Job Discussion Forums

sicklyman · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 930

nor has anyone said they release them. From my experience, assuming that they do until told otherwise is the wisest course of action.

ICEAT (and other contractors like mine) will tell you anything you want to hear before you get to the Kingdom. You have no way of proving it's true, even if you read it here because contracted staff can and do get treated differently in any case. My contractor (Al Hoty) released my passport to me only when the British embassy got involved. My Filipino colleagues were not able to resort to the same tactic.

Granted, this was three years ago, but I'd be surprised if my contractor, which is reputed to be one of the fairest, had changed its policy to automatically release passports to all if its staff once the iqamas are issued, particularly during the 90-day probation period.

Arenta · Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 125

In my experience there is a strong tendency for employers to want to keep hold of passports even after the Iqama has been issued. I was warned about this by people I worked with and advised to ask for my passport back as it was illegal for the employer to keep hold of it. I did this and didn't face any resistance but was asked why I was asking for it back. The fact that I was asked for a reason seemed odd in itself. I just answered that it was the property of my country's government and I would be held responsible if it went missing.

If you are on an Iqama you need permission to leave the country so it makes no sense why the employer wants to keep it. But they do. On a business visit visa you don't need this permission. I agree that it's safer to assume the employer will want to keep your passport until you find out otherwise.

sicklyman · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 930

just confirmed from a Filipino friend that last year Al Hoty emailed all those whose passports they still held and asked them to sign a waiver if they wanted to collect their passport and keep it themselves. He has his passport.

I wonder how many other firms have done this... and no one connected with ICEAT can confirm whether or not passports are retained?

Arenta · Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 125

Odd since you can't leave the country without permission !

sicklyman · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 930

well you can get a multi-entry and leave any day you want while that's valid. That's the risk contracting companies are trying to minimise.

niti team leader · Joined: 10 Oct 2017 Posts: 24

We have so many ex ksu teachers at niti - it is worrying.

More coming daily with many more leaving ...

Makkah · Joined: 08 Oct 2014 Posts: 113

Why is is it worrying that ex KSU staff are coming to NITI?
Nobody will care or even worry when you leave ...or even when I leave. Life will just carry on and you will be replaced, I will be replaced and everybody will forget who you were or I was and what you or I did. Really simple.

Makkah · Joined: 08 Oct 2014 Posts: 113

I have never had to surrender my passport. Equally, many of my colleagues have never had too either. Though, going back about 3 years there was one contractor requesting a financial guarantee for a mutiple exit visa.

LyricalGyal · Joined: 31 Aug 2015 Posts: 2

Same! I don't know when these other people worked for ICEAT, but they NEVER even took it for the iqama. They just made a color copy and gave it back to us. The same applied for me and other teachers at my university who worked for them.

As others stated, it's actually illegal for employers to hold your passport.

And once you apply for the multi-exit/entry visa you can leave the country whenever you want. I never had to tell them when I was leaving or returning. They also didn't care, as long as I was at work when I was supposed to be.

I worked for ICEAT up until September 2016.

aseanteacher · Joined: 06 Mar 2016 Posts: 4

I am being offered a position there and it worries me that the salaries have come down. I am getting mixed reviews on this company. Sigh.

Living conditions at KSU?

hash · Joined: 17 Dec 2014 Posts: 456 Location: Wadi Jinn

depechemodefan1966 · Joined: 31 Jan 2015 Posts: 71

Just before Christmas I saw an advert for a teacher at the King Saud University, through ICEAT. I sent my CV and got a response outlining the terms and conditions - 10,000 SAR a month, free housing and transportation. I was asked to send my credentials and a scan of my passport, which I did.

I was then told I would have an interview on the 28th December between 4 and 6 pm, Saudi time and could I connect ICEAT to my Skype contacts. Again, I did this. A guy from ICEAT phoned me this afternoon to remind me of the interview.

Anyway I had the 'interview' from the offices at ICEAT with two people from KSU, a British lady and her Arabian colleague. They asked me a few questions and that was it. The whole thing took 17 minutes.

A few minutes later the guy from ICEAT Skyped me to say that I had been accepted and he would send me the contract either later today (Thursday, 28th) or early tomorrow, so I will keep you posted on that, Guys.

To be honest, I am a bit sceptical given the short time that everything took. One 17 minute interview and after 2 minutes I am accepted??? It seems to me, all I had to was show up on Skype and BAM! I've got a great job.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world