Working as an expat for a Company in Saudi Arabia
87Working in Saudi Arabia
There are many opportunities to be working as an expat for a company in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East, but working in Saudi Arabia as an expatriate is very different from any experience I have ever had anywhere else in the world. Finding employment in Saudi Arabia was relatively straight forward as quite frankly not a lot of people really want to go there!
I am originally from the UK, in my early 40s with a fairly broad background having worked in a number of different industries in management positions as well as some consulting and advisory work. I am reasonably well educated with a Masters Degree and heaps of training courses attended and so on. I have had the opportunity as a consultant in the UK to visit many hundreds of companies and during my previous positions I have worked for both US and German based companies and had the opportunity to work in these countries for several weeks at a time during my career.
Saudi workers are “different”, that is about as polite as I will be about them, the Saudi society is not set up to create hard working well educated individuals. Whilst there are some real gems out there the majority are not what you would want within a company in the west!
I first came to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to work in a consultancy, I was actually interviewed for a different job which I was originally going to be employed for but the Arabic boss of the guy that interviewed me “stole” me! I came on a business visa, allowing me to work with the business for 3 months, during which time they were to sort me out with a work visa for Saudi Arabia.
I arrived in the kingdom early evening, was taken to my Saudi compound and was drunk before bedtime! A great introduction to the kingdom and compound life. The following day I was driven from the compound and introduced to everyone and given plenty of helpful advice about what to do and what not to do (Including staying clear of the illegal home made alcohol)!
Work was not exactly pressured, and I had the opportunity to visit a number of different companies in the kingdom doing both consultancy and various training courses. This allowed me to see how people worked and behaved in a number of different companies first hand as well as the stories that I was told by others.
Essential Guides to Working in Saudi Arabia
 | Amazon Price: $1.28 List Price: $19.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $28.50 |
 | Amazon Price: $5.55 List Price: $9.95 |
Working in Saudi Arabia as an Executioner
Working in Saudi Arabia
Why do Companies Employ Expats in Saudi Arabia
Most companies in Saudi Arabia employ a large number of expats who do the work, but the government is trying to reduce the number of expats by making many jobs Saudi only due to high Saudi unemployment, forcing the companies to employ Saudis. Companies that do not employ enough Saudis being “blacklisted” when it comes to getting more visas for additional staff.
Now there is a reason that most companies want to employ expats, whatever country they come from. That reason is that they want someone who is both able and willing to do the job, the majority of Saudis failing on both counts! I have said in another of my pages (expatriates in Saudi Arabia) that most Saudis behave like teenagers, one minute they are helpful and friendly the next minute their mood changes and they are difficult and lazy! Trying to get a Saudi to do some work is like asking your teenager to clean their room, some will get on and do it, others will try to find any excuse possible not to. You have to keep on them constantly and it still may never be done!
The company that I work for currently is not a pure Saudi company, it pays above the average and is very selective as to who it employs, most of the people are hard working individuals who are very good at their job, however there are still a number of individuals who will turn up hours late in the morning, disappear for a long lunch break, then go home early (if they came back from lunch). The work ethic is also sadly lacking.
My current company in my opinion is one of the better ones, a good friend of mine here has a group of Saudi managers at his company that turn up at 10 or 11 in the morning, switch on their play stations in their offices, play till lunch time then go home!
Most do not want to work, and there is little a company can do about it! It is almost impossible for a company here to sack a Saudi worker, the rights all belong to the Saudi! Some actually employ Saudis that never attend just to make up their required numbers, these Saudis being paid to do absolutely nothing, purely an overhead for the company to maintain!
Where in Saudi Arabia will you work?
Working for a Saudi Company
The Phrase Insha'Allah in the workplace
You can almost always tell when something
is not going to be done, when the Saudi promises you when they will do it they
will say “Insha’Allah” which means “God willing”(Pronounced in-shar-laa or
not-a-chance-mate). This seems to be the get out clause to most people here! When you are working for a company in Saudi Arabia you will hear this phrase often and will as a westerner become quickly sick of it due to the hypocritical way that it is used!
Another of my friends in a senior position started to make a little note against every action to which a member of staff said “Insha’Allah” to, he then charted every action that was not completed or was completed VERY late. He did this for 3 months before presenting back his findings.
100% of items that the people had said “Insha’Allah” for either did not happen or happened so late that they may just have well not been done at all, whereas all other actions generally got done, some failures but not too many – he then banned anyone from using it!
He barely hung onto his job and was moved sideways within the company for doing this!
In general thing are done at a very much slower pace than your would expect or hope, this is frustrating and annoying at best, if you cannot control your frustrations and your temper do not come to Saudi Arabia!
Can Women Work in Saudi Arabia
Women working for a company in Saudi Arabia
While I was in Riyadh for my first 9 months here in the kingdom I saw zero women in any business that I went into except the nurses in some hospitals that I visited. I saw no women in retail or food outlets; I saw no women working at all for 9 months! None, zero, not one!
