Medical recruitment needs an HRDF OK

Private hospitals will be permitted to recruit a medical professional only after getting approval from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), a Ministry of Labor source said. The source told Al-Watan daily: “The Ministry of Labor has made the issuance of permits for private health establishments wishing to recruit foreign labor subject to HRDF’s approval. “The ministry’s decision will help 8,000 Saudi graduates registered with the HRDF find jobs. The move will also curb the recruitment of foreign workers while similarly qualified Saudis are available on the market. “Establishments that have achieved higher levels of Saudization are not exempt from this condition either.” The ministry’s decision is also expected to remove hurdles the health sector faces when recruiting qualified foreign medical experts in rare specializations, chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (JCCI) health committee Nasser Abdullah Al-Zahim said in a statement. Most private sector hospitals have achieved a high level of Saudization. The health sector is required to ensure 15 percent of positions are Saudized according to Nitaqat regulations, Al-Zahim said. Government hospitals face an acute shortage of nurses and laboratory technicians, he said. He urged government departments to issue permits to hospitals to recruit workers more efficiently. He also stressed the need to avoid red tape at the HRDF so no objection certificates can be issued quickly for any establishment requiring foreign permits. He said: “There are some medical professions for which visas should be issued because qualified people for these positions are not available in sufficient numbers in the Kingdom. They include nurses, physical therapists, dentists and dental technicians, ophthalmologists, and pharmacists.” In a related development, member of the JCCI health committee Saeed Al-Sulami warned prolonged bureaucratic formalities to obtain visas for skilled workers would defeat the purpose of investments in the health sector. He said: “We all agree on the need to employ Saudi workers and we have been undertaking job fairs for Saudi youths. But there are certain specializations such as doctors and pharmacists that need to be exempted from such regulations. Shortages in such professions are not limited to the Kingdom but are universal.” Al-Sulami added the health committee held several meetings with the HRDF and decided to find work for Saudis in specializations such as X-ray technicians and other medical specializations at a monthly salary of SR 6,000. The employer will pay half the salary, while HRDF will pay the remaining half. So far the number of vacant posts in these professions have not been determined, he said. HRDF is currently trying to find vacant posts in the private health sector so unemployed registered graduates in the Hafiz unemployment program can be appointed. Hafiz is a program launched by the Ministry of Labor to encourage unemployed young Saudis to get qualified for the Saudi job market with incentives such as monthly allowances. Hafiz is also supposed to find jobs for registered youths. Applicants should be aged 20 to 35, should not be students or trainees and should be residing in the country.