Dubai (PTI): Inability to find local workers has forced Saudi Arabia to reduce the job quota for its nationals in certain sectors.

Jobs reserved for Saudis have been reduced from 30 per cent to 20 per cent in industries like foodstuffs, beverages, textiles, readymade garments, shoes, furniture and paper.

The decision taken last week by the Saudi Minister of Labour Ghazi Al-Gosaibi also requires that the quota of Saudis working in these factories does not fall below 15 per cent in the first two years of operation, or three years from the date of licensing.

Deputy Minister of Labour Abdulwahed Al-Humaid said the decision to reduce the number of Saudis expected to work at these factories was necessary to fulfill labour market demands, Arab news reported on Monday.

A factory manager said he has never been able to employ more than 24 per cent Saudis.

"Saudization is a national demand, I agree, but dealing with unqualified Saudi labour in a downstream industrial project can be costly," he said, adding locals refuse to work in inconvenient shifts.

The government had set "Saudization" targets making it mandatory for industries to recruit a certain minimum number of Saudi nationals to check unemployment in the kingdom where a large number of workers come from abroad.