Job Discussion Forums

[teacup05]

Has anyone had experience entering KSA adn working on a visit visa?
In the posted regulations, I see mention of work permit, not specifially work visa:
"Article (33):
A non- Saudi may not engage in or be allowed to engage in any work except after obtaining a work permit from the Ministry, according to the form prepared by it for this purpose.

The conditions for granting the permit are as follows:
(1) The worker has lawfully entered the country and is authorized to work.
(2) He possesses the professional and academic qualifications which the country needs and which are not ossessed by citizens or the available number of such citizens is insufficient to meet the needs, or that he belongs to the class of ordinary workers that the country needs.
(3) He has a contract with the employer and is under his responsibility."
Thanks.

[johnslat]

Dear teacup05,

The "work permit" is your iqama. To get an iqama - and be permitted to work LEGALLY, you need to enter Saudi on a work visa, not a "business visa," not a "visit visa."

Regards,
John

[teacup05]

Thanks for the clarification, John!

[Middle East Beast]

It's interesting how often questions about any visa except the true work visa are popping up on this forum nowadays. Those KSA recruiters are really trying to cut corners and skirt the lengthy visa process by going illegal, when KSA should simplify the visa process instead.

MEB

[veiledsentiments]

Now MEB... you've been around long enough to know that we mustn't apply our logic to their system.

What are you thinking?

VS
(it sure does seem that legal work visas are becoming the exception)

[Middle East Beast]

Oh, dopey me.

MEB

[abdelhaleem]

Good afternoon, I'm new to the forum and it's great to meet all of you. I had a question about visas. Currently I am in contact with three recruiters for different companies (two of which have been bashed on here, rightfully so it seems) however they all require you to send a scan of your passport. Is it possible they would try to get you a visa before you sign a contract, thus jeopardizing your ability to get a visa with a different employer?

[epik_teacher]

I have a friend that has been there about a month. He's on the 3 month work visa. I have been considering jumping ship in Korea and possibly heading there. I had to move and my apartment has been broken in 2x this summer and they tried a 3rd time over last weekend. After 10 years in Korea and more than 1/2 way thru my 5th EPIK contract I'm quite sick of it all.

I sent my resume to his supervisor last night, I'm waiting to hear back from him. I have an MS Ed, 15 years ESL experience--but no ESL cert. I'm thinking give my 30 day notice, apply for the visa, apply for the pension, spend a week in Thailand and then head to Saudi........that is if I get an offer from them.

Is this do-able?

[scot47]

The " better" jobs may require ESL Cert - even if you are armed with multiple MA's and DLitt's in revelvant disciplines.

[yassoun]

I have gone through the same process. I have been offered a contract by the JUC in Jubail and helped me get a visitor visa that is valid for only 30 days. They made it clear that this process is followed for the purpose of simplifying my arrival and that once I arrive to KSA, they will transform my visitor visa into a working visa and that this will be done through Bahrain. The visitor visa is already on my passport and I got the official contract as well. I am still not very sure if this is normal or not. Any advice, please

[johnslat]

Dear yassoun,

Visitor visass and business visa have been the topic of many threads on here; have you done a search?

There's a fair amount of meandering on this one, but also some good info.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=89385&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=visitor+visa&start=60

here's another:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=85253&highlight=visitor+visa

A search will turn up many more.

Regards,
John

[yassoun]

Thank you so much dear John,

Your comments are very helpful.

Best

Yassoun

[johnslat]

Dear yassoun,

It's "illegal," but seems to be a very common practice nowadays. Unfortunately, I get the impression from reading here that it can also be something of a gamble. If your employer is being honest (a big IF, I'm afraid,) and they quickly change your "visitor" visa (most likely a "business visa" would be my guess) into a legal work visa, then it may not be much of a problem. Without a legal work visa, some things are difficult to impossible to do: open a bank account, transfer money, buy a car, etc. Also, you have no legal standing in the country, so all the cards are in your employer's hands. Moreover, some teachers have reported that they had to keep going to Bahrain again and again to "renew" their "business visa" since their employer never got around to changing it to a work visa.

The only "plus" I've seen mentioned is that apparently you can keep your passport (many employers in Saudi still demand to hold onto them although it's technically "illegal,") so, if things get too bad, you can do a "runner" (but you'd have to pay for your own ticket, of course.)

Regards,
John

[yassoun]

Dear John,

My contract has been offered by the Royal Commission Of Jubail; which is a governmental organization and not a private one. So, I am surprised at how a reputable government body like the RCJ would go illegal to bring teachers to KSA.

I might be missing a great opportunity although I truly wanted to go for it. However, since I am a kind of person who would like to have things done straight and in the right way, may be it would be in my and my family benefit to turn down the offer.

I still cannot understand why do they grant a tourist visa if they know that at the end it will have to change into a working visa? The answer would probably be that they want me to go through the trouble of getting it from Bahrain instead of the responsible person making thr effort of filing an application for me right from his office

Thank you for sharing dear John

[veiledsentiments]