The company that I work for is the first that I have seen in the Kingdom that has women working for it, but it not a pure Saudi company and is run from Dubai. The Saudi Arabian women in general are better motivated than the men and often better qualified! There are others that employ women but I have not been into them!
Women here are not allowed to work in the same general area as the men, they are separated, have their own office space, their own area to relax and so on.
The company is inspected on a regular basis to ensure that this separation is in place as well as how they are dressed and treated in the workplace.
The law here is that women are not allowed to be alone in private with a man who is not her husband or a direct blood relative (brother, son, father). Many argue that the workplace is not in private as most areas are open with other people about, but there is still huge amounts of trouble regarding this!
They claim relatively high levels of employment for Saudi women but quite frankly I do not see it!
Working in the Saudi Oil Industry
Getting Paid when working in Saudi Arabia
I have no problem with this aspect of my employment with my current employer, however for some it is a major issue. The bigger better organized companies pay by direct bank transfer which means zero problems. Some however pay by cheque which can cause some severe problems and delays.
There is a real trust issue with Saudi management, and often things like cheques are only signed by the guy at the very head of the company and maybe one or two others. So if these are on vacation or out of the country on business there is no one to sign the cheques, this has happened to me twice in my previous company delaying payments by a week or more.
Some others report to me about delays that take months and having had to threaten to quit, leave work unfinished and make other threats before they are paid. Thankfully this is not a massive problem with westerners but it does happen!
If you are not a westerner and you have come here from the Philippines or India or some other “poor” country then beware, especially if you are working “house”! Many families will give you a contract with one wage and conditions and then pay you less and give no time off! Sometimes wages are not paid for months at a time. This is a VERY common practice and is why so many maids and drivers run away from their employers here, along with the bad treatment!
I have some friends (Filipino) that work for a group of hospitals here, they have not been paid for six months, they survive by doing part time work and borrowing from friends. They cannot officially work for anyone else as they can only legally work for their sponsor and they cannot leave as they need to get a visa through their sponsor! This case does not affect a few workers, I am talking about hundreds of workers for this one company all in the same situation! This is now being tackled by the embassies and the labor office due to the scale of the problem, but there are many smaller problems that go unseen for many months before the staff just leave helpless and work illegally to support themselves and their families.
Working as a Domestic in Saudi Arabia
Treatment of Expat Workers in Saudi Arabia
I know of few westerners with real
complaints about treatment, but again if you are further down the ladder in the
working world you can have real problems. Treatment of expat workers in Saudi Arabia is a real issue for those from less wealthy nations!
I have often witnessed Indians, Filipinos, Indonesians being shouted at and even struck by their employers over minor problems!
I have also heard from many women (Filipino and Indonesian) about sexual assaults and rape at the hands of male members of the families that they have worked for, they have had to endure this treatment as they are literally locked up and have no contact with the outside world. Many of the other female workers feel very pressured into a “relationship” with male household members, they do not call it rape but in my mind it is. The men are using their position of authority to pressure these girls into doing what they want as they fear losing their jobs and income etc.
Many of these women try to run away the first chance they get when they are on the outside and join the many illegal workers or camps of people waiting to be deported!
In one area of Jeddah there are thousands of workers living rough waiting to be deported by the authorities, the embassies arranging flights as often as they can to send them back home.
These people really have few rights, most cases will never come to light as the workers are too scarred to report them or if they do they are dismissed by the police as the Saudis can do no wrong!
Termination of Employment in Saudi Arabia
I have mentioned earlier in this article about the process of making more jobs Saudi only to improve the rate of unemployment within the country and also the fact that it is almost impossible to get rid of a Saudi worker no matter how poor they may be at their job!
I have now fallen foul of these rules and found my employment terminated! The company refused to give me the notice period stated within my employment contract and the related pay, and took no notice of my lawyer letters who pointed out my true entitlements through Saudi Labor Laws.
Worse than this, the first lawyer that I attended turned out to be on retainer to the company that I worked for and gave all paperwork and other information that I shared with him direct to my employer!
My employers attitude was very much along the following lines; "take us to court if you like, your case will not be heard for several months, during this time we will not pay you, you cannot work for anyone else, you cannot leave, we will not give you a car, we will not pay your housing! If you accept our offer we will give you a reference and let you transfer your employment."
In the few months prior to this the CEO had me redesign the whole company structure and was telling me how my role was to be expanded, after my letter he just refused to see me! They also waited just 1 day after I completed a major piece of work that no one else could have done before giving me my notice.
The guy in the Saudi Labor office confirmed it could take a year for my case to be heard, and the company would not have to pay me during this period and that I would not be allowed to work for anyone else! It also transpired that the guys in labor office were also regular dinner guests for one of our senior directors!
My lawyers response to all this was to sue as I would win, but I would have to pay him the equivalent of 2 months salary in advance, and still have no income for the next year!
Needless to say I had zero choice but to give in and accept what I could get from the company or face losing a year of my life! During this time I was intimidated and threatened by various people in the company, never have I ever been treated so badly!
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (9)
- Funny (2)
- Awesome (4)
- Beautiful (3)
- Interesting (1)
CommentsLoading...
