Job Discussion Forums

babur · Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 10:25 am Post subject: iqamas

Keep your iqama with you all the time. Make sure it says 'instructor' or 'teacher' on it.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/474216

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

As you look at your Iqama reflect on the folly of those who said that a Business Visa is much better than a work permit !

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Do we know of any teachers who have been swept up in this?

VS

johnslat · Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 7:09 pm Post subject:

One of the comments on the article:

"There are still thousands of illegal teachers teaching English at universities across the Kingdom.. Of course because they are Western, they get exemption from inspection.

What a farce this all is! These illegal teachers have been in KSA year after year after year after year.

When will the Ministry of Labour and Higher Education put a stop to university teachers holding 90-day business visit visas?"

Regards,
John

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Those who ignored Scot47's sage advice are now rotting in "Durance Vile" ? Schadenfreude ist die beste Freude !

rollingk · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 212

Being one who has questioned the conclusive value of the iqama, I've yet seen any reason to reverse this stance. After all, teachers are not the usual service workers being hauled in. Perhaps "illegal" teachers (mind you these too are at some level approved by immigration, if not its formal policy) will be expelled, although honestly, this is very unlikely.

However, in the event business visas and visitor visas are no longer utilized, then there will of necessity be a more streamlined "legitimate" procurement procedure, which will little resemble the present inefficient mess. I suspect any teachers being "expelled" will be offered this kind of rectification.

Does anyone know of one among us being hauled in?

JustinC · Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 2:09 pm Post subject:

Possibly no one we know.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudiarabia

"An agreement signed between the Ministries of Education and Labor excludes private and international schools from inspection campaigns until next semester to give them a chance to correct their status.."

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

"They can't do that to me ! I am an American !"

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

rollingk · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 212

Well . . . seems to me those illegitimate visitor and business visas are streamlined variations of sorts. Between now and next semester I bet they will either remain or something similar will morph to replace them. I can't imagine there being the only one officially acknowledged system here.

Grendal · Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:38 am Post subject:

I want to know if any western teachers have been asked to do a medical to renew their iqama?

Is this new legislation?

how much will it cost?

Grendal

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

Expats must surrender iqama ahead of final exit
By MD Rasooldeen, Arab News | 18 January 2014
Source: http://www.arabnews.com/news/511136

RIYADH--The Immigration Department has advised its corporate clients to surrender residential certificates (iqama) belonging to expatriate workers after processing their final exit visas on its online service.

Residents and private sector firms routinely make use of the online visa services to process their workers’ re-entry and final-exit visas. An immigration official from King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh said that obtaining a final exit visa alone does not qualify an expatriate worker to leave the country for good. "Our system should show that his residency permit (iqama), which is an official government document, is returned to the regional passport department to enable authorities to send the person from the airport ,” he said.

A teacher from a prestigious school in Riyadh was turned back last week for not surrendering their iqama to the Passports Department despite having their final-exit visa issued online. The teacher had already checked into the airline’s reservation system and his baggage was also sent to the flight. “It was a bad experience. It took a lot of time to retrieve my baggage and I had to wait another week to return home,” he told Arab News.

(End of article)