Saudi Ministry of Labor: Number of foreign drivers drops due to women driving

According to the latest report by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of Saudi Arabia, the number of non-Saudi household drivers dropped from 1.4 million to 1.3 million by the end of 2018. This includes around 181 non-Saudi female drivers.

The ministry attributed the drop of non-Saudi drivers to the June 24 royal decree that granted women the right to get behind the wheel and drive.

The Directorate General of Traffic said it is currently considering offers from a number of foreign companies to establish schools in various areas to teach women driving according to international standards.

A Bloomberg Economics report has suggested that allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia could add up to $90 billion to the Kingdom’s economic output by 2030.

According to the report, lifting the female ban on driving will increase the number of women seeking jobs, and boost the size of the workforce.

The country’s Vision 2030 program, which is a plan to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy, aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce from 22 percent to 30 percent.