Thank you for your comments, yes salary can be very good but conditions working here in saudi can be very poor, especially if you take a job from your country.
I can imagine the huge difference in the work environment compare to the work environment in the United States.
This is a great experience and you most likely learned a lot from it.
I absolutly agree with you as I am living in riyadh saudi arabia since last 7 yrs and I have found not even a single saudi who works efficiently or if I become more reliaistic I would say they just don't work and I thinks that is why saudia has that large number of expats living and working on key posts. In last 7 yrs the total number of women I met is Two my wife and my Aunt.
As I am working with a UK based company my employers are paying me well thats the only reason for me to stay here.
Any ways I like the way U have expressed your feelings and they way you have described the situation good work.
Asherxlee; I have always loved experiencing other cultures and so on, but here can be really extreme! As Nniir (thanks for your comments also) says the Saudis do not on the whole work, most attend at some point in the working day but the majority are very work shy!
I can see this hub being very useful to someone considering this sort of employment, though you would have talked me right out of it!
Thanks for your comments Pcunix, I think better to tell the truth rather than gloss the place up. Working for a company in Saudi Arabia is very different from working with any other nationality. They are the most difficult people that I have ever had to work with and that is without getting into any religous type differences.
Coming here to work would be a real shock to the system for many people, some go straight back home after a couple of months if they can, but others seem to like it and stay here for decades.
WOW very different indeed, you have got to be home sick. I learned much about the Saudi work force and procedures.
Thanks for the comment Katie, surprisingly I am not at all homesick, I love to travel around as much as I can and experience new things.. Working for a company in Saudi Arabia is an experience I assure you!!
You talk about the fortunate 5% of the expats in Saudi. Most of them live in compounds, protected & pampered by their sponsors.
The other 95% work long hours, are under paid - if paid at all - and live in miserable conditions. They are routinely abused, tortured, raped, nailed and forced to jump out of 7th floor window (reported in Saudi Gazette yesterday)if unable to please their masters.
All these reports appearing regularly in newspapers every week - in Saudi & other Gulf countries - are enough to tell the world that all isn't well inside the Kingdom.
Syed, thank you for taking the time to read. I agree that I am one of the fortunate ones here, If I were an Indian or a Filipino I would hate it here I am sure! I do mention in some of my other articles the sorts of abuse that the less fortunate workers here have to endure.
There have been many cases reported lately as you say of abuse, this is a step forward as I have heard of many past cases that were never reported or prosecuted. I hope that the country can continue to move forward as it is doing now. It makes things sound worse I know but it is a step in the right direction, if the sponsors / employers know that they can now be reported and prosecuted maybe they will start to think twice before they abuse their workers.
The majority of Saudis are peace loving friendly individuals, but like any society they are let down by a few cruel individuals.
Nice Blog Freind Hit F u
Thank you for stopping by Jogjakarta.
How does one become a Saudi? Sounds like my kind of job. No work, lots of pay, can't get fired. They are not as dumb as I thought! lol. Not exactly the image I had of the average Muslem.
It was not the image I had either Wrath until I got here, there are some very nice hard working Saudis, but far to many of the ones that you mention in your kind comment.
The thing that stuck me is your mention about the word "Insha Allah" and i feel that ppl dont use it in the correct context anymore..
No Fuzzy, they certainly don't! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Even after hearing all this many people still ready to come Saudi Arabia, Because only 2 percent problems are there but writers write as 98 percent problem, mostly non Muslims they don't like because their is no freedom for drinking and prostitution
Hi Mohammed, as a non-Muslim living in Saudi Arabia I neither drink excessively nor do I have any problems with regarding prostitutes, your generalization is what you are complaining about with regards to reporting the problems in Saudi! I would just like to say that I see more drinking, drugs and prostitution than I have ever seen in the west! I was totally shocked by what I have seen here. So instead of complaining about what is written, which is true, speak up about those people in your society that do such things and shame them from doing it, turning a blind eye to it is as good as saying that it is ok! People are too fond of abusing the messenger than dealing with the message!
hi - i am a single male westener who has een offered to go to saudi to work for a fmcg company. can you tell me if i would enjoy compound life, what it is exactly and do you think it is worth it . im 27 and will be based in dammam. is there alcohol, girls and a social life - how do they treat you in the business world and what is the general life like
Hi Nik, have a read of all of my Saudi Hubs for a little more information. Dammam is probably the most relaxed place to be, however the alcohol etc are still not legal. That does not mean that you can't get them, easily and regularly.
As to compound life, it can be a little like being on a holiday camp for too long! It does become a little same ole same ole after a few months..
Working for a company in Saudi Arabia can be a little frustrating at times, but the benefits in the end are worth it in my mind.
Hi LeanMan:
I do agree with you to some extent but you have summed it all up by saying that "the benefits in the end are worth it in my mind"...
You have provided a completely accurate, realistic picture of the expat experience here. It's about time. This should be "required reading" especially for foreign nationals from India, Philippines, etc. who are often mistreated and not paid properly.
