Job Discussion Forums

[GabeKessel]

Here is a quick summary about this employer:

It is a good company, by and large. They pay on time, and they pay really good money- over SAR 10,000 a month plus bonuses, 41 days' paid vacation a year, free food, free shared vehicle, free gas, free accomodations in the barracks, a free drivers' license and two tickets home a year. Free uniforms, free utilities and even free detergent. Free satellite TV. You will be working with a lot of US and British military retirees; some can be a bit grouchy and rough in manner, but most are a decent bunch. Lots of good people. The Saudi personnel is also quite good, and the Western managers are mostly friendly and helpful.

Classes are small and easy to teach. The students are great and fun to deal with.

There is one problem, however, with this company that you will need to consider; so please keep it in mind if you accept a job with Kawasaki Helicopters.

They operate on periodic contracts with the Saudi government- i.e. they work for a while, then they often send all but the most essential personnel home on upaid leaves and negotiate with the gov't for another contract. Sometimes, they negotiate while the first contract is still in progress and it may just roll over into a new one. Or, it may not. So, their periodic contracts sometimes have breaks in between and sometimes they don't.

How does that translate into your contract with them? This is how:

Say, you sign a two year contract with KHS. You arrive in the Kingdom and start working. If you are lucky and you arrive at the beginning of *their* contract with the government ( not *yours*with Kawasaki), you will have your full two years and then, you may get another year. Then, you might be laid off and, possibly, be called back to do another contract. The break can be as long as several months or even longer.

If you are unlucky and arrive at the wrong time, you will still sign a two year contract only to find out upon your arrival that after several months you will be going back home. You may be sent back, and if you ask them when they will be re-calling you, you may not get a definite answer. So, you go back and, most probably, after 4-5 months you will get an email from them asking you to return.

They are not being dishonest, strictly speaking. It is just the nature of their business and this is how they have been operating for quite a few years.

Basically, this means that you might often be dealing with long, unpaid breaks and a lot of uncertainty. Getting a letter of non-objection from them is hard; so transfering to another company in Saudi is also hard. Thus, you may end up in a limbo, without a job with them, and without the right of applying at another company in Saudi.

This way, they can have you basically by the b''ls. You are not working for them, they do not know when the next contract is coming, and you will find it difficult to work for any other school or company in Saudi Arabia. You want to apply at Raytheon or KFUPM or any such place else and your "past" with Kawasaki surfaces. For all intents and purposes, if you do not get a letter of non-objection from KHS, your future in Saudi is screwed. And it is rumoured that they are very reluctant to give you one.

KHS contracts are good if you are a retiree with a pension and want to pick up extra cash and do not mind going back home on long, unpaid leaves every so often. However, if you do not have a pension such long breaks will become a drag on your wallet. That is why most guys working there are various US/UK military guys who have retirement pay coming in, have houses back home and come over to make some extra cash. It is an ideal job for them.

Think about coming to Saudi with the anticipation of two solid years of work ( because that is what the recruiter has told you was going to happen, and you have signed a two year contract to boot) only to find out that you will be going back home after six months. Or, in the worst case scenario, after several weeks- it has happened to some people. This means you will be liable for taxes, and you will have to resettle again, with all the ensuing headaches. "When am I coming back?" "We don't know!" ."But my recruiter said it was going to be two years!" "Tough!"

Some guys enjoy the breaks as they spend them in various exotic locations or with their families. However, if you want a degree of certainty and a long, uninterrupted career in Saudi, you may want to look for another company to work for.

These contracts are also good if you have some bills that need to be paid or if you need a large chunk of money for any reason. If you are lucky and get a three year time period with them, you will be going away with $60,000-70,000 in cash. Even one year can yield a good $20,000-$30,000.

However, if you try to apply in Saudi again, your "skeleton in the closet" with Kawasaki will come out and you may be rejected. A lot of good companies will not want to employ you without that NOC.

This is basically it. If you get offered a job with KHS, please keep that in mind.

[Stephen Jones]

What they are doing is totally illegal.

[GabeKessel]

Since the company is operated by very influential individuals, their interpretation of legality and illegality is quite flexible.

[GabeKessel]

I think KHS is planning another layoff in February.

[GabeKessel]

The lay-off did not happen. It looks like there is a new extension and a possible new contract coming up. So, you may want to apply with them.