Job Discussion Forums

1chunk · Joined: 05 Aug 2014 Posts: 123

You will have to make monthly trips to outside of KSA and make a swift return. After 3 months, they will send you to a nearby country and keep you there a few days until another 3 month visa is issued.

It can all go fairly smoothly or very pear shaped. At the very least you will be traveling in your free time (the weekend). You may even have to spend your own money for all the headache.

If they issued a business visa to you without making it clear then it's a clear warning sign. A friend of mine was given one but it was all made clear from the beginning.

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

He's ignoring the fact that you want and don't have an employment visa. The recruiter has nothing to do with the type of visa you get, it's not his call. It's the call of the Saudi company that hires you. The recruiter just recruits for the Saudi company and collects a fee for it.

Working on a business visa is not all bad. You can just walk of the job in Saudi Arabia upon finding something better. The only problem is they might not give you health insurance that is worth anything, as they usually do with people that have Iqamas. Now that they want you and are providing a ticket for you, the only danger that I see is the Saudi traffic. I would just make whatever money you can and fill your savings coffer. You have the visa you may as well.

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

Well, after a fair amount of consideration of working in Saudi on a Business Visa... I've been offered a position at the last place I worked. While it is 40% lower, it allows me more flexibility with what I can teach,and how I can teach.The visa to be issued should (likely will be) be the proper one.

I'll contact the Saudi recruiter and tell them to cancel my visa.In the future,I may apply for a job in Saudi,but will hopefully only accept a job with the proper visa; of which I will specify at the get go.

Considering the lack of information I could find regarding the details,many of which one never thinks of until a later date - there were far too many risk factors. I'm guessing if I was mid-20s,or financially comfortable,the general risks might be palatable.

BTW: Somewhat related to undue risk taking: I was amused to find over the years ESL jobs in places at war and/or had significant terrorism threats.Surprising to me,and the few non-ESL people I showed these adverts to, the lack of mentioning ANY security being provided;just business as usual, with the demands/requirements of the job.They, like me,were aghast.

Thanks and best of luck, and Seasons Greetings,
Bernard/William

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

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

I suspect that their being aghast at the lack of security was more related to the Middle East in general (and their lack of knowledge).

The security mentioned by NS is related to actual war zones like Afghanistan and Iraq. In KSA for the average education employer there isn't any. Some have a "guard" at a compound who is occasionally awake. The rest of the Gulf basically few of us ever even think about it as there is really no need...

VS