Panel Suggests Easing Hiring Rules for Private Hospitals
A committee of four government and private agencies has recommended employment of foreigners in private sector hospitals and clinics.
To nationalize health sector jobs, the government had made it incumbent on employers to seek the prior approval of work visas from the Human Resources Fund (Hadaf), with whom 8,000 Saudi unemployed health graduates are currently registered.
The Ministry of Labor's decision to oblige investors to get Hadaf approval was aimed at employing those graduates regardless of the ministry's rates of Saudization the visa-seeking employer had achieved. Hadaf's inability to provide sufficient number of qualified health workers led to many private establishments' incurring losses, according to letters submitted to relevant authorities.Nasser Al-Zahem, chairman of the health committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said last week the committee members met with representatives from the ministries of Labor and Health and Hadaf to discuss problems facing the health sector as a result of the ministry's decision to link work visa issuance for private health establishments to Hadaf's approval.
The committee recommended for the private medical establishments to be allowed to obtain visas directly, but under Hadaf supervision as it will be the body the private establishments would approach when they reject an applicant and seek visas.
Private medical facilities can obtain the visas directly if there is not a sufficient number of qualified Saudi candidates. The committee defines qualified candidates as having the abilities and knowledge necessary to deal with patients and maintain the establishment's reputation, not merely having a certificate.
The Hadaf approval decision had led hospitals and other medical establishment owners to request the Labor Ministry, through chambers of commerce and industry, to expedite the visa issuance procedure to avoid losses.
They had said that a decision must be made (on approving an establishment's request for work visas) and the approval issued in a few days, instead of the situation that obtained in the last two months when approval was given after long interviews and correspondences with Hadaf.
They said there are professions that are very important and there are positions that could not always be filled exclusively by citizens. Those include physical therapy specialists, dentistry medical workers, medical laboratory jobs, pharmacists and others.
Arab News
