Job Discussion Forums

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

Has anyone who�s lived in Saudi had to pass a Medical once in Saudi, I mean, a mandatory medical by Saudi physicians? Any narcotics tests?

I�d appreciate any info. thanks.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

There's a mandatory medical for the residence permit.

The Royal Commission tests for cannabis, and it stays in the bloodstream for a long time. I don't know about the residence test, but don't do what a colleague did and swalllow a large lump of hash to soothe pre-flight nerves.

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

So even after you passed a medical to get a visa, you have to pass another medical in the country???

If anyone else who has been teaching in Saudi reads this, please let me know: Have you been tested for cannabis once in Saudi? Because I had a hell of a lot of fun during the holidays and I don�t feel like risking getting caught red handed.

Pls advise.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There is a medical after arrival for the Iqama. Some employers may ask for other tests.

So it depends on your employer. I suspect that if you are into using substances (!!!) you will not wish to reveal who the employer is.

KSA is not Height-Ashbury.

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

...and what happened to your colleague?

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

Thanks Scot, I�m not into substances but I�ll still have to consider that there may be traces once I arrive in Saudi. The chances seem minimal but what could be the consequences of testing positive?

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject: Bye, Bye Miss KSA Pie

Dear bourgoinpierre,
Most probably, an "Exit Only" visa - though if the employer wants/needs you enough AND has enough Wasta, well, ma fi mushkila (no problem.)

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

I�m thinking I can risk it if an easy deportation would be the only consequence. What makes me uneasy is my imagination going wild thinking of what they could potentially do to me. I can�t seem to find anything about this on the net.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject: Send lawyers, guns and money

Dear bourgoinpierre,
Well, in this, as in so many other cases, what "the law" says and what you may find on the Net are "subject to change without notice" anyway in the Kingdom.
We'll wait and see what some of the other "old-timers", such as scot47, have to say, but I don't think you need to worry about being tossed in the hoosegow and given the bastinado.
The most likely scenario, I'd say, is that you'd be thrown out (but don't forget - that would probably also mean you'd have to pay your own fare back home.)
Regards,
John

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

I�ll bide my time for the moment and continue with my visa application, which should take a few more weeks. Most probably I�ll go given the small chances of them finding anything (unless they use hair testing) and the amount of time I�ve already invested in this job. Insha�Allah there�ll be no problem.

Thanks a lot.

Arab Strap · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 246 Location: under your bed

Stephen, if we're talking about the RC/JIC here, didn't the chap still keep his job only to do a runner to Bahrain later?

I do know that one of the teachers at JIC used his colleague's urine so that he would pass the 'hash' test.

Funnily enough the urine he used, if tested for alcohol would have been 100% proof (I think we both know whose that was!)

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Well, Mark was always taking the piss out of somebody else, so it seems only fair that somebody took the piss out of him.

There were two cases that tested positive. The first was a gentleman we all called Mr. Angry, who was the one who swallowed a lump of it to avoid nervousness on the plane. It was a full two and a half months before we found out what happened, as they simply didn't process the visa. When we did find out Duleim phoned personnel and told them he didn't give a rat's 'arse what the test said or what the guy did on holiday so would they please process the iqama, but by the time it had got sorted out Mr. Angry had got so pissed off that he gave his notice in anyway.

The other case is the one you were thinking of. The guy was furious, insisting it was a false positive and how his mother was a nurse and knew all about how common they were. Anyway by this time the procedure of a second test was in place so he took the second test, came out clean (as you would after a couple of months) and got the iqama.

The RC has always done a medical on arrival. What is fairly new is that they are now doing it for the iqama for everybody. Officially you have to do it every time you renew your iqama as well, though it seems this is not being uniformly applied.

bourgoinpierre · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

So Stephen, in the two cases you know about, all the RC did was postpone/refuse to process the Iqama. The guys didn�t end up eating dirt in the bottom of a prison cell for a few months? I mean, what happened in the meantime?

guty · Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 365 Location: on holiday

How long has this been in place?
I got my iqama without a medical in KSA in 2004/5. Is it a real medical?
Do they take blood, or do they just take the piss?

Arab Strap · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 246 Location: under your bed

They took all my body fluids, and that of my wife and kids.

You try getting a one year old to supply on demand and when they took his blood you could hear the screams in Riyadh.

Don't know who was more stressed him or the three nurses it took to hold him down.

They also took chest x-rays of both me and the Mrs.

I don't think they'll go to the extent of taking hair samples and doesn't the wacky backy stay in your system for only a couple of weeks?