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Damn good questions. Saudi Arabia has traditionally been reluctant to accept refugees. Palestinians, in particular, have status as low as women, sometimes worse. When I was on business there in 1995, about the only jobs you would see them doing was roadside cleaning and construction. At least the women were allowed to drive off-road vehicles such as tractors.

More than 90% of the workers in the Eastern Province (where most of the oil lies) were from somewhere else . . . and there was a definite hierarchy. As noted, the Palestinians were the lowest rung. Just above them were the Pakistanis and Bengali, who mostly still worked outside, but in the shade. Then you had your drivers (mostly India), hotel staff (Thai), stenographers and blue collar supervisors (mostly Filipino), technicians (Egyptian and educated African) and finally the professional class on contract from first world countries.

Saudis, where you rarely found them, were mostly in government or other official capacities handling things like paperwork, inspections or enforcement.

If they chose not to work, there were options such as student, housekeeper or professional religious adviser where they could live off the government and still afford a houseboy and/or maid, albeit from one of the lower-rung localities as noted.

IOW, sort of a liberal paradise without the promiscuous sex and drugs.