Very interesting about the Insha'Allah experiment. Great job!
buddy most of what you said is true,and im living in Korea and most of us show the the negative sides as we are expats, Saudis are not lazy but westerns do.they have money SO SO SO i guess they take it friendly in job and work for them as a game^_^,but if you ask most Saudis for a help they would do it for free,most westerns are not helpful and would do every thing in the name of money, i,m sorry but you have wrote much negatively about Saudis as your fingers are the same,and don,t think the hackers are originally Saudis,and they work to get money as you want to get money as you said, and you ended by saying it worthy. finally corruption is every where but relatively is high in the peninsula.i love the way you express ur feeling.and i apologize for my wriing cuz im not native as you know ,cheers
Ive never been to saudia but I can imagine the amounts of rapes that take place. Because havin been to dubai I was raped my police. Yes ppl are friendly but as a female if you ever ask for directions or talk to a man you would be considered as a prostitute and they will automatically rape you and there is nothing you can do. Also from there you will be labelled as a prostitute.
Hey,
single person moving to Jeddah to teach at private school...
Do you know where in Jeddah I can find a new or used golf cart with a shade (or even better, air con ha ha)?
Join one of the golf clubs there I am sure you will find what you are looking for. Hope you enjoy working in Jeddah KSA and the experience of working for a Saudi company.
Hi i am intending on applying for job in KSA. I am British national accountant, the company is offering free housing etc(ex-pat package) and 18k KSA each month? is that a good salary/package, i am a bit concerned on salary part. Can some one help?
Hi,
My ex boyfriend is moving to Dammen and he is going on business visa and will be living in a villa. Hes father has his own business there, i dont know the detail of it, but He just graduated in IT from USA. Can you please give me little bit detail on how are the salaries there compare to USA. Will he make more money there?? Are there any restrictions for coming back for ppl who are on business visa?? When does the business visa usually expired??
Hi Desi_gal, thanks for your comments and questions about working for a company in Saudi Arabia. The salaries are generally much higher and are tax free (although there are some restrictions regarding length of time overseas during the tax year which he should find out about.)
As to returning on a business visa he should have no problems as long as he does not overstay.
this is so true...and im a filipino...very good hub...
DISHONEST,IRRESPONSIBLE,INSENSITIVE SAUDI COMPANY-MMG
Unfair, unethical, unprofessional and nonchalant practice of offering jobs, by M/S Mohammad Al Mojil group,(MMG) Saudi Arabia, to job seekers, constraining them to incur expenses, keeping them on hold indefinitely and finally leaving them in the lurch unmindful of the hardships the recruited persons have been put into, depriving them of the job they were already having and throwing them on the street and ruining their family.
Head Office
Mohammad Al Mojil Group Building
King Fahed Road, Ibn Khaldoun
P.O. Box 11, Dammam 31411
Saudi Arabia Telephone +966-3-842-1111, +966-3-844-9111 Fax +966-3-842-5079, +966-3-842-5612 E-Mail info@almojilgroup.com & alberto.delacruz@almojilgroup.com & omar.aldukhayil@almojilgroup.com Website www.almojilgroup.com
alberto.delacruz@almojilgroup.com
I applied and was interviewed by the Executives of MMG, Saudi Arabia. I was declared successful and selected. I was issued Job Offer by MMG.( copy enclosed) on submission of my Passport and I was asked to bring medical fit certificate and asked me to bear the medical check up fee of Rs.2850 which I paid and I was found fit and the medical certificate was also submitted to them. I was asked to get ready to travel in 3 weeks. The whole thing happened in May-2011. In June the company sent VISA AND MY PASSPORT WAS VISA STAMPED AND ONLY TICKET WAS TO BE BOOKED.
THEREAFTER My INNUMERABLE MAILS TO Mr.ALBERTO DE LACRUZ , HR MANAGER OF MMG SA DID NOT ELICIT ANY REPLY FROM HIM. My case was put on hold for three months and finally I was told in August that my visa has been canceled by MMG. I am shattered and thrown on the street. My family life is destroyed by the irresponsible and indifferent attitude of MMG.
I had been without job and income(UNEMPLOYED) for 6 YEARS. And I manager to get a job in India only last year . I am 55 yrs old. The job I was doing was earning me Rs.55000/- per month. I have taken education loan of 11 lakhs for my sons’ education. Their studies are midway. It will take another three to five yrs for them to complete studies and start earning.
I have been thrown on the street jobless for no fault of mine. I am 55 yrs old and how is it possible for me to find a job at this age in India. With great difficult, I managed to get a job in India in April 2010. Even though initially the salary was less now it has been gradually enhanced to Rs.55000/-. Because of the irresponsible way of recruitment procedure by MMG, I am again thrown on the street.
