No more visas for expat men dressmakers

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Labor has stopped issuing visas for expatriate men to work as dressmakers. The decision was taken to ensure that jobs are made available for Saudi women, said Abdelmoneim Al-Shihri, undersecretary at the ministry and assistant for special programs. Inspectors would arrest those people found flouting this regulation, Al-Shihri was quoted as saying by a local publication on Thursday. The ministry was working to ensure more Saudi women are able to work in this industry, he said. The ministry has held workshops in various cities to identify challenges that might impede implementation of the decision, which include lack of trained women. These would be addressed by the General Association for Technical and Professional Training. The strategic goal of the program is to ensure more women take up dressmaking jobs, as per the Council of Ministers Decision No. 120. -arabnews