Saudi Arabia’s economy is a stellar performer these days on the back of steady oil prices in recent years. With
2,500+ jobs listed on Bayt.com in Saudi Arabia on an average day in major cities including Riyadh and Jeddah, the job market in this oil-rich country is indeed a thriving one worthy to be explored.
The career experts at Bayt.com, the leading job site in the Middle East, have listed below twenty good reasons why Saudi Arabia should be on your job search radar:
Career opportunities in Saudi Arabia:
1. 65% of surveyed Saudi employers will be ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ hiring in the next 3 months, and 70% of the firms have up to 10 positions to fill. (
The August 2013 Bayt.com Job Index survey)
2. Four out of 10 (39%) of KSA professionals expect there to be an increase in jobs in KSA in the next 6 months. (The
Bayt.com Consumer Confidence Index survey – September 2013)
3. Riyadh is considered to have the highest possibility of employment as per 49% of the surveyed professionals stating that the availability of jobs is either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. (The Bayt.com
‘Top Cities of the Middle East’ survey – July 2013)
4. There is a demand for qualified professionals in Saudi Arabia, as business management (34%), engineering (30%), and administration (27%) top the list of most desirable qualifications among Saudi employers. (
The August 2013 Bayt.com Job Index survey)
5. Skills most in demand among employers in Saudi Arabia include good communication skills in English and Arabic (74%), team players skills (50%), and good leadership skills (49%). (
The August 2013 Bayt.com Job Index survey)
6. Senior experienced professionals, especially those who have experience in managing a team are most desired by employers in the Saudi Arabia, along with those who are experienced in sales and marketing and have good IT skills. (
The August 2013 Bayt.com Job Index survey)
7. Saudi Arabia is believed to be among the best countries to set up a new business compared to other countries in the region; 8% of Saudi Arabia respondents claim that it is ‘very easy’ to set up a new business, while 10% claim that it is ‘somewhat easy’ to be your own boss in Saudi Arabia. (The Bayt.com
'Entrepreneurship in the Middle East' survey, October 2013)
8. The most attractive industries in Saudi Arabia are perceived to be construction (42%), telecommunications (33%), and banking and finance (32%). (
The August 2013 Bayt.com Job Index survey)
9. 49% of the surveyed employees in Saudi Arabia claim to be “somewhat satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with their job. (The Bayt.com ‘
Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA’ survey – July 2013)
10. In terms of recognition received at work, 20% of surveyed employees in Saudi Arabia are “extremely satisfied”, while 20% are “extremely satisfied” with working hours and 16% are “extremely satisfied” with support received from colleagues. (The Bayt.com ‘
Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA’ survey – July 2013)
Better salary and benefit packages in Saudi Arabia:
1. 40% of the surveyed professionals consider the salaries offered in Riyadh to be most competitive, compared to other cities in the region. (The Bayt.com
‘Top Cities of the Middle East’ survey – July 2013)
2. 56% of professionals in Saudi Arabia expect a ‘moderate’ to ‘marginal’ increase in salary levels, while 17% of professionals expect a raise of more than 15% in 2013. (
The Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey – May 2013)
3. ‘Health insurance provisions’ are important to consider for expatriate professionals, and Riyadh and Jeddah performs extremely well on this metric, with 57% and 51% of professionals there respectively rating the health insurance benefits as ‘good’ to ‘excellent’. (The Bayt.com ‘
Top Cities of the Middle East’ survey – July 2013)
4. A majority of professionals in Saudi Arabia say they receive basic salary plus benefits, making it the most popular type of pay structure. Professionals in the region also list the more preferable incentives you can expect as: performance-based (61%), or professional training and development courses (46%). Commission (27%) and holiday allowances or foreign trips (24%) are also popular incentives among professionals in KSA. (
The Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey – May 2013)
Happiness constitutes more than a better job and better pay. Saudi Arabia ranks highly on various metrics related to general welfare:
1. Saudi Arabia is believed to be among the happier countries in the MENA with 64% of KSA respondents on the Bayt.com ‘
Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA’ survey, July 2013, claim that they are satisfied with their life in general.
2. Residents in Saudi Arabia rank the country highly on metrics including availability of utilities (drinking water, electricity, etc.), stability of political environment, and general safety and security. (The Bayt.com ‘
Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA’ survey – July, 2013)
3. 40% of Saudi professionals feel that their standard of living is ‘about average’, 28% claim to be ‘somewhat better off’, and 14% are ‘much better off’, thus indicating residents in the region enjoy a standard of life that is mostly either on par with, or above the standard of other residents. (
The Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey – May 2013)
4. In terms of affordability and cost of living in the MENA region, three in ten professionals (30%) consider Riyadh to be affordable – thus positioning it second on the list compared to other cities in the region. (The Bayt.com
‘Top Cities of the Middle East’ survey – July 2013)
5. Riyadh features third on the list of MENA cities offering affordable utilities to residents. (The Bayt.com
‘Top Cities of the Middle East’ survey – July 2013)
6. Six in ten residents (61%) rate Saudi Arabia well in terms of their satisfaction at being able to maintain healthy personal relationships. (The Bayt.com ‘
Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA’ survey – July 2013)