Regards
D.A.Nadar
Mumbai
India
+91 22 25952449
+919967456641
devsagayam@rediffmail.com
devasigamaninadar@yahoo.com
Hi Leanman,
Your hub has been very helpful in understanding the Saudi life. What are your views about Aramco? I am confused
as I have read different things about it on the expat forums. Does everything that you have said also apply to Aramco? Any response would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Desi_guy (any relation to desi_gal above?), I have never worked for them but they are known to be one of the more progressive companies in Saudi Arabia. Aramco has its own compounds and so on and most of the people that I have met that worked for them seem quite happy with their treatment.
But I guess it is like any other very large company with some really good divisions and management and some that require improvement!
Hi my name is arif,i am 26 years old and currently work in delhi,i have completed my mba from australia,i am planning to move saudi arabia on an employment visa.my cousin stays there and is working as an engineer.one of his friend would sponsor my visa and i had to pay around 150000 INR,,can u please advise me if i go there would i get easily job over there.is it worth going there.please advise
Hi Arif, the rules for working in Saudi Arabia are very clear, as an expat you can only legally work for the person or company that sponsors your Visa.
Many people do go there on "paid visas" to find work illegally and many do find it, however in my experience this is normally the lower end of the work scale!
If you really want to go; apply for jobs there online, if you get accepted they will pay your visa expenses and everything else.
leanMan thank you very much your advice..Cheers
I've been working here in Saudi Arabia for three years now. Your observation of work conditions here is really true. There are advantages and disadvantages, and you clearly identifies it. knowing all these will allow you let play the game for your advantage.
Hi LeanMan....i'm a fresh graduate living in saudi...n currently applying fr a job here (bad idea i kno ;p) ....cud i have ur email address so u can help answer a few questions fr me...thanks :)
harry_joseph159@hotmail.com
Hi Harry, glad to know that you will be working in Saudi Arabia, make sure that you follow all of the rules in KSA!
If you need to contact me you can use the link below the profile picture top right and if you need more information you can also use the links in the section below which will lead you to more information about Saudi Arabia.
Lean Man, I am desperate for answers. My husband applied and was offered a job with Al Ghad college in Riyadh. He completed all his medical work, verification letters etc. We are Americans and he is a paramedic that is supposed to teach at the college. Supposedly, the Al ghad college has partnered with a company to process the paperwork and has told us that they are waiting on the "cultural mission." We dont know what that means and we have sold everything to prepare for this move and we have been waiting for six months with little communication. Is it normal to wait this long?
Hi Elam, the time from my first job in Saudi being offered to setting foot in Saudi was just two weeks! The second job only took 3 weeks to process all paperwork.
I have never heard of a "cultural mission!"
I suggest that you contact the college directly and ask them as they really are the only ones who can help you.
Hello Everyone
i'm a lebanese-canadian.
i suggest for all who want to come to Saudi Arabia.
to know first that they are coming here to make a living, not for alcohol or women,you should respect the culture and stop behaving with a westerner attitude, most of the people coming from the west are well respected and well paid in KSA, we all know how bad the situation is in europe and America...
if you come to KSA, look at the bright side,...good pay,safe country, no tax,enjoy the desert, learn some arabic, experience a very different culture....and if you move your brain..you can simply make a fortune...regards.
Georges, thank you for your helpful suggestions for working as an expat in Saudi Arabia.
Dear LeanMan
I can see your experience in Saudi but in my view you as Saudi I agree in some part but don't agree totally. There are many Saudi experts and professionals are working in either gov or any company so that you can't tell All Saudi are not willing to work, the other part you did not mention the welcoming of Saudi people for foreigners and that could reduce your stress being stranger there. For me I have dealt with many western people and studding there, can't hid good working system, MORE pressure and less pay. Some of the Western people are very racist and too greedy and some of them try to get as much as they could money from me in different ways including my home-stay mother. So dear every society has it's own way of living, I can't say all Western people are NOT good because of some of them did bad to me. What I'm trying to say please DO NOT judge on all the society based on you individual experiences.
Thank you for your comments Saeed, I agree with much of what you say, many Saudis are very welcoming and very friendly. I have really enjoyed my time in Saudi Arabia and would be happy to keep working there.
Hi Kabayan/Expats Friends it is good if you want to work in Saudi Arabia but let me explain of my experience while I was there.
I been worked in Mohammed Al Zoaibi Corporation Dammam Saudi Arabia “MAZCO” 10 years but I have bitter experience because everyone is boss in Mazco Dammam office specially a Sudani and a Kerala guy which ware working as clerk and accountant some time Mazco is not paying 3 months of their employee’s salaries but the office staff are enjoying.
Mazco have managers without power. Mazco walampera.
You will suffer in Mazco if you want to go on your schedule vacation especially for ticket, pending Salaries, and other benefits.
So, dear friends if you want to work in petrochemical try to direct hire not through sub contractor but if you will not find chance for direct hire then go to Dar Al Riyad, Sraco, Eram engineering, Jal International and so on, but beware of Mazco he is a commission agent like a pimp some time they ate your all money.
Best of luck
Hi June, thank you for relaying your experiences. of working as an expat in Saudi Arabia. Sorry that you had such a poor time.
Yes it is true.
