The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced that a decree localizing employment for postal services and parcel transport across the country has taken effect as of Saturday.

According to Okaz newspaper, the decree calls for the full localization of 14 postal services while exempting cleaning, loading, and offloading jobs.

Among other things, the decree aims to localize postal services such as e-delivery, local and international parcel transport, express mail, postal logistics, and private postal services.

The move is part of the ministry's efforts to enhance Saudi citizens' engagement in the labour market, as well as their contribution to the country's economic development, according to the report.

To encourage the private sector to hire Saudi citizens, the ministry plans to provide incentives and support.

There has been a series of initiatives launched by the Saudi Arabian government in the last few years that have aimed to employ its nationals in several fields like education, telecommunications and real estate in order to replace foreign workers as part of a labor policy that has been known as “Saudisation 

There were ministerial decrees announced in June that restricted Saudis from working in certain sectors of the economy. There were courses on optics, customer service, licensed aviation professions, including co-pilots and air controllers, sales outlets, as well as periodic car inspections.

The total population of Saudi Arabia is 34.8 million, of which 10.5 million are foreigners.