Arab countries to give preference to locals in jobs

ABU DHABI: Arab countries would be giving preference to locals in employment in future, as half of the work force in Arab countries constitute of expatriates.Addressing a Human resource Conference here, Saudi Arab’s Prince Turki Al Faisal bin Abdul Aziz said that the locals would be preferred in employing work force in future. He said, “We are reviewing our economic policy seriously for strengthening our economy so that its benefit could reach our people instead of millions of expatriates. Most of the unskilled workers come from South Asia in the countries included in Gulf Cooperation Council, while 50 percent of the skilled and trained work force constitutes of foreigners and this figure is as high as 92 percent in United Arab Emirates. Prince Turki cautioned that if the existing policy continued, then we would become a minority in our own country.