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Surge in interest linked to large-scale projects in the country
The number of internet searches in the UK for construction jobs in Saudi Arabia has soared by 293% year on year, according to online tradesperson marketplace Rated People.
It warned that “a better quality of life and enhanced career opportunities are driving UK tradespeople to seek work abroad”, with Saudi Arabia emerging as a possible destination of interest alongside Australia.
Year-on-year growth in searches for construction jobs in Australia saw high growth as well, particularly jobs in plumbing (171% year-on-year growth), painting (158%), plastering (157%), roofing (130%), carpentry (129%) and tiling (129%).
The surge in interest in Saudi Arabia comes amid an unprecedented wave of investment there in so-called giga projects, such as the from-scratch Neom economic development zone and the extensive Red Sea tourism schemes.
Among Saudi Arabia’s construction plans is The Line (pictured above, courtesy of Neom), a linear city contained in a multi-storey structure 170km long, 500m high and just 200m wide.
According to the US-Saudi Business Council, the value of awarded contracts catapulted to $51.3bn in 2022, a 35% jump compared with 2021.
GlobalData predicts a 4% average annual growth rate in the Saudi construction market between 2024 and 2027.
That compares starkly with the UK, where, according to the Office for National Statistics, monthly construction output was estimated to have decreased 0.2% in May 2023, the latest period for which data is available.
Rated People’s research is included in its latest trends report.
This article was originally published in Global Construction Review.
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Pay more and tax less, and you will keep your workforce.
Why do you seem surprised that construction professionals are flocking to jobs that offer 2 and 3 times the net take home salary that they would get in the UK. Few people want to leave their families and head off into the unknown, but when the alternative is scratching a living at home then the decision to travel is a no brainer..
I am one of those expats that work abroad. Have done so for years and will never work at home again…
I am becoming beleaguered with the lack of site Manager vacancies within UK construction and am now aware of the impending slowdown in the industry due to recession so have started to look at the possibility of working abroad. The UK government is simply not responding to the current situation as the current economic crisis clearly exposes- don’t feel valued enough to stay around so am making a concerted effort to find a new role abroad by year end.