Mohammed Al Zoabi Corporation Dammam (MAZCO) is Blood sucker Company
Please re-check if you are applying for a job you can find several good companies in Saudi Arabia but don’t go to this company because this is a blood sucker company.
Hi Sudhir, you have obviously had a bad experience working for a Saudi company, maybe you would like to tell us all about it.
Dear LeanMan
I have been offered a job in an advertising agency in jeddah at a director level position. I am from india. Could you shed some light on how jeddah is in terms of work, social life, alcohol, dating, lifestyle, work etc...
How tolerant and urban or cosmopolitan is jeddah.
Info from you will be a big help
Hi Centaur, there are a number of links in the section below which will take you to more of my articles on Saudi Arabia which will answer most of your questions. Alcohol and "dating" are all illegal so be very careful if you do either of them in Saudi Arabia. Working as an Expat for a Saudi Company can be very rewarding financially but socially it can be a little bit of a downer unless you are very good at making new friends.
Jeddah is about the most tolerant of the cities in Saudi Arabia but the matawa are currently having a bit of a crack down in and around Jeddah so it is difficult to do anything that you are not supposed to do except at home or on a compound.
Hi Leanman
Thx for doing such good work and sharing your experiences/opinions. It really helps make the right decisions.
Well I am from india and have been offered USD 8000 or SR 30,000 per month in JEDDAH. Is this good enough for a director level position in an ad agency?
How much can I expect would be the rent for a fully furnished 1bhk and 2bhk respectively.
Are individual houses for rent better or expat compounds? Are they easily available?
How is transportation in jeddah? Avg taxi fares? Is the bus services good?
Apart from social norms are there any work related cautions?
I am used to an upper middle class lifestyle in india. Could I maintain a comfortable life with SR 30,000 and save around 3lakh INR per month?
Pl do let me know
Hi Amit, I am glad that you are considering working as an expat for a saudi company, I am sure you will enjoy your time there..
The Salary is OK, you could probably find higher if you searched and waited but if I were you I would take it and get yourself established in Saudi.
The houses on compound are better and your employer will probably source you one as you are director level, these are generally fully furnished and will have all the facilities that the compound offers. Saudia City the compound for the airline is very reasonable but not quite as up market as some of the others. Most contracts also include your accommodation on top of your salary so check your entitlement. On compound you can expect to pay between 50k and 100k per year, off compound you can pay 20k to 40k but you would have to furnish yourself.
Transportation is terrible, read my hubs on driving (links in the section below), it would be cheaper to rent or buy a car if your employer does not provide - taxis are not that expensive but two trips can easily be more than the daily hire of a small car.
You will easily save the majority of your salary, I generally survived on around 4k per month and saved the rest of my salary.
Good luck.
Dear Leanman,
Good morning,
This is sincerely appreciate your efforts in providing useful information to all seeking employment in KSA.
I am presently residing in Mumbai-India and work as a Flight Dispatcher, for a scheduled airlines in India. Recently I have been offered a job in Emir Airlines (a start-up scheduled chartered airlines intending to serve Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage, having aggressive growth plans), based at Jeddah- as a Flight Operations Officer. I am supposed to join the company latest by 25th Feb' 2012.
I would request some information from you and would be very grateful if you can help me with some kind inputs on the below mentioned.
1. Can I get any information on the background check of the mentioned company?
2. What kind of visa should I expect to be provided for the mentioned job profile?
3. What precautions and checklists should I go through- before I actually travel to KSA?
4. What are the assistance that I can get from the Indian Consulate General- should I have a problem in KSA- whether related to my employers or any Saudi authorities?
5. What would you suggest as a fellow expat to other- helpful information ( related to work, civil lifestyle etc.) that would be handy during my stay in the Kingdom.
6. Any other relevant information.
I would be greatly benefit and sincerely appreciate your timely reply to help me out.
Sincere regards,
sierradelta1
Hi Sierradelta, thank you for reading, I am sure that you will enjoy working for a company in Saudi Arabia. I know nothing about the company but if they are breaking into such a large industry there should be a number of news stories and the like that you will be able to find online if you search..
As to the other information there are a series of links in the section below that can lead you to my other articles about Saudi, read those first , if you still have unanswered questions drop me another message.
Hi,
I am an engineer from India and got an offer from Saudi organisation in Al khobar, sponsors are from Saudi as organisation is a MNC based in USA & DUBAI. Would like to ask what is the best place to stay as an Indian at budget of 24 k SAR/ year. (Al khobar city) Hows the city ? I am already prejudice minded about the behavior towards an Indian but fortunately, there are already majority of Indians in the organisation so will not face the problem during the work at least. Main aim to go to Saudi to earn money as well as build a career.
Hi Leanman !
Many thanks for your reply to my question somewhere in your blog. I don't remember it where. My offer letter is as below.
1) 10 K/ month which includes 2k for housing allowances
2) They will pay for housing till I get Iqama and it will be on my account after that.
3) First time air travel (to and fro) to my account. (As they say it is a company policy for first time and after completing 1 year, they will pay for one round trip for me.
