RIYADH, July 17: Saudi Arabia is to replace 17,800 white-collar foreign workers in continuing “Saudization” with Saudis in its continuing effort to reduce unemployment among nationals.

The lay-offs include 16,204 employees from the public education sector, 854 from private education and 42 from the defence ministry, the Abha-based Saudi newspaper Al Watan has reported.

The posts will be advertised for Saudis within the next few days. Most of the foreign workers, whose contracts have been terminated, will lose their right of residence when their current contracts end and will have to leave the country within a month.

The Saudi government had earlier announced ‘Saudizing’ the taxi and limousine services in the kingdom.