Saudi Vision 2030: Enhancing The Saudi Arabian Job Market

Saudi Vision 2030 is a government program launched to diversify the current economy in Saudi Arabia through a range of non-oil projects and initiatives. It was announced on the 25th of April 2016 as part of the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s vision to decrease Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil resources.

The program and its entertainment, leisure, and hospitality projects aim to make Saudi Arabia a more welcoming place to tourists so that the Kingdom can create non-oil revenues. Saudi Arabia welcome 109 million visitors in 2023, significantly beating the country’s initial target of 100 million visitors by 2030. The Middle Eastern country has now lifted its goal to 150 million.

The ever-growing number of projects in the Saudi Vision 2030 will also change the job market in the country, offering Saudis the chance to change their professions and improve their expertise. This article will explore some of the projects set to be completed as part of Saudi Vision 2030 and the jobs those projects will bring to those in the Kingdom.

Saudi Vision 2030 Projects

Sports Boulevard

When completed, Riyadh’s Sports Boulevard will be the largest linear park in the world, connecting Wadi Hanifa in the west to Wadi Al-Sulai in the east. The Sports Boulevard includes 135km of pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as horse trails and other sports facilities. The aim is to inspire the residents of Riyadh to adopt a healthy lifestyle by participating in various sports.

Qiddya

When completed, Qiddiya will be home to international sports arenas, a championship golf course, concert and entertainment venues, a Formula One racetrack, the Aquarabia waterpark, and a Six Flags theme park. The latter of which has never been built outside of North America.

These venues are expected to create 325,000 jobs in customer service, retail, entertainment, and hospitality sectors.

NEOM

When completed, NEOM will be a futuristic urban area in the Tabuk Province, powered by 100% renewable energy. The area will include a floating port city (Oxagon), a linear smart city (THE LINE), a mountain resort (Trojena) with skiing and mountain biking, and a luxury island destination (Sindalah) with a plethora of hotels and restaurants.

Saudi Arabia claimed that NEOM would create around 460,000 jobs, with Trojena’s ski village, retail stores, restaurants, and health resorts creating 10,000 of those jobs.

How Saudi Vision 2030 Projects Will Improve The Job Market

In the Middle East, around 2.8 million people work in oil and gas supply sectors, with Saudi Arabia and Iran being two of the largest producers.

However, Saudi Vision 2030 projects are transforming the job market in the Kingdom. This is because there is now a more significant focus on non-oil sectors, which has created numerous job opportunities for Saudis in other industries, including:

• Technology and IT. Ongoing digital transformation is creating jobs for cybersecurity experts and software developers.
• Healthcare. The expansion of healthcare services is creating jobs for medical professionals and support staff.
• Tourism and entertainment. Major projects like Qiddya are creating tourism and hospitality jobs, such as ticket assistants, gift shop staff, wait staff, hotel receptionists, events managers, and chefs.
• Renewable energy. Major sustainability projects like NEOM are creating jobs such as energy analysts, engineers, and solar consultants.
• Construction. Ongoing projects and the building of sites will continue to create labour jobs, such as plumbers and electricians.

Saudi-based companies and training facilities should consider upskilling or reskilling their employees ahead of 2030 so they can work in new industries or job roles that aim to diversify the economy of the Kingdom.

These non-oil sectors also offer diverse career paths for young Saudis entering the workforce, and increased expertise and potential coming from the Kingdom will drive other countries to consider hiring from Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Saudi Vision 2030 will reduce unemployment among Saudi nationals. In 2024, the unemployment rate among Saudis fell to an all-time low of 7.1%, reflecting the effectiveness of these projects.

Wrapping Up

The Saudi Vision 2030 will boost the economy of the Kingdom by welcoming tourists rather than relying on oil revenues.

In 2019, Saudi Arabia announced that visitors from 49 countries could visit the country for up to 90 days on a tourist visa. This can be obtained online as an eVisa (costing £82 but including medical insurance) or on arrival in the Kingdom (costing £62.50 plus an additional £20 for medical insurance).

In addition to making it easier for tourists to enter the country, the Kingdom has created a plethora of entertainment venues, theme parks, hotels, resorts, and other tourist attractions that will appeal to visitors. All of these have opened a new job market for Saudi Arabian professionals.

The goal of Saudi Vision 2030 can be compared to other development plans in the Middle East, such as Kuwait Vision 2035, Egypt Vision 2030, and UAE Vision 2021.