Expats working in Jeddah will find themselves in the midst of Saudi Arabia’s second largest commercial centre, and arguably, the country’s fastest growing economic metropolis.

Though initially a quaint fisherman’s settlement on the shore of the Gulf Coast, over the years Jeddah has grown up and is now a bustling and mature sea port positioned at the heart of the Middle Eastern and North African region.

The city’s existence as a centrepiece for trade has encouraged both domestic and foreign investment in a number of sectors. As a result, in addition to occupations that deal with commercial movement of goods in both the oil and non-oil divisions, expat jobs in Jeddah often revolve around the construction and real estate fields.

Expat employees are also continually needed in the healthcare sector of Jeddah.

Moreover, the combined presence of the Jeddah Seaport and the Jeddah airport have made the city the entrance point for those funnelling into the nation in the holy name of religious tourism. Its historic role as the gateway to Mecca has now acquired a more modern dimension as the government funnels money into tourism overall, making hospitality positions a possibility for expats as well.

Furthermore, Jeddah is working hard to develop urban areas, boost its local economy and expand transport and infrastructural facilities; with these optimistic changes will come more opportunities for expats to work in Jeddah as engineers, architects and city planners.

Lastly, as Jeddah is sill the home to some national consulates, many expats who are part and parcel to Middle Eastern politics in their home country may find themselves considering a job in Jeddah, rather than Saudi's religiously rigorous capital, Riyadh.