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Here is yet another Saudi expat's perspective....although may not be directly applicable to ESL industry, the information still offers insight into the general pros and cons of obtaining a suitable visa...perhaps there's nothing new that hasn't already been said; however it does support the need for caution/ awareness???

http://workinginsaudiarabia.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

Types of Visas , every work visa is associated with a profession. For example, a sponsor would like to hire an engineer but probably does not have enough engineer visas with him. The normal procedure for the sponsor would have been to apply to the Saudi Government's labor ministry and get the required number of visas corresponding to the professionals he wishes to hire. However, getting a new visa these days is almost next to impossible due to pressure of Saudization from the government.

The result is quite predictable! The sponsor will try to bring you into the kingdom with whatever visa available with him. Of course, it is not necessary that you have to work in the same profession as what is mentioned in your visa. But please be cautioned that you will be severely affected when it comes to benefits, such as bringing your family into the kingdom. This has already been covered in earlier but it is worth mentioning here once more because it is quite a herculean task to have your profession changed. Some sponsors bring candidates on visit visas with a verbal promise that it will soon be converted into a work visa after arrival into the kingdom. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Only a written instruction from the governor's office will change a person's visit visa to a work visa. Rest assured that this is almost next to impossible, :-O Working in Saudi Arabia is a rewarding experience provided you take adequate precautions and be extremely careful, particularly about the type of visa and the profession mentioned in your visa before you set foot into the kingdom.

Due to the strict visa control by the Saudi government, it may not always be possible to get a work visa. An indirect way, though, would be to get a business visa. However, your sponsor must convince the government that this visa is for a specific project and your stay would be only for a short duration (typically 2 months or so). The problem with this kind of visa is that it is suitable only for short-term working, for example, a turnaround or shutdown job in an industry. You will not be able to bring your family with this visa as you would have come to carry out a specific business in the kingdom for a short duration only.

Some people try to come on a visit visa, but if you are caught working for a sponsor and you have come on a visit visa, then you are asking for trouble, because this is illegal. Also, unlike the UAE, it is a herculean task to get a visit visa converted into a work visa.

In short, if you want to work in Saudi Arabia and you are looking for long-term employment, make sure that you have a valid work visa and the correct profession mentioned in your visa. This would save you from a lot of hassle later.

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[Cleopatra]