Job Discussion Forums

[nomad soul]

On a related note:

Asians, Africans outperform Saudis in Arabic language
Arab News | 22 February 2016
Source: http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/884321

JEDDAH: African and Asian students of King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, have sprung a surprise by scoring better marks than Saudis in the Arabic language, for which they were honored by the university last week. “The students — six of them — achieved scores of 4.25 and 4.5 while the Saudi students got 3.75 and 4, following which the Saudis could not be included in the honoring ceremony,” said Khalid Al-Hafi, the head of the Arabic language and literature department at the university, was quoted as saying by local media on Sunday. However, female Saudi students performed well in the subject, with 25 of them achieving higher scores, that is 4.25 and above.

“Saudi male students feel that the labor market does not demand graduates specializing in Arabic language and they focus on special courses. But if they have no choice, they take up Arabic language and wait for a chance to change the specialty,” said Al-Hafi. On the role of the university to encourage Saudis to study the Arabic language specialty, he said the department established a center that offers services, free of charge, to enrich the Arabic language and knowledge of the students, linguistically and cognitively. “The services are offered to the students in the other departments also and are aimed at training the students on language skills, reading, writing and research,” he said.

(End of article)

[izmigari]

Yeah, but how are Africans and Asians at drinking tea, playing with mobiles, fingering prayer beads and looking disdainfully at hard-working African and Asian staff?

THIS is the skill set that most Saudis bring to the "work" space!

Speaking Arabic well? Puh-leze! Priorities, priorities!

[Hatcher]

One guy I know who has been there a long time told me he never thought he would see Saudis bagging groceries at TESCO or women working there. Well.....

Some friends and I are planning a big party - the day they stop exporting oil.

Saudis say they will move to solar energy or maybe pilgrimage tourism... good luck... back to the cav....

[scot47]

The shift to Saudi check-out operators in the supermarkets happened when I was there. It took a while - but they got there.

[nomad soul]

Not surprising...

Many Saudi students settle down in US; reasons differ
Saudi Gazette | March 3, 2016
Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/many-saudi-students-settle-down-in-us-reasons-differ/

JEDDAH — Many Saudis who pursue higher studies in the US on the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Foreign Scholarship Program prefer to stay back in the country after completing their education either because they have married Americans or because of better job opportunities. The foreign scholarship program was introduced by the Saudi government, spending billions of riyals, to train highly qualified Saudi professionals to meet the needs of both the public and private sectors. But many of the scholarship students wanted to stay abroad for different reasons, said Al-Watan Arabic daily in a report.

According to statista.com, Saudi Arabia is the fourth among countries that have sent the largest number of students to the US for higher studies. China holds the first position, accounting for 31 percent of international students in the US, followed by India with 12 percent, South Korea with 8 percent and KSA with 6 percent.

The American Immigration Law Foundation said the number of Saudis in the US reached more than 88,000 in 2013, taking the fifth position among immigrants from the Middle Eastern countries. About 94 percent of Arabs in the US are concentrated in California, Michigan, New York, Illinois and Washington states while the remaining 6 percent are distributed in other states, the foundation said. According to a researcher, the social status of immigrants is the main reason that prevents them from returning to their home countries. About 85 percent of migrants have married foreign women, who persuade their husbands to stay in the US.

A Saudi businessman said he migrated to the US 40 years ago after marrying an American woman who gave birth to his two children. “We don’t have any plan to return to the Kingdom soon.” Another businessman, who is also married to an American woman, said he settled in America 27 years ago after going there to study engineering. “I had no plan to migrate to the US but my daughter refused to stay in the Kingdom because of cultural differences.” He added: “I know many Saudis who have decided to stay back in the US for similar reasons. Even if an American woman agrees to live in the Kingdom she would soon encounter a cultural shock that would make her feel unstable.” He said Saudi men were making big sacrifices for the sake of their American wives and children by staying in the US. “Our stay in the US does not mean we don’t love our nation. But when we compare the economic situation and job market conditions, we find the US more attractive.”

(End of article)

[scot47]

Many who would like to do this come back to KSA through family pressure. I knew many staff at the airline who had been in the States for technical training. Some wanted to stay but came back because the family expected it of them.

Many Saudis are deeply enamoured of the good life in the USA. Fewer are attracted by the UK.

[gregory999]

[bigdurianthesecond]

[bigdurianthesecond]

[In the heat of the moment]

[hash]

[scot47]

Over the years I came across quite a few Saudi students in classes of mine who had been born in the USA, and were as a result US citizens. KSA does not recognise dual nationality of course but there must be quite a few out there still holding US citizenship and passports.

[izmigari]

[scot47]

The last message is too cryptic for me.

[hash]