Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. Mead]

Could someone please clarify a few items on travel and holidays for a Saudi newbie? I've found bits and pieces to my questions throughout other threads but need a few more details to make sure I've got it right. My apologies if these have already been addressed recently.

1) What is needed in order to leave the kingdom on holiday (summer, Eid, or otherwise)? From my understanding, even with the iqqama, we still need permission or some formal statement from our employer to show upon exiting. Is this always the case?

2) Are instructors allowed to leave the kingdom only during official holidays, or is it possible to take weekend trips to neighboring countries? And how about both Eids?

3) If after completing a one-year university contract I decide not to sign on for another year, is it possible that my employer would withhold the 60 days' summer holiday pay? While it is written into the contract, if Saudi employers are anything like Korean ones, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where such benefits are instantly made null and void when the employee makes clear his intention to leave. Has anyone had an experience of this sort in the KSA, or am I being overly cautious?

Any insight into these is greatly appreciated!

[Stephen Jones]

To leave on holiday you'll need an exit-reentry visa, single or multiple.

If you have a one year contract then you will receive the appropriate holiday pay on termination if it is written in your contract.

[eclectic]

Mr Mead has asked precisely the question I wouldve asked next (when typing I despise the use of the apostrophe, btw).

If I and my wife (when typing I love to type "I" first at times, as it sounds fresh, though impolite, at worst, though I wonder about its grammatical kerekniss) get the 1 year visa (she will just get a spouse visa), can we take short weekend or week-long trips to say Egypt or Addis Ababa or Damascus?

[veiledsentiments]

[Kipling]

Mr Electric
On these boards, under use of the apostrophe, always spells catastrophe.
(well not literally of course)
and like poor Miss Sarah Bing who was thrown by a bull because she could not read; You will be.............
Confirmed in your instinctive guess,
That Literature breeds distress.

personally hyphens and ie configurations always get me going.
ps,not very fond of semi-colons either
However, EXCLAMATION MARKS ALWAYS MAKE ME SIT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pikgitina]

...bulldozed?

Kipling, very amusing post as usual.

[Mr. Mead]

Stephen Jones, thanks for the reply. Do you know off hand how much the multiple reentry visa costs? I recall reading in some thread that employers leave this additional cost with the employee.

[scot47]

200 SR Single
500SR Multiple

That is for each visa so if you have a large family it can be quite expensive.

[rigel]

The big question is "will I have to leave a deposit with my employer when I go on one of these excursions, just in case I leave and forget to come back?"

[eclectic]

**BIG THUMBS DOWN TO VEILED SENTIMENTS FOR HAVING NO SENSE OF HUMOR** (must mean "Jailed Sentiments"!!)

BIG THUMBS UP FOR KIPLING, AS HE/SHE QUICKLY GOT THE FEELING OF THE THING AND WENT WITH IT MAGNIFICENTLY.