JCCI official admits Saudi contractors wary of new tenders
Government’s crackdown on illegal immigrants has contractors worried about getting enough workers to complete projects
The Saudi government’s crackdown on illegal immigrants has resulted in contractors shying away from new construction tenders for fear of not getting enough workers to complete their projects.
Abdullah Radwan, head of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (JCCI) contractors committee said the hasty crackdown has created a shortage in the industry, despite its probable positive market impacts in the long run.
“Alternative arrangements should have been made and awareness programs launched before the decision was taken,” he said.
He added the campaign coincided with an increase in construction projects around the country, and added these projects need foreign workers in every professional category.
“The contracting sector in particular is seasonal. Now most projects have either stopped completely, or been delayed,” Radwan said.
He said the correction campaign has revealed that many construction companies that had handled most of the projects in the past were either “fake or unregistered” firms, said a report by Arab News.
