The annual spend on foreign drivers was valued at more than SR25 billion ($6.7 billion) in salaries.

:: In a historic night after King Salman Bin Abdelaziz issued a decree to grant women driving licenses the economic effect on the Kingdom is forecasted to be positive.

The decision will increase the social security of families in the Kingdom, as the annual spend on foreign drivers was valued at more than SR25 billion ($6.7 billion) in salaries.

The Kingdom has 1,376,096 drivers according to a report issued by the General Statistics Authority during the first quarter of 2017.

Of all male domestic workers in the Kingdom drivers make up 90 percent the statistics show.

The average monthly wage of a domestic driver in Saudi Arabia is 1500 riyals.

The costs of acquiring a driver in Saudi Arabia incur major costs on families.

This is the breakdown of estimated costs:

Total entry permits cost: SR 2.8 billion,
Residence permit: SR 840 million
Accommodation, healthcare and food: SR 2 billion
Flight tickets: SR2.5 billion
Recruitment cost: SR11 billion

These figures can increase in the case of an employee absconding, inability to drive or use of the vehicle for their own work.

Drivers in Saudi Arabia constitute 90 percent of male domestic workers.