came fourth with 14,074 workers for 11 percent.
In the area of construction, the total number of expats reached 1,034,460 workers with the Riyadh region coming first with 380,340 workers or 36 percent; the eastern region came second with 267,619 workers, or 25 percent; the Makkah area reached 145,108 workers in the sector, or 14 percent; and Al-Qassim region came fourth with 88,515 workers for 8 percent of the total.
At the level of wholesale and retail trade the total number of expats reached in this activity 220,309 workers.
The Eastern Province came in the first place in terms of labor recruitment with number of 44,535 workers, or 20 percent,
The Makkah region was second with 43,264 expat workers, or 19 percent.
Al-Qassim region reached 11,762 expat workers, or 5 percent; and Madinah came fourth with 10,766 labor workers or 4.8 percent.