Job Discussion Forums

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

The last country I worked,I found it easy to understand the parameters of the visa and type:L,F,Z etc
I thought I was getting a 3 month temporary work visa,and during the 3 months,if both parties are satisfied,the process of getting a more lasting work visa would proceed.

The visa I received today,is almost exclusively in Arabic.From top to bottom of visa:

Validity- 90 days
My name
Name of Institution
"Teacher"
"Languages" 0
30 ...something in Arabic
Code number
01 10 2015
Number of entries- Multiple
Duration of Stay- 30 days

To me this sounds like the visa is usable for 90 days,but in country I have only 30 days. Am I interpreting this correctly? Y/N ? If no, that's not a 3 month work visa.

Cheers,
William

Londoner12345 · Joined: 08 Dec 2015 Posts: 2

Did you have to complete a battery of medical test in order to obtain your visa?

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

No, nothing....a recent lengthy thread about all the paper shuffling from one place to another and 3 months of waiting.

Cheers,
William

RustyShackleford · Joined: 13 May 2013 Posts: 449

If you didn't have to complete a medical form, chances are that it's a business visa. However, as far as I know, those say "NOT PERMITTED TO WORK" in both English and Arabic.

My employment visa says both 90 day validity and 90 day period of stay (although of course now I have the proper Iqama that supercedes it).

So, no idea what's on your plate.

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

I took it to a guy I know who owns a corner store,who understands Arabic,though his English is fair, said that it was for business...so a business visa. It took me 90 days to get a 30 day Business Visa? Man!!
I know in the country I had been in (24 years) has for the past 5-10 years made it illegal to work on a Business Visa.I presume the same could be said for Saudi Arabia,no?

Cheers,
Willie
P.S. I just received this from the visa agent:

"This means that you will need to exit the country every 30 days until the 90 day period is up. You will need to exit 3 times during your 90 day duration. You are allowed to re-enter as you have been issued a multiple entry 90 day working visit visa"

cool one month I could pop over to Yemen, another to Iraq...Yeah!! Sounds very doable. I'm glad I waited 3 months, had to go on welfare...Excellent!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Who was the employer ?

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

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

I was JUST looking for a foot in the door.Trying to be the good servile worker.

"International Institute of Languages" Could you get more generic?
Ever since I was young..I'm now 52.I always found it odd (ESPECIALLY working in...............ESL) that I must prove my worthiness,yet the employer....ehhhh, (depending on the time and technology) I pick another letter,and now, I pick another e-mail with attachment,CV included with a 500/1000 word "Why I want to teach in X country/at Y company"WTF?

What a bummer man! I could have recalled my passport 2 months ago, and done whatever, and moved on,but instead I went with trust and fortitude...
If I may quote from a J.Lennon song: Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime.
No idea what to do NOW. Thanks

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

Geez plumpy, you are giving me my own advice. I argued on this site 15 years ago about ESL dying....I'm 52 NOW! 38 then! At my age....Bahrain every month, that's the gig for the schmuck on the Business Visa?

Cheers,
William

P.S. Thanks for the strait talk

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

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

This question was asked of me throughout the years,and I still give the same valid answer: For this particular field I had minimum qualifications.Though I upgraded my old TEFL cert. to a CELTA last year,but I don't see that as much more than providing revenue for a month.

No job advertises itself as dodgy.In fact,many dodgy schools/organizations carry that same bravado masquerading as professionalism.eg. What can YOU offer us? What qualifications do YOU bring? In my experience, rare are the times when you can turn the tables, and ask, "What can you offer ME?" That comes after successfully jumping through all their hoops.

At least at THIS stage of ESL, I am not hearing "Well, you're not going to get rich in ESL" or the even older, "Take this___(1-4 weeks) course and travel the world, make money and experience exotic cultures!"- or a facsimile of that.

Anyhow, thanks fellows,
Willie
P.S. Nomad BTW, I have another one of those crazy in the AM via Skype interviews for another job, that lo and behold seems dodgy as well!
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=111704

Lord T · Joined: 07 Jul 2015 Posts: 285

I sympathize with you brnrd. It's not the best of times to be looking for a good job in the kingdom.

The Saudi government has rather a lot on its plate at present; and one can't help but feel that many of the young men currently studying, will be needed elsewhere soon.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong on this.

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

I would not count on it getting any better. The schools and academies will be using teachers here and there, getting rid of teachers after 3 months from arrival because of lost contracts, programs cut by the government, some teachers getting visas only to be told we don't need you after all sorry.

brnrd · Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 53

I sent the recruiter in question a well worded,exceptionally polite e-mail to inform him of the mistake of getting a Business Visa; this allows him to save face, and possibly correct it.

Here is the response I got from him late this morning:

Thank you for your email and for informing us that your visa have been approved.
If you've been given a business visa, then that's not a problem.
Since we'll just refresh your visa every 30 days, since a number of our teachers are also under a business visa.
Can you send us a copy of your visa? So we can book you for a flight and bring in as soon as possible.
Is he speaking poo-poo or is there a Thailand visa scam going on too! I can't see that being feasible,and then what would happen after the 3 months are up? It took me THREE months,countless red tape.Hang out in Bahrain for 3 months? Nahh!

Cheers folks,
Willie