Job Discussion Forums

Grendal · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject: Saudi Labour Law

If anyone needs a copy of the saudi labour law I have a full scan copy versıon of it.

PM me and leave contact ınfo for me to email it to. It is long so I will mail it in sections.

The best defence is a good offence.

G

johnslat · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:37 pm Post subject:

Dear Grendal,
Ah, if only Saudi were a land of laws rather than a land of wasta.

Regards,
John

sheikher · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 291

Alternatively, read the entire Labor law document right here in a handy dandy location:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=73973

As a supplement, take a look at this fellows blogs. He's been in KSA for 12 years and his advice in authoritative. Varieties of visas, driver's license, banking, scams, you name it.
http://workinginsaudiarabia.blogspot.com/search?q=visa

Grendal · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject:

Knowing the labor law can't hurt - just don't expect that, even if it's on your side, you get "justice."

From another thread here:

"There's Saudi labor law, and then there's what actually happens to foreigners."

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=783560#783560

And, from my experience (nineteen years in the Kingdom), I have to agree with Charybdis' post - another excerpt:

"When Saudis want to play nasty, they can do so quite easily and effectively."

If you get a "good employer," you probably won't have any "nasty" experiences. I had a good one (the IPA), but in my time there, I saw far too many other teachers, employed by others, who found out that wasta is FAR more powerful than the law.

Regards,
John

Grendal · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject:

IPA ?

International Phonetic Alphabet ?

Acronym clues please.

Thanks John

G

johnslat · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:34 pm Post subject:

Dear Grendal,
Sorry - Institute of Public Administration, in my opinion, one of the better/best employers in the Kingdom.
Regards,
John

Charybdis · Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 30

Grendal, good on you for sharing the law with others. In the case of my colleagues and I, the only time we prevailed was when we stuck together as a group. That's sometimes hard for people to accept when they're used to rowing their own boats.

The best defense is a good offense, as you say. But what Saudi law says, and what the Saudis do, are often two very different things. The Saudis know you won't be going anywhere until they say you can unless you run off, as many of our colleagues did, in the dead of night. I'm betting that where I worked they'll soon institute a new policy to keep everyone's passports or multiple-entry visas as many businesses there do. To those of us used to freedom of movement/travel (or freedom of expression, religion, or whatever), the KSA is just not a welcoming place.