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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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 Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:30 pm Post subject: work license |
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| According to the Labor Ministry sticky, the employer shall issue an iqama and a work license, both of which the employee shall keep in his possession. I've worked several times in Saudi with an iqama, but nobody ever gave me a work license. What's up with that? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Is that perhaps the stamp in your passport?
VS |
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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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5- All workers must hold residence permit (Iqama) & work license during their travel within the Kingdom and to show them to the concerned government bodies including labour office officials and passport police.
If the work license is stamped in the passport, then by law an employee must keep possession of his pssport. Does anybody know enough Arabic to see a "work license" in his passport? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe the "work permit" is what the employer has to obtain:
If you�d like to take up gainful employment in Riyadh, you need an Employment Visa. Like other Gulf States, Saudi Arabia has a sponsorship system (kafeel). Usually, your employer in Riyadh acts as your visa sponsor. The company applies for an employment permit from the Labor Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first. Other than that, an application for an Employment Visa requires:"
http://www.internations.org/riyadh-expats/guide/moving-to-riyadh-15795/visas-for-riyadh-saudi-arabia-2
Regards,
John |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently, work licenses (not work permits) are required for certain professions---teachers excluded:
Grant of Licenses to Practice Various Professions: Accountants, auditors, lawyers and legal consultants, engineers and engineering consultants, translators and translation bureaus must be licensed by the Ministry of Commerce. Individuals wishing to obtain a license should possess the prerequisite qualifications and experience and establish contact with the appropriate authorities. (Source: http://www.saudia-online.com/licenses_practice.htm) |
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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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| So what about a work "permit," which is required for an iqama? Anybody ever seen one of those, or is it just passed from Labor to Interior without ever being put into the teacher's hand? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Maybe the "work permit" is what the employer has to obtain:
If you�d like to take up gainful employment in Riyadh, you need an Employment Visa. Like other Gulf States, Saudi Arabia has a sponsorship system (kafeel). Usually, your employer in Riyadh acts as your visa sponsor. The company applies for an employment permit from the Labor Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first. Other than that, an application for an Employment Visa requires:"
http://www.internations.org/riyadh-expats/guide/moving-to-riyadh-15795/visas-for-riyadh-saudi-arabia-2
Regards,
John |
I found the same: "Work permits for foreigners are applied for by the employer with the proper government bodies - Interior and Labor & Social Affairs Ministries." (Source: Saudi Airlines)
And from the Ministry of Interior: "Companies, establishments and individuals must obtain residence and work permits for their employees. It is illegal to employ an alien who does not possess a residence or work permit. Employing individuals who are sponsored by others is a violation of the system."
I looked at my iqama. Although it states "Residence Permit" in English, my employer is indicated (in Arabic) near the bottom of the card. |
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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| So the Iqama does double duty as work and residence permit? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Sirens of Cyprus,
Well, that's all I ever had during my time there. I guess in the case of non-working dependents of ex-pats, it's only a residence permit.
Regards,
John |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Sirens of Cyprus wrote: |
| So the Iqama does double duty as work and residence permit? |
I wouldn't consider the iqama doing double-duty. As Johnslat pointed out, the iqama is simply a residence permit. However, I'd argue that the inclusion of the employer's name on the iqama serves to verify the holder has been authorized ("permitted") to legally work in the Kingdom for said employer---that a valid work permit is on file with the relevant Saudi agencies.
The iqama for a dependent differs in that it notes at the bottom of the card (in Arabic) the blood relationship of the holder to the sponsored parent/relative. In fact, the word "employer" isn't even indicated on a dependent family member's iqama.
For anyone curious about what an iqama looks like, do a Google image search on saudi iqama. |
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