Job Discussion Forums

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

I have heard about the impossibility of getting back into Saudi after you have finished a contract with an employer who is reluctant about letting you go fully.

So, I am just curious if anybody has managed to obtain a job in Saudi with another company after a company sent them back home without a LONO.

I have heard that the guys who are back there without such a letter did not mention anything in their resumes about their Saudi past but what if you had been there for years and years? What are you putting on your resume to fill those gaps? And if you are "being creative", where do you get references?

I understand that people need to get new passports. Assuming you did get one, what about your Saudi DLs? Will you apply for new ones? And if you do, won't your name and picture re-surface somewhere? Will you name and picture reappear in the immigration computers? Or Saudi Embassy records? They must have a record of you somewhere.

I have heard so much about how difficult it is to go back to Saudi but I have seen many people do it. How do they wing it?

Just curious. I am quite happy with my job in Oman at the moment but simply want to know.

I guess if you are using your real name here you probably will not want to answer, but any kind of information on the topic would be interesting to get.

Van Norden · Joined: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 409

I recently had a new Saudi work visa processed without an NOC. My company, despite insisting I have one, neglected to ask me for it when it came to sending my passport to the Embassy.

I wonder if the silly concept of NOCs is kept alive unnecessarily by companies (too timid to breach even outmoded rules) or if my experience was just a fluke?

Once you're back on a new work visa I don't think you have to worry about your name appearing anywhere. You might have to match your old DL to your new work visa but I can't see how this will lead to questions about your NOC.

When did you last work in KSA?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Officially you're supposed to give up your driving licence anyway. Mine expired, and I lost a copy, and they insisted there was no way they could find a reconrd of my having taken the test, even though I had done 90 hours training at their central driving school.

The only people to worry about are your new and old employers.

Tomton · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 66

A lot of the rules governing release letters will have to go when Saudi joins the WTO. You can now get a business visa WITHOUT an invitation letter from a Saudi company.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

There's no reason for NOCs to enter into the WTO agreements.

Saudi is already a member of the ILO, which is the appropriate body for empoyer-employee relationships.

The new labour law is due to be published after Ramadan and to enter into effect in a year or two. Possibly this will make a difference, though I doubt it.

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you still had an entry-rexit visa that means you didn't fulfill your contract. In that case your employer can prevent you from working in the Kingdom for three years.

Tomton · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 66

The WTO will enter into the equation since NOCs are restrictions on free trade. The ILO is an ineffetive organisation which does absolutely nothing to avoid exploitation of workers. The WTO will make it easier for business people to visit and will lead to a cancellation or at least a review of the whole NOC issues. The existing procedures hinder free trade and since they don't exit in most world economies they will eventually disappear here. Employers should be able to choose freely who they wish to hire. Saudi can't join the WTO and at the same time keep some of its obscure and arcane practices.

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Labour questions have absolutely nothing to do with the WTO.

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

Perhaps I am just jaded, but I suspect that the WTO doesn't much care if a TEFL teacher doesn't get his release letter to go to another employer in a given country.

We are such economic small potatoes even within our home countries. Can we all write to WTO and tell them to ban the US because it wants to make us all adjuncts and thus be able to screw us with no benefits and a lousy paycheck?

VS

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

Gentlemen,

May I request that we stay with the original topic, please? The thing that I think many of us would like to know is this:

There are people who did not get the NOC. They are now back in Saudi after just a few months, whistling happily to themselves and putting money in the bank while working for another employer. They are driving company vehicles with new Saudi DLs while the old ones have not yet expired. They are walking around with a confident spring in their step.

Not only that. I have heard of people who had been fired ( for drinking and all) from Company A and did not get a LONO/NOC but went to work for Company B in Saudi only after about a year and a few months. Then, they quit Company B and went back to work for Company A. And in both cases they were driving. How in heaven's name can they do that? What is their secret?

So, again my question is:

1)How on God's green earth could they get back to Saudi without that NOC?
2) How did they get hired if there are rules that employers cannot hire them for 3 years? And in some cases Saudi embassies demand that NOC after many many more years. And the Saudi Education Mission may have seen their diplomas already. Aren't they raising the red flag when they see it again?
3) If they had lied about never having worked in Saudi, and got new passports, how did they fill the enormous gaps in their resume? Many had worked in Saudi for years, and still were back in the Kingdom with a new company laughing all the way to the bank. Who gave them references?
4) Did not their name show up in the Saudi computers somewhere?
5) How could they get a new driver license if their old employer held one in their old name with a picture, and it is registered in the Saudi "Muroor" with their picture and all.

Having seen such people come back to Saudi inspite of all the obstacles, could someone enlighten me as to what they have been doing to pull this off?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

GabeKessel · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 150

So what are they putting on their resumes to fill in gaps in employment?

And then they make false statements on their visa application. Isn't it fraught with dangerous consequences?

And I have contacted British Aerospace and they have told me that they absolutely do not hire anyone without NOCs even with new passports as they would be fined by the Saudi gov't.