Job Discussion Forums

musaafir3 · Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 2

I was told by a friend, a TESL teacher in KSA, that her school was not given any visas to hire Americans for the upcoming school year. When she asked for some explanation, she was told that it was coming from the "US side". In other words, the US is denying them. ????? Any ideas about this?

Ajarn Miguk · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 227 Location: TDY As Assigned

How would the US "deny" visas to US citizens for employment in KSA? Visas are issued by the host nation. Visa issuance is not normally controlled by the nation of the passport holder. Are you saying the US is now telling KSA it can no longer issue visas to US citizens? The Saudis are going along with this? It all sounds far fetched. My guess is there is another reason for the situation you described.

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:56 am Post subject: Saudiization, maybe?

Dear musaafir3,
Land o' goshen - here I am actually agreeing with Ajarn Miguk ( nice new avatar, by the way, Ajarn - and, if it's not getting too personal, were you in the Corps? If so, when - grunts, air wing? ) and it's kind of about - gasp - politics. You ( and your friend ) are getting the wrong info - the USA can't " deny " visas to Saudi Arabia. But maybe the school there is " Saudiizing/Arabizing its staff. That course of action does seem to be on the increase lately.
Regards,
John

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Yep, like they said.

OTOH, the message may have gotten lost in translation. As I understand it, the SAUDI govenment issues the unendorsed visas to the employer who can only use them in certain countries.

Perhaps the school got a load of Europe-only (or whatever) visas, and so cannot hire an American with them.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

When a Saudi company or school gets a block of visa authorisations from Riyadh, these often stipulate the nationality of the employees.

Uncle Sam has nothing to do with it.