Job Discussion Forums

KiteBiker · Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:34 pm Post subject: Passports and Al-Jusr.

VS: it was seen as extravagant by CfBT. Though we showed up several days early for processing and orientation, pay as per the contract would not start until the first day on site. I asked about this during our first and got a proper answer: pay is to commence the first day we step off the plane. That got him in trouble with CfBT hiearchy. The good thing was that CfBT paid based upon his response, not their concern. Another good thing was that they left our passport alone. Even so, the College insisted I hand mine over. I resisted [but in a friendly way]. They relented. However, from other nationalities, they were less understanding.

Al-Jusr is a decent place to work for. They had their problems too, but like everything else, it ebbs and flows with time. I don't know thei situation now. Working for MoHE directly is preferable.

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

Hi Kitebiker... wasn't it you that lost your passport? or am I confused... again...

It is also standard policy in the Gulf that you are paid from the moment you arrive in the country. (of course, getting that first check can take anywhere from 1-4 months... and even as long as 8 for one teacher I knew in Oman who ran into a management glitch) But, I have always been paid starting on my arrival date. Housing should also be paid from the moment of arrival and I would insist. Laughing

VS

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

I've managed to get a copy of the contract, and here are the first few lines:

CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

This agreement is made this ----- day of Ramadan ------------Hijri,
Corresponding to ---------- day of November -----------.

Between:

1. The Ministry of Higher Education at on behalf of the Government of Oman,
Represented by ----WHOSE NAME WILL GO HERE??--------referred to as "Employer".

2. Mr. --------------------------, a National of --------------------------- referred to as "Employee".

If the name of the guy who placed the ad fills in the blank, then we'll have him as a middleman/paymaster for the entire length of the contract. If it's direct hire, the only name that should fill in the blank is the name of the Minister of Higher Education herself, or perhaps her deputy or some such person. Can anybody who has signed this contract tell us whose name fills in the blank?

KiteBiker · Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject: ya, it's me ...

Yep, I lost mine to much chagrin and hilarity. I still have my passport issued to me from KSA and I expect a certain amount of grief when I use it to go to the US in a couple of weeks.

as for whose name goes on the contract, with me it was the director of CfBT when I was with them and then the Director General [one named Dr. Mohammed Al-Bandari whose origins are from Sohar] when I was a direct hire. If it has the letterhead of the Ministry, I suspect that you won't be dealing with a middleman like Al-Jusr or CfBT.

yumyumkorea · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 28 Location: Europe

Boundforsaudi - your contract looks as though you'll be hired by a third party. I have a contract sent to me by 'al-jusr'. The relevant part reads as follows -

It has been agreed on (date)

Between The Ministry of Higher Education, on behalf of the Government of Oman.

Represented by H.E. The minister of Higher Education.

(Referred to hereunder as the First party)

Thus - al-jusr is not actually mentioned within the contract itself (or its employees).[/b]

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

Hey yumyum,

Thanks for responding. It does seem that if the contract were to be between me and the Ministry the Minister's name would be hardwired into the contract, not left to be filled into a blank. In your contract was "H.E. (her eminence?), the Minister of Higher Education" a permanent part of the form, or was it filled into a blank? So you are also just about to deploy? Got an assignment yet? PM me.

bfs

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

Of the 6 colleges of education, it seems that only one has a working website in English. It's a year or two out of date, but it's still pretty good and gives an idea of what to expect.

http://www.geocities.com/sohcoll/

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

I posted this link earlier, and recommended p. 14 for its chart of the Omani educational bureaucracy:

http://www.unesco.org/iiep/eng/research/highered/polforum/Papers/Day2/AlHajri.pdf

Even though it seems a reputable source, dated 2005, the info is badly dated. Sorry. You may have been wondering where CECN's Ministry of Manpower fit in. Here's the answer:

From the Oman Observer, 7th November 2001:

Royal Decree No. 108/2001 divides the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and Vocational Training into the Ministry of Social Development, which is assigned responsibility for social affairs, and the Ministry of Manpower, which is assigned responsibility for labour and vocational training.