each year, about a quarter-million young saudis enter the job market. with the first phase of saudization into effect, 70% of sales job are expected to be filled by saudis. however, the private sector still remains hugely dominated by foreigners. the rate of local unemployment is 12.9%, its highest in more than a decade. according to a report published by bloomberg economics in 2018, the government needs to produce 700,000 jobs by 2020 to meet its 9% unemployment target.