The Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD) announced a new incentive program that encourages Saudi nationals to embark on self-employed business, which is in cooperation with the Human Resources Development Fund and General Organization for Social Insurance. MLSD spokesman Khaled Abalkhail clarified that any self-employed Saudi national who earns his or her income can freely register with the GOSI as the HRDF will pay for their insurance subscription for a specific period of time. It will offer social protection to these independent business owners in the beginning of their career, Abalkhail added. The spokesman said the program allows self-employed Saudis to freely subscribe with the GOSI which counts duration of their service even if they get employed later. The program targets those who have no binding contracts with employers including productive families, craftspersons, e-marketers, as well as involves other occupations in the field of transportation, electrical and electronics services, Legal consulting, translation, Abalkhail said as well. He added the HRDF will announce later further details about conditions and benefits of the program that only serves independent business owners who they are not current students or workers in the private or public sectors. The program comes within the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 that goes under the ambitious plan of Saudi Vision 2030. It also comes as part of the ministry’s strategy that focuses on self-employed business with launching supportive initiatives, aiming to generate job opportunities for Saudi nationals amid a flexible work environment.