4) No family status till I became manager (S Grade) as currently I will be (M) grade). Once I get that promotion, I will be able to get family status and other benefits.)
5) Bonus, leaves will be applicable after 1 year of continuous work.
6) Probation of 3 months.
7) Medical benefits will be covered by the company and accidental insurance will come under group insurance scheme.
Company is saying that company is a start up company and expecting growth as it is related to OILFIELDS and once that happen everything will be review further. Unfortunately no period for that.
Please advice me on above points. Its a MNC but registered under local Saudi Sponsors which will be sponsors for me too.
Thanks
Hi Dude, the best thing you can do is find yourself a copy of "Saudi Labor Law", you can download on the internet easy enough and compare your terms against the requirements in the law!
I think you will find that you are entitled to leave in your first year and that the company should be responsible for your recruitment costs and bringing you to the country.
Hi Angleman, I replied you on the other post you left, however you can get a fair apartment off compound in Al Khobar which is a reasonably open city. Good luck with working for a company there, I hope that you are sensible and save as much as you can while you are there.
Hi!
Thanks for d wishes. I am sensible enough to save money as fast as possible. Only worry is to get rid of d sponsors whenever I want. At that point of time there shud b any problem like company cnflicts, threatening etc. Does that happen regularly or in rare cases ?
Hi Angleman, it very much depends on the company that you end up working for in Saudi Arabia. I know people that have had a very smooth time with their employers in Saudi and others that have nothing but problems! I think it also depends on your attitude towards your employers also.
Thanks Leanman !
I hope I will have a smooth time with my employer in KSA. Let's see !
Hi Leanman. Thanks for providing such thoughtful responses. I am a forty two year old male from the US. I have a diverse work and education background. I have a law degree. Taught english in japan for 2 years. Owned a residential construction company in the US for 7 years. I am curious what your thoughts are on applying for work in Saudi Arabia for a guy like me. What positions or companies do you think are a good match? I enjoyed teaching- but oil company jobs sound interesting. In advance of your response, I appreciate your time and answer. Thanks
Hi william, there are many construction projects going on across the country so these are probably your best chance of employment if you owned your own company for 7 years. So if you want to work for a construction company in Saudi Arabia the best thing to do is get yourself on the internet and start looking, it is certainly an experience not to be missed.
Thanks LeanMan. I appreciate your thoughtful response. I think I am interested in teaching english- unless you think construction is a better route? I reviewed your background. You are an accomplished professional. I was wondering if you have any career advice. I am looking for a fresh start.
Teaching can be a fulfilling career, although you will need the right qualifications for you to be taken seriously (and hired) as an English teacher, these can be discovered fairly easily with a quick search on the web and there are certainly plenty of jobs in Saudi Arabia to teach language skills.
Hi, saudi arabia is good country for earn money, but here in almoji group m.m.g, in HR department manish amin is not good, he is not solving the problems of people, if u want tell him any problem then he will give u more problems, please terminate that kind of HR, if any mmg maanager is reading this message, he is now in western area of saudi arabia in rabigh area. He is thinking MMG companie is own by his step father, all emploees have problems by manish pushparaja amin, his mmg id number is 22344, if any mmg manager is reading this message please TERMINATE manish and send any pholippino HR there, thanks
I take a oaths I will never come back to this hell!
HI Mohammed, I take it that you did not enjoy working for a Saudi company..
Dear job seekers,
i am an ex employee of Mazco and still some of my friend are working in this company and they are suffering alot due to miss-management lack of co-ordination and specially for salaries, as you know the Mazco employees till now didn't got their salary for the month of February.
And the situation is going to worst day by day, so it is advised to search other than Mazco, because i am a victim of Mazco, i can’t explain now days how people are suffering in Mazco.
Best of luck
Hi Unni, Sorry to hear that you and others are having a hard time working for a company in Saudi Arabia. I hope that things get better for you, have you been to your embassy for advice? You should be protected under Saudi Labor Law so you can jointly make a case against your employer.
I can see that you just focus on the disadvantages of having a job in Saudi Arabia. You also include a rare accident that happened like worker treatment.
Hi Sameer, if you would care to give me more advantages to working in Saudi Arabia other than money and the potential to take a job with a better title than you may back home please feel free to do so.
Hi LeanMan,
thanks very much for providing useful information. I am thinking to apply for assistant professor job at university/college. I am qualified for that and right now working in Germany. Do you know whether highly qualified peoples also face trouble regarding salary and bad behavior issues?
Hi Mali, good luck on finding the position with a company in Saudi Arabia that you like. The higher you are on the Saudis perceived scale the better you are treated, you should have few problems within work.
Hello
I recently visited Saudi for Umrah and really like the atmoshphere.
I am now thinking of applying for jobs in Saudi. I am a qualified accountant and work in London.
What are the best agencies to look at for accountancy related jobs?
Musta, in my experience a simple search using the internet and sites such as Bayt.com will turn up many jobs.
Another Question
Would I have to take an apartmnent in a compound or will I be able to find a independent 2 bed apartment in Jeddah? What are the rough prices for both?
