Job Discussion Forums

[curiousW]

I'd like to hear from those of you who have been or are in the process of being hired for the KSA about your experiences of the hiring process. I'm now in the process of waiting for approval from higher-ups, government, and who knows? What should I expect? How long (oh lord)? At what point do you let it go?

[Nomad Dan]

So many factors need to be known as to what the job is and how urgently they are needing warm bodies to fill positions. They ought to tell you that you have a job first of all....and then I would expect to be told a time frame. The only delays I have had are with visas. I actually went to Saudi on one type of visa and then flew back to the US for another some months later. People need to let you know what is going on. If they are not....and it sounds like they aren't. I wouldn't think they would be good employers to work for. IF there is one thing about the KSA I know, the EMPLOYER MATTERS. You want a good reputable employer.
Nomad Dan

[curiousW]

Nomad Dan,

When you emphasize that the employer matters in KSA, what do you mean? Why especially in KSA?

Thanks

[Mark100]

CW

The employer is so important in KSA because there are so many bad ones.

[Nomad Dan]

Saudi Arabia can be a very challenging environment. Some employers treat their employees better than others. The small things add up, having single accomodation, a multiple exit re-entry visa (if you work in the Eastern Province). Most employers will not give you these things. They have your passport too...It isn't fun to surrender your passport to evil doers. Bad employers tend to make a challenging desert life more unpleasant. Working for a bad employer in Saudi is just misery.
Hope this enlightens.
nomad dan

[Cleopatra]

As Nomad Dan said, the speed of the hiring process depends largely on how urgently you are needed. All the papers can be signed and the visa arranged very quickly if the need arises.
In normal circumstances, however, getting everything in order for KSA can be a tedious process. In my case, they first send me confirmation of a job offer, and then the whole visa process - medical tests, verified degrees certs etc - had to be started. In my case, I wasn't going through an agency so I had to do it by myself. From start to finish, the whole shebang took about two months, and, as I'm an Irish citizen and there is no Saudi embassy in Ireland, I had to send my passport off to London and hang around waiting for them to send it back.
Rest assured - you will get there. The various big wigs will eventually get round to signing your pieces of paper. Just be patient and go with the flow - good practice for Saudi life in general!

[Mark100]

Indeed the waiting is great practice for Saudi.