Job Discussion Forums

[bj80]

Hello Everyone,

I lived and worked in Saudi about five years ago.

I actually liked it more than most. I liked the shorter work days, great tax-free pay, etc.

What is it like now?

1. I heard there are new taxes. Is that correct or not?

2. I heard that cost of living has gone up because of fewer subsidies. Correct?

3. How's the job market like?

4. I always wanted to work for Aramco, or a place like it. Are they still hiring?

Sorry to sound too simplistic. I simply am curious what thoughts are.

[siologen]

Hi,

Sorry to be so to the point, but much like that dreaded term "deployment" is used by recruiters in the gulf region, "market" (at least to me as a brit!) would be a place that sells clothes, fish, fruit, vegetables or other perishable items. If you mean the esl job situation or the chances of being employed, then I would say right now it is grim to middling...salaries are being cut across the board, and there is a lot of desperation to fill jobs which are being outsourced to recruiters. Just my fils on mind, am sure there are other experienced posters who can contribute also.

Good luck,
s

[BajaLaJaula]

Banjo,
Them days are over. Prepare to work longer hours for less pay in Saudi.
Oh and forget about living on the compound. You will most likely have to live with the general population....septic tank smell coming through the shower drain....water has run out...kids are screaming and yelling til the wee hours of the night....trash all over the place....you get the idea.
Aramco....well maybe as a subcontractor, but won't be a lot of money and forget about the perks.
Saudi is for the desperate....can't find a job in my home country.
the escapees....running away from divorce or having to start over from divorce.
the drinkers....even though it is a dry country, a lot of alkies end up working over there.
the religious....in search of enlightenment only to find out that Saudis, in many cases, do not do a very good job of representing their religion.

If you need to make 40K to 60K a year and can't find a job in your home country. If you don't mind being treated like a houseboy. If it doesn't bother you that nothing works, no one cares, inshallah tomorrow, and no pay this month then GO FOR IT!!!
Expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised when once in a while things happen according to plan.

[nomad soul]

Check out recent posts on the following:

When the "well runs dry"... What's next?
Future of TEFL in Saudi Arabia

[Barbary Falcon]

There have been several changes over the past few years. Most have been unfavourable to TEFL teachers seeking high salaries for short hours.

1. Commodisation of teachers. Universities and colleges have been driving harder deals with their sub-contractors every time there is a renewal. There doesn't seem to be any understanding on behalf of the colleges that this will affect quality.

I dont know whether the colleges dealmaking is because they are receiving less from their ministries. I suspect so, at least recently, with the pressure on budgets due to the low oil price.

The lower oil prices also explains why Aramco is paying less but doesn't explain BAE. BAE doesn't have any of the external factors at play and yet it is driving down its salaries. This is probably just corporate herding. They see others doing it for real reasons and follow their lead.

2. Narrower pre-requisite qualifications for teachers. Following ministerial pressure, most jobs in the public sector in post school education require a cognate degree that is in English or in Education or Linguistics. Few people in native speaking countries do an English degree and this leads to jobs that simply cannot be filled by native speakers. However, it opens up chances for non-natives albeit at lower salaries. Prviate Institutes seem to be exempt from this restriction but are often poor direct employers.

3. Tighter enforcement of the GCC rule to not employ any one over 60 years old. While this favours the young, it does mean that colleges are losing some of the best teachers.

4. The future of foundation years is uncertain. They are being replaced one by one in UAE with a system which has emphasis on more English in schools before 18 years old. It may well happen in KSA soon. If so then a teaching license is going to replace a CELTA as a pre-requisite for teachers.

Factor 1 almost certainly has further to go. I cant recommend KSA to anyone anymore except in niche jobs.

[Lord T]

A fellow teacher told me in April he would no longer bother to waste his summer applying for work in Saudi because he predicted they would be desperate for teachers by early October.

A glance at today's job adverts on Dave's would suggest that he was right.

I think we are at the stage where most (not all) of the jobs on offer are failing to tempt anyone other than the truly desperate.

[thefinalexit]

About your first two points:

(1) There are not any new taxes for expats unless you bring your family with you on an iqama. These expat fees (or indirect taxation) apply to all family members (100 SAR per person, per month including young kids) and are payable in advance for one year at the time of iqama renewal. These fees are set to rise to 400 SAR per family member within the next three years.

(2) Petrol price increased in December 2015. There are rumours it will go up again by 90% in November 2017. Fuel subsidies are slowly being replaced by market forces, so electricity and water prices are higher too (irrelevant if your company pay your housing/utilities).

(3) A sin tax was applied over the summer on cigarettes and soft drinks at up to 100% tax. Obviously these items are more expensive than before but still cheap compared to the west. VAT at 5% is set to start in January 2018. This might increase overall prices at the supermarket.

(4) It's still far cheaper in Saudi than China, Europe, Korea or UAE. The 500 club is probably still alive and well among the more thrifty teachers in Riyadh. Personally I survive on about 1000 SAR per month and manage to eat out a lot and eat fairly well.

Good luck if you return here. Salaries are undoubtedly down but there are still a few half decent jobs for a long term stint. Or just come over for a few months to boost your cash balance.

[siologen]

[sicklyman]

[Lord T]

[siologen]

[nomad soul]

[sicklyman]