What additional bills are payable and roughly how much if possible? (Gas, electric, water, telephone lines, internet, car hire)
Thanks
Hi Musta, you can find apartments off compound very easily (follow the links in the section below as there is an article about finding accommodation in Saudi Arabia.) You can from as little as 8k SAR upwards per year depending on what you are looking for and how nice an area you want to live in. For 20-30K you can have a very nice apartment in a good area.
The only other bills I ever had to pay were electricity (about 200SAR per month) and give the guard of the building 100 for organizing the water and another 100 for washing my car every day. Telephone I only used mobile and that can be as cheap as few riyals to very expensive depending on your usage and internet I also used the mobile network and that can be just 200 riyals per month.
Thanks! sorry which link should i check below?
I could not find the link for accommodation
Sorry Musta, the links I was referring to seem to have vanished! I must have accidentally deleted them at some point, however the link that may help is http://leanman.hubpages.com/hub/Expat-Housing-in-S
im still working here in Saudi for a decade, every two years vacation to mumbai, yes is true that there's advantages/dis-advantages once you are working or living here. but don't overlook that most of the problem we've encountered specially in our jobs is from our colleagues and countrymen itself. the bad attitude of people mostly from KERALA... yes its difficult to work with them because of thier conspirator nature.
HI Aslam, glad that you have managed to work here for so long, I hope that it has been profitable for you and your family. I hope that you don't have as many problems in the future.
Hi Leanman.hope u f9.i jst need ur help..actually im new over here in saudia..i hv done master in communication studies and worked with TV chanals,telecom.sector . so i need a job bt i dnt knw how can i get a gud job over here in saudia( alkhober)plz guide me..i ll b thankful to u....
Hi Salman, use the internet; there are many sites such as bayt.com that list hundreds of jobs available within Saudi Arabia. Good luck with your search.
Sorry to hear about your stories. Im an overseas worker planning to apply for work in Saudi Arabia but not on a long term basis. Saudi Arabia is a good place to earn and save money but not over time. As you hear they are implementing saudization now. I hope you will find a better working environment in the near future. Goodluck sir.
im planning to work in saudi maaden aluminium company in ras al khair, please give me an idea if this company is good as employer and how about the place condition. thanks
Good luck to you too,I hope that you enjoy working in Saudi Arabia.
Hi Devendra, If you want to know about a specific company I would suggest that you join a site such as Linkedin.com and find other employees for the company and contact them directly for their views. There are many social networks on the internet that you could use even facebook.
Working in Saudi Arabia Links
Here are some useful links that may come in handy if you are working for a company in Saudi Arabia or looking to visit Saudi Arabia for work or any other reason;
Saudi Arabian Airlines Saudi Airlines or Saudia is the national airline within KSA and most of your internal flights and even incoming or departing flights are likely to be with this airline. If you would like to read a review of Saudi Airlines then follow the link.
Saudi Arabia Embassy in the UK, lots of links and details to help you with getting your Visa for Saudi Arabia, use this website to find all of the entry and documentary requirements for your visas.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs KSA (MOFA), links here will enable you to monitor the progress of your Saudi work visa or any other variation of Saudi Visa by using the reference number you will be given for your application..
Saudi Government Links is a Saudi Government website, it has many links to other government sites which will help you with finding other information that you may require for your visit to Saudi Arabia..
Saudi Arabian Embassy Washington is the main Saudi Embassy in the US, here you will find all the information required for your Saudi Visa.
British Embassy in Riyadh is the UK Embassy in Riyadh, very useful if you have questions about Saudi Arabia or need any help. I have found them very helpful when I have needed advice, plus they hold events for us Brits in the country at which they serve BEER!
US Embassy in Riyadh is a helpful link for those of you from the US should you be visiting the country. As with the UK embassy they have events and lots of advice for entering KSA.
Philippine Embassy in Riyadh just to help those of you coming from the philippines to work on a visa in Saudi Arabia.
Indian Embassy in Riyadh Indian Embassy in Riyadh
Embassies in Saudi Arabia has Contact Details for All the various Embassies in KSA should your individual embassy not be listed above.
Saudi Arabia Travel Advice is US Travel advice for Saudi Arabia which is equally applicable to any other nationality who may be considering gaining a visa to visit Saudi Arabia.
Arab News Arab Newspaper
Haj Travel Information Saudi Arabia Haj Information
Muslim Sacred Sites in KSA to visit when you have your Saudi Visas.
Entertainment in Saudi Arabia Things to do in Saudi Arabia
Learn to Speak Arabic Learn to speak Arabic online.
Arabic words and phrases Some Handy words and Phrases.
Muslim Date Conversion Saudi Arabian Muslim Date Conversion
The above links may come in handy if you are visiting or an Expat working and living in Saudi Arabia, I hope you enjoy working for a company in Saudi Arabia.
prasetio30 Level 8 Commenter 22 months ago
There are many people from my country who work in Saudi Arabia. Some people say they get good salary from this country. Thank you very much. Vote this up!
Prasetio