Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject:

Dear nomad soul,

WHy "perhaps?" You did see this in bold at the bottom, right?

Business visas do not grant to the applicant the right to work or to reside in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Regards,
John

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

I used 'perhaps' because the enjaz application instructions for the temporary work visa state, "Complete the online request for an Employment visa." Go figure.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

"Work Temporary Visa
Recently, Saudi Arabia introduced a new type of visa � the temporary
visit work visa. The purpose of this visa is to allow the employee of a
foreign entity, which has no presence in Saudi Arabia, to perform
temporary work for its clients in Saudi Arabia."

This visa would be appropriate if you were a specialist working for a non-Saudi company who had to come in to fix the Widgetometer that a Saudi Company bought. It is NOT appropriate if you are coiming in to teach English !

Quite clear ! Rules are rules - even in the KSA !

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Thanks for the info, Scot47. I believe the only time that type of visa was mentioned in this forum was by a poster who was interested in working for Berlitz for a short-term teaching gig. Considering it was Berlitz, no surprise there.

Anacita · Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 25 Location: west coast, U.S.A.

Having completed the arduous process of applying for an employment visa, I will be flying to Riyadh later this month to teach at a university. So, I am not really all that concerned about a work-visit visa, a temporary work visa, or a business visa. Although, I am struck by how many job offers I received by companies whose standard operating procedure was to sponsor business visas or what they called work-visit visas.

And I know many teachers (most of who I met in Riyadh in August when I was there to "work" for a company who hired for KSU) who are in Riyadh now on work-visit visas and many of them do not encounter problems. For myself, I wanted to have an emloyment visa, and work for a company which pretty much insists on employment visas, because it gives me more rights, the convenience of opening a bank account, and the security of knowing that I could leave if I had to fly out in an urgent situation.

But the poster, geceler, says s/he is getting what *sounds like* what in common parlance is referred to as a work-visit visa, and I know from meeting AETG's employees, visiting their compound, and being offered a (fairly high salary) position by AETG that they tend to prefer work-visit visas at this time. Therefore, since geceler is probably getting a work-visit visa (even if technically it's really a visit visa or a temporary work visa), we should try to not scare geceler. Isn't there anything reassuring one can say about the work-visit visa?

Kornan DeKobb · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 242

Anacita · Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 25 Location: west coast, U.S.A.

But once the work-visit visa is renewed internally, you can't leave the country and come back...this is what caused so many teachers problems last year when they tried to re-enter the country after going to conferences abroad or to attend family weddings back home or what-have-you.

rdobbs98 · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 236

Anacita that isn't a legal work visa/iqama because with a valid work visa/iqama you can get an exit visa should your employer apply and allow you. But with a visit visa or business visa, once you leave you can't come back unless you reapply and are approved for another visit/business visa.

You have to understand this or these scam companies who fool people keep getting away with this fraud.

Anacita · Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 25 Location: west coast, U.S.A.

Okay, then, if I want to leave Saudi, I will apply to leave via my employer. Anyway, I know what I am getting is an employment visa because the application is now at the Saudi Embassy and I had to complete several items to send in with the application. It was a lot of work...medical, police, academic etc.

rdobbs98 · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 236

I don't know if you get it but look up AETG, they are horrible in how they treat their employees and lie about pretty much everything to get bodies into the country.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Anacita · Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 25 Location: west coast, U.S.A.

There are plenty of posts about the companies. Some posts are written by teachers who are telling the truth about the unethical and illicit and illegal activities that many of these companies engage in. I personally witnessed, while there in Riyadh at a dumpy accommodation that one of the companies keeps its women teachers in, an argument between the CEO, a manager, and a woman teacher/employee whose passport had been lost by the company. And that's just one of the many illicit things I observed. I was especially mortified by the racist, classist, sexist mentality of the employer in that situation.

And, speaking of AETG, one of the teachers who was recently hired by them has just been told by PNU that she can't teach after all because she does not have the requisite experience. Why didn't AETG make sure she had the requisite experience during the interview? The depth of unprofessionalism of these hiring companies is truly breathtaking.

On the other hand, there are plenty of ESL teachers who are teaching in the foundation programs/PYP in Riyadh and who are having a fine time and enjoying their jobs. I personally know many teachers who are quite happy and who really enjoy teaching ESL in Riyadh at universities. Some of these teachers do not like their employers but love their jobs. Others like their employers and their jobs. Some of them are making careers out of it, and they adore their students, and they are earning a higher salary for doing an easier job than ever would be the case in their home countries.

So, it is possible to teach in Saudi and to have a good experience --- and to do it all legally. It's also possible to have a mostly good experience but have a problem or two. And it's possible to do all that on a work-visit visa, whether it's completely legal or not. As for the business visa, I did not meet any teachers who had a business visa. All of the teachers I know had (or still have) either work-visit visas or employment visas.

Anacita · Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 25 Location: west coast, U.S.A.

Just to clarify, the wrgument I witnessed between the CEO, a manager, and a teacher/employee was not an AETG event. It was another of the companies that nomad soul mentined in his post to which I replied.

However, with respect to unprofessional conduct on the part of AETG, I've just been informed by a teacher/employee of AETG who was brought to Riyadh to teach at PNU that she has now been told by PNU that she does not have the requisite teaching experience to actually do the job. So, basically it is a situation where AETG interviewed her, asked how much teaching experience she had, offered her a job, sponsored a visa for her, flew her to Riyadh, placed her in a villa in a compound, and took her to PNU where she was re-interviewed and told she lacks the requisite experience.
So, for anyone who has recently been hired by AETG to teach in the PYP at PNU, do yourself a favor and make sure that you have the requisite teaching experience before flying to Riyadh.

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

It is obvious to me...not sure why it is so hard for people to get this...obtaining a proper work visa is the best and really the safest method of working in KSA...it's not an easy or simple process...but at least you stand a better chance of getting what you signed on for. Coming over on a visit/ business visa you can easily get screwed over...seems these days most of these less than stellar cowboy outfits are bringing people in the easy way...if it's too good to be true, it usually is...