The Saudi Professional Accreditation Program, launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, has verified the skills and accredited more than 209,500 workers in various professions covering over 1,000 occupations worldwide. The program aims to ensure that expatriate workers possess the necessary skills and qualifications according to the requirements of each profession, aligning with the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations to guarantee a more efficient and high-quality work environment. The program includes the “Professional Verification” and “Professional Inspection” services, both of which operate according to specific mechanisms and methodologies. The “Professional Verification” service aims to verify the skills, experiences, and certifications of expatriate workers in high-skilled jobs through a unified electronic platform with a maximum processing time of 15 working days, while the “Professional Inspection” service targets workers with medium and low skill levels in professions that do not require academic degrees.
The program aims to enable employers to assess their workforce via more than 127 professional examination centers inside and outside the Kingdom. It has included five countries that are among the highest exporters of expatriate workers to the Saudi labor market. These countries include Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Egypt. The program continues to grow and expand to cover additional countries and a larger number of professions and workforce-exporting countries. This expansion will contribute to raising awareness among employers and government and private institutions about the importance of employing qualified expatriate workers, ensuring job performance quality, and improving the professional qualifications of workers across various sectors. The program aims to regulate the entry of workers with the necessary knowledge and skills into the Kingdom, contributing to creating a labor market with trusted competencies.
Overall, the Saudi Professional Accreditation Program is part of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s efforts to improve the quality of labor market outputs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The program aims to ensure that expatriate workers have the necessary skills and qualifications for their respective professions, in line with the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations. By providing services such as “Professional Verification” and “Professional Inspection,” the program aims to verify the skills and experiences of workers in high-skilled jobs and assess the skill levels of workers in professions that do not require academic degrees. This process helps to create a more efficient and high-quality work environment, ultimately benefitting both employers and workers.
One of the key features of the program is its use of a unified electronic platform for the verification process, which has a maximum processing time of 15 working days. This automated process helps streamline the accreditation process and ensures a more efficient and effective outcome. Additionally, the program enables employers to assess their workforce through a network of professional examination centers, both within and outside the Kingdom. By including countries that are major exporters of expatriate workers to Saudi Arabia, such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Egypt, the program aims to reach a larger pool of workers and ensure a more comprehensive approach to accreditation.
As the program continues to grow and expand, it will cover additional countries and professions, further enhancing its reach and impact on the labor market. This expansion will help raise awareness among employers and institutions about the importance of employing qualified expatriate workers, ultimately improving job performance quality and professional qualifications across various sectors. By regulating the entry of workers with the necessary knowledge and skills, the program contributes to creating a labor market with trusted competencies and ensures a more skilled and qualified workforce in Saudi Arabia.
