Anyone ever worked in Saudi?

**Turion** · 23 April 2009, 18:51

Don't go, unless you forget about any sense of fairplay or human rights. Rates are crap as well.

Beware that when/if you go there, you are effectively imprisoned on the whim of your employer/sponser. And it not just the compound you stay in. They have to grant the exit visa in order for you to leave the country. They may take your passport as well. Pimp won't tell you that though. He'll make it sound like a long beach holiday.

**Fred Bloggs** · 23 April 2009, 19:13

And if you go now for 6 months you will NOT be free of UK tax. I'd do it before I starved, but that's all.

**PaulCD** · 23 April 2009, 19:33

Hmmm....thanks for the replies guys.

I shall bear this in mind when the pimp calls me tomorrow. Doesn't sound too promising so far.

**Fred Bloggs** · 23 April 2009, 20:46

Originally posted by PaulCD View Post

Hmmm....thanks for the replies guys.

I shall bear this in mind when the pimp calls me tomorrow. Doesn't sound too promising so far.

Good luck, if it's Saudi or starve then Saudi it is. under those circs I'd do it, but do it with your eyes open. You can get multiple exit/entry visas for Saudi, BTW, but you'll be lucky if you can get one so I hear. Otherwise, it might be a bit like a 6 month paid prison sentence.

**PaulCD** · 23 April 2009, 23:59

I'll see what the guy has to say when (if) he calls tomorrow. Shame that it isn't Dubai instead, I'd have been more keen on that.

The idea of being couped up in a 'complex' for 6 months with no freedom of movement fills me with dread!

**Fred Bloggs** · 24 April 2009, 06:40

Originally posted by PaulCD View Post

I'll see what the guy has to say when (if) he calls tomorrow. Shame that it isn't Dubai instead, I'd have been more keen on that.

The idea of being couped up in a 'complex' for 6 months with no freedom of movement fills me with dread!

Good luck, I'd do it if I was out of work as 6 months isn't a lifetime. However, the rate would have to be stunning to compensate for the hassle and to cover the UK tax. I haven't seen any jobs paying that kind of money in Saudi for a long while. Some jobs seem to be paying about the same rate in £'s as in the early 1980's when it was ~3x my UK salary. A colleague of mine is finding it very tough finding his next assignment in the middle east even with several years experience. Engineers jobs are being increasingly filled by Asians rather than westerners on a much lower rate.

**Brussels Slumdog** · 24 April 2009, 07:09

Driving in Saudi

I have heard from contractors who have worked there before that as a non-
Saudi if you have an accident then you are automatically guilty.
Maybe you will need to hire a local driver.

**sal626** · 24 April 2009, 08:37

I grew up in Saudi and also worked there in late 90s - in Jeddah. have been back there as recent as 2006. Security situation was bad after 911, with various car bombs, attacks on compounds, etc. But it has calmed down in last couple of years (mainly cause all the militants left for Iraq).

Its not that bad a place, and you wont be stuck on your compound, you are free to move around in the city. They have decent beaches (especially for diving), enough malls, and there is an active expat community (some compounds have bars, evening events on weekends, etc). Just respect the local customs, i.e. dont be walking around the shops drunk...

You're not automatically guilty if you have an accident, but they almost never find the saudi national 100% guilty - so even if its not your fault, you get 50% of the blame.

Try and find out which company the role is for, and I can tell you what they may be like...

PM if you have any more specific questions.

**Menelaus** · 24 April 2009, 08:45

I was there (Saudi) last year, only for a few days though (thankfully).

It's a place that I hope will soon return to its richly-deserved misanthropic and misogynistic obscurity.

As someone above said if it was Saudi or starve I'd go but other than that? No thanks.

Anyone ever worked in Saudi?