Job Discussion Forums

[Manadeel]

Does anybody have any ideas about how I would go about getting a police background check done in Saudi? Something along the lines of the CRB check in the UK. My next employer requires one. I contacted the consulate in Jeddah, but they didn't reply to my email.

[scot47]

Never heard of anyone doing this. Check with the FCO in London - if necessary through the office of your MP.

[Stephen Jones]

Which police are doing the police check in which country, and who is asking for it?

[Manadeel]

Sorry, forgot to mention, I'm off on exit only!


In order to work in some English educational establishments an enhanced CRB check is required. This involves a check to ensure you have no criminal background that may put your charges at risk. It is generally done in order to protect children and any vulnerable young adults you may come into contact with through your job. It is easily attainable via you employer. A simple form needs filling in.

If you have lived abroad, they will ask you for a similar check from any country where you were resident.

I need one because I have lived in Saudi. Problem is how to get one. I don't think they have any equivalent agency. So, I was thinking about popping along to the local police station..... which was about the time of my first post.

[007]

[Stephen Jones]

You're going to have fun. As far as the British CBR goes only an affiliated organization can request it.

There is no Saudi equivalent though, so if they don't accept the fact that you have all four limbs intact as proof of non-criminal activity, you need to persuade somebody to write something on a piece of official looking paper and hope that will satisfy your employer in England.

[scot47]

Looks to me like just one more reason for NOT returning to Her Britannic Majesty's Realm !

[Queen of Sheba]

If more employers did back ground checks, less nuts would come to KSA. I know one fool who straps a gun around town with him, threatens to hit people and drives around drunk as a lark. Time will catch up with him, but it has occurred to me that bank ground checks would catch these types of mistakes before they are bought off and sent to work in Saudi.

[Stephen Jones]

The Saudi government does do background checks for the US and Canada, though not for the UK, probably because you can't get them.

The guy you mentioned is probably ex-armed forces. Probably left with a squeaky clean military record.

As for drunken driving, or carrying concealed weapons, that tends to be an offence committed by Saudis in the Kingdom.

[Cleopatra]

[Queen of Sheba]

This is very observant of you Cleo, I am genuinely impressed with your wiles and guiles. Military types should not be working as ESL teachers in KSA, their opinions are normally ultra republican and conservative, they don�t recognize Palestine, and they think Bush is a demi-God. That�s the American ones anyway, the others I have found to be equally obnoxious and violent, in their own ways.

[Stephen Jones]

You seem to be forgetting how many of the ESL gigs here are military contracts.

[Cleopatra]

[Van Norden]

We military hacks might be employed as 'teachers' but, in reality, our job involves anything but teaching. The teaching side is just for show. Given what our work entails, an ex-military "type" might be better suited than, say, your garden-variety tefl nerd.

And let's not be so quick with the generalisations. Take James Blunt, for example. Sure, he's guilty of crimes against pop music, but should someone like him be barred from coming to KSA to teach English just because of his past military service?

Queenie and Cleo seem to be (once again) expressing a desire to 'cleanse' Arabia of anyone with views contrary to their own.

[Cleopatra]