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Yasuke
Joined: 10 Jan 2014
Posts: 178
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 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:49 am Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
I guess it is a "red flag" if you know you are looking for something long term. If you don't want a long term contract, or don't know if you want a long term contract, then a "work visit visa" could be a good option. The other advantage is you don't have to go through medical, criminal checks, attestation of degrees, etc.
I will point out that, according to the Saudi embassy (Washington DC) website, a work visit visa does not prohibit employment as the business visa does. While the 'spirit' of the work visit visa may not be intended for English teachers, there is no language prohibiting it. |
That seems fine, but won't the teachers have to go through that process at some point? The only reason I ask is there seems to be a few stories where people have taken this route ,and have had trouble getting back to the country or being reimbursed for their costs. Do you know anyone who has been through this process?
Last edited by Yasuke on Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jammex88
Joined: 09 Feb 2014
Posts: 43
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:04 am Post subject: |
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Yasuke...I believe you are in contact with the same people I am. What they said in the sykpe interview to me was something along the lines of "you can get an iqama but you will have to go back to USA during a vacation period.." something like that. An iqama has to be done from your home country as I understand it.
this is good for me because I am not sure whether I can hack it in SA...until I am there for a bit. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:38 am Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
| this is good for me because I am not sure whether I can hack it in SA...until I am there for a bit. |
What exactly are you unsure of---why you think you might not be able to hack it in the Kingdom? |
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Yasuke
Joined: 10 Jan 2014
Posts: 178
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
Yasuke...I believe you are in contact with the same people I am. What they said in the sykpe interview to me was something along the lines of "you can get an iqama but you will have to go back to USA during a vacation period.." something like that. An iqama has to be done from your home country as I understand it.
this is good for me because I am not sure whether I can hack it in SA...until I am there for a bit. |
Quite possibly. I was just trying to get a clear idea of what that work in the country, then leave to get the Irma, then return to the country is like. It is quite possible that a person will work, return home, and then find out for whatever reason they can't get a visa. It seems like a lot of moving around with no clear idea of how long the process will take, or even if the process can be completed. |
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Rostom
Joined: 16 Apr 2014
Posts: 102
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 10:13 am Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
| An iqama has to be done from your home country as I understand it. |
No, the Iqama has to be done while your are in the Magic Kingdom - assuming you have the proper work/employment visa which is valid for 90 Hijri days to enter the Kingdom.
In your home country you get the work visa stamped on your passport so that you can enter the Magic Kingdom, and finish the process of obtaining the Iqama after an entry-visa is stamped in your passport at the airport. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 10:58 am Post subject: |
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Jammex is being misinformed by those who wish to recruit him. The process of getting an Iqama starts with getting the right visa from a Saudi Embassy or Consulate. The Iqama is issued within KSA - but not to those on work visit visas or business visas.
The forest of recruitment is populated by big bad wolves. Red Riding Hood has been warned. |
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Yasuke
Joined: 10 Jan 2014
Posts: 178
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| The forest of recruitment is populated by big bad wolves. Red Riding Hood has been warned. |
It seems that is the case, is the industry not regulated? |
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jammex88
Joined: 09 Feb 2014
Posts: 43
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, what I meant to say is that you have to start the process in your home country. You can't show up in SA without having done all that paper work in your home country (attestation of degrees, medical, criminal, etc). The iqama is issued in SA, but after doing all the proper paperwork in your home country. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| jammex88 wrote: |
| this is good for me because I am not sure whether I can hack it in SA...until I am there for a bit. |
What exactly are you unsure of---why you think you might not be able to hack it in the Kingdom? |
Still waiting for a response... |
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jammex88
Joined: 09 Feb 2014
Posts: 43
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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| I just don't know what life is really like there. I know it is very different from other countries I have lived in. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
| I just don't know what life is really like there. I know it is very different from other countries I have lived in. |
What is a normal lifestyle to you? What activities do you enjoy and can't live without? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
I guess it is a "red flag" if you know you are looking for something long term. If you don't want a long term contract, or don't know if you want a long term contract, then a "work visit visa" could be a good option. The other advantage is you don't have to go through medical, criminal checks, attestation of degrees, etc.
I will point out that, according to the Saudi embassy (Washington DC) website, a work visit visa does not prohibit employment as the business visa does. While the 'spirit' of the work visit visa may not be intended for English teachers, there is no language prohibiting it. |
Yes, but just remember that your interpretation - and even that of the embassy in the US - doesn't necessarily have any relationship to the enforcement of the law once you are in the country. There is currently a major push by the Saudi government to clear out the thousands of worker on illegal visas (like this one) and mass deportations. Thus far, they haven't been hitting teachers, but that doesn't mean that they won't start tomorrow or the week after.
It all depends on how risk adverse you are...
VS |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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| jammex88 wrote: |
| I guess it is a "red flag" if you know you are looking for something long term. If you don't want a long term contract, or don't know if you want a long term contract, then a "work visit visa" could be a good option. The other advantage is you don't have to go through medical, criminal checks, attestation of degrees, etc. |
Keep in mind some contracting companies may still hold teachers' passports even though it's illegal to do so. That makes getting out of the country tricky if you expect to do a runner on your visit visa. |
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rollingk
Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 212
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| Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Really? I had thought only Khafeels held passports. Has anyone actually had their passport held who had a visitors visa. If so, what identification were you left with? |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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many contractors hold passports of employees who even have iqamas. It's an illegal but standard practice. THey hold it in exchange for your iqama which you hand in when you go abroad on leave.
Personally, I like the approach of the guy who said that it was fine with him, but he'd have to notify the Canadian embassy in Riyadh because it was their property after all and could he just get the name of a contact person or two to pass on to them.
Got his passport fairly shortly after that. |
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