Women in Saudi Arabia are redefining their roles, advancing in healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship under Vision 2030 reforms/Representative Image
TL;DR:
- 2.6 million Indians contribute significantly to
Saudi Arabia ’s economy. Female Workforce participation up from ~23% to ~35–36%, with rising leadership and SME ownership.
- Persisting hurdles such as Saudization, legal friction, and cultural biases still limit full expat female participation.
Expanding Indian Presence in the Kingdom
- Indian expat population: As per the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA 2024), 2.59 million Indians live in Saudi Arabia, making them the largest expatriate group.
- Expat composition: The General Authority for Statistics Saudi Arabia (GASTAT) also confirms that expats account for 44.4% of the Kingdom’s total population of around 38 million in 2024..
- Labour force reality: Migrants account for 56.5% of total employment, and remarkably, 89% of private-sector jobs are filled by non-Saudis.
India-born employees dominate key sectors: construction, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and now increasingly technology and education.
Vision 2030 & Women’s Workforce Trailblazing
- Female labour force jump: As per GASTAT, Saudi women’s workforce participation surged from 23.2% in 2016 to ~34–36% by 2022–2024, exceeding Vision 2030’s 30% target.
- Leadership & entrepreneurship: Over 78,000 women hold senior management roles (Q3 2024), 551,318 businesses registered in 2023 by women, and nearly 450,000 freelance permits issued.
- Anti-discrimination and autonomy: Women gained equal pay laws, the ability to drive (2017), protection against harassment, and the right to travel, access credit, and own businesses without male guardianship.
Reforming the System: Tools Empowering Expats
Saudi has introduced robust labour programs tailored for expats, benefitting women significantly:
- Musaned (2014): A digital, standardised contract system implemented via licensed agencies ensures transparency, clarity in wages, and a channel to file grievances.
- Qiwa & Labour Reform Initiative (2021): These platforms improve employer-employee relations, enforce contracts, facilitate mobility, and make health insurance and heat-safety mandatory.
- Bilateral labour agreements: Bilateral agreements such as India-Saudi collaboration enables information-sharing and investigation of labor practices, reducing mismatches and exploitation .
Human Stories in the Spotlight
Manju Manikuttan (Kerala → Al Khobar)
Manju Manikuttan receiving the Nari Shakti Puruskar/Image: Wikipedia
- Profile: Moved to Saudi in 2011 as a beautician; now a celebrated social worker through Navayugam.
- Impact: Took over the women’s deportation centre after mentor’s death. Rescued hundreds of Indian women workers misled into domestic jobs in precarious situations.
- Recognition: In 2019, she became the only non-resident woman awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Notable rescue: Helped “Chandrika,” an accountant duped into domestic work, until her safe return to India.
- Legacy: Officially authorised by Indian embassy and supported by Saudi authorities at Dammam’s deportation centre which illustrates her deep-rooted credibility.
Nouf al‑Marwaai (Saudi → Indian-recognised visionary)
Nouf Al Marwaai receiving the Padma Shri in 2018/Image: X
- Profile: Saudi national who founded the Arab Yoga Foundation in 2010. Pioneered mainstream acceptance of yoga in KSA .
- Impact: Certified 700+ instructors and trained over 10,000 practitioners by 2019 .
- Honour: Became the first Saudi woman to receive India’s Padma Shri in 2018 for cross-cultural wellness contributions.
- Significance: Her journey highlights the growing acceptance of female-led initiatives and cultural bridges in Saudi Arabia.
Emerging Opportunities for Women Expats
Indian women are now entering diverse, meaningful roles:
- Beyond domestic labour: Expansion into hospitality, healthcare, finance, education, IT, and STEM fields.
- Growth sectors in 2025: Renewable energy, digital transformation, healthcare expansion, tourism (NEOM, giga-projects), FinTech, construction, and education are hotspots.
- Protection & support: Women-only transit, childcare, mandatory health insurance, summer-hour rules, and anti-harassment laws ensure a safer environment.
Challenges: Navigating Gaps & Headwinds
Despite progress, obstacles persist:
- Saudization: Preference for Saudi nationals in private sector hiring limits expat access, impacting skilled expat women in IT and corporate roles.
- Gender & nationality bias: Reddit voices echo that expat women face tougher competition for corporate roles as Saudis are prioritised .
- Legal frameworks vs execution: World Bank highlights that though legal reforms are robust (score 50/100), implementation mechanisms like childcare, parental leave, and financial inclusion need strengthening.
- Continued discrimination & unequal networks: Expats still struggle with bias, lower salaries, or fewer promotion chances compared to locals .
What Lies Ahead:
- Regulated safety nets: Platforms like Musaned and Qiwa, and embassy-backed advocates like Manju offer concrete protection and recourse.
- Diverse career paths: Women can build careers in new sectors; STEM gigs, digital health, education roles, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and wellness (e.g., yoga studios).
- Inspiration & purpose: Stories of women like Manju shows expat women can lead, innovate, and gain recognition.
- Alignment with mega-programs: Saudi’s economic diversification means demand for skilled female talent is rising especially in giga-projects and tech ventures.
- Supportive ecosystem: Infrastructure (women-only transport, childcare), legal protections, and bilateral agreements are in place, though bridging gaps remains critical.
