Job Discussion Forums

[Chiselpoint]

Well, I'm starting to lose hope that my employer is going to transfer my business visa into a proper iqama. "Just come on the business visa," they said. "We'll take care of it soon enough," they said. To be fair, I guess I was foolish for taking the bait.

Anyway I don't want to stay here long-term on a business visa. I have a week off in early January, and I was thinking I might just not come back. But will that shoot me in the foot to come back to Saudi with a legitatmate iqama? Will I be blacklisted? Worse?

[scot47]

It should not, but modal verbs sometimes don't work in KSA.

[nomad soul]

[sicklyman]

I would say that it all depends on the wasta of your employer... which is arguably probably not great if they can't get you an iqama.

But you won't be worse off than being blacklisted and even that will probably just be confined to your present company and any they are connected with.

[yep]

This is the best part of the business visa, you can leave whenever you like.

If you were on an Iqama and had decided you had had enough, it would be a lot more difficult to leave.

[plumpy nut]

The only blacklist in Saudi Arabia is if you file a claim with Labor and lose your case. I don't even think most companies would care about a lost claim in the past since claims are futile in Saudi Arabia anyway. The only other thing to consider is the affects of your "midnight run" on your CV.

[pastramionrye]

Yeah but if you tried to apply again for a proper work visa and they saw a business visa in there, knowing you're an english teacher, presumably that could cause a problem.

[nomad soul]

[hash]

Unless there are other reasons for doing a "runner" which you're not telling us about , I think it is the height of folly to go through with your plans on the basis that you simply don't want to remain long-term on a business visa.

It also depends on what you mean by "long-term". Have you got more than 6 months or so on your contract? More than a year? My point here is anything under a year is doable....."anyone can put up with anything for a year" (my long time KSA motto).

Especially if the money is good AND you're worried about how a runner might affect your future employability in KSA, why take the risk? No one knows in what data base your name is enshrined in KSA. I have a feeling names appear not just on "visa" data bases in KSA. There may be all kinds of "cross references" going on or potentially going on that we don't know about.

If you plan never to come back, that's one thing. But if you don't quite want to burn your bridges behind you, stick it out. (I've been threatening to leave for decades now, yet here I am).

PS There's almost certainly a "passport number" data base separate from any "visa" database in existence. So unless you're willing to dump your current pp and get a new one, you might have trouble getting back on a new KSA job, unless you're wiling to fib your potential future KSA employer....in which case you risk all kinds of things. There might also be a "personal name" data base around or a "driver's license" database and so on.

My point is, don't just assume that your name is only on a "visa database".

[yep]

[nomad soul]

[Wicked_Witch]

I`'ve just jumped from a vocational college to an academy on a business visa. College HR caught up with me and said they`'ve canceled my visa and I am now working and living in the kingdom illegally. Can they do this? Is there any way to verify?

[cnthaiksarok]

Just leave (if you want to).

If you're harboring any concerns about saudi-astic returns (which I don't think you should).....leave your passport in the washing machine (after you exit) and get yourself a brand spanking new one (with a new P.P. #)

[nomad soul]

[scot47]

Wicked Witch is certainly illegal. I am surprised that she can even ask. She came - unlawfully - on a business visa to teach in one institution, and then moved - again illegally - to work in a different institution.

It would be a smart move to leave, if she can.