New Job In Saudi Arabia

[tutsiwarrior]

I'm looking at a new job in saudi that will be paid in saudi riyals...I've worked in saudi before but was paid in euros then so no problem to get my salary paid into an offshore euro account...now, in saudi you can't open a local bank account without an iqama/residence permit that takes months to obtain...what to do with the thousands of riyals until then?

eventually, I want to move the riyals into either a THB account in Thailand or into a USD account offshore...what's the best way to do this without being 'stepped on' with numerous exchange rate batterings? looks like I may have to covert to wither THB or USD before transfering funds out of saudi as neither USD or THB accounts will accept riyals...

I know that numerous folks on the forum have worked in saudi and have probably had to face the same problem...

advice is urgently required...if no suitable arrangement is possible then maybe me for the jungle in south Sulaweisi where I'm paid in USD...

thanks in advance...

[PattayaParent]

Get paid in SAR locally in cash.

Go to any bank and buy a US$ draft and send it to your offshore bank by mail. Transfer from your US$ account to your Baht account as needed.

My faded memory seems to remember Al Raja Exchange (or something like that?) as being the best place to get the drafts, best exchange rate, cheap and they were drawn on a UK bank (I converted to GBP) and they are all over the country, even in the remote towns.

US$ is the best to get to avoid losses on fluctuating exchange rates as the SAR is fixed to the US$, unless of course the rate to the GBP is going in your favour and you'll get more.

[Naam]

in saudi you can't open a local bank account without an iqama/residence permit that takes months to obtain...

your info seems to be "slightly" outdated Tutsi. it shouldn't take longer than the date when you get your first salary. but even that is not the case you can walk into any bank with cash and pay a fistful of Riyals for a SWIFT transfer.

p.s. in my [not so] humble view Jeddah is any time better than a jungle in Sulawesi

[tutsiwarrior]

PP, I sorta remember an arrangement that an associate had in saudi that sounds like what you describe...sounded like a lot of running around and as he was the site manager (but he was paid in riyals) he got one of the drivers to do the business...if one didn't have that facility and worked a 6 day week I wonder about the logistics, unless the employers had an arrangement in place available to the senior employees for the described purpose...

yeah, naam...on my last saudi assignment I was fortunate to live and work in/near Jeddah for 2 1/2 years and it is a nice area but I seem to remember 5 years ago that an iqama was required by the local HSBC bank to open an account...but, as I was paid in euros there was no problem waiting a few months...

it's possible to do a swift transfer in person with a bank draft at a bank where one does not hold an account?

Edited January 14, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[meom]

in saudi you can't open a local bank account without an iqama/residence permit that takes months to obtain...

your info seems to be "slightly" outdated Tutsi. it shouldn't take longer than the date when you get your first salary. but even that is not the case you can walk into any bank with cash and pay a fistful of Riyals for a SWIFT transfer.

p.s. in my [not so] humble view Jeddah is any time better than a jungle in Sulawesi

That used to be the case but nowadays a lot of banks here do not accept your swift transfer unless you have an account with them.

Same goes for western union where you have to show an ikama in order to make a transfer.

If the OP does not have an ikama why doesn't the employer wire the money directly to his overseas account?

Regarding ikama if you do happen to get an ikama and bank account make sure your employer renews your ikama on time because the moment your ikama expires the bank will block your account which is a hassle.

Due to money lauudering etc. they've become quite strict here.

Obtaining an ikama takes only about 1-2 weeks unless you come to work for some mickey mouse company where they bring you in on a visit visa and sort out the worker visa later.

Edited January 14, 2012 by meom

[PattayaParent]

PP, I sorta remember an arrangement that an associate had in saudi that sounds like what you describe...sounded like a lot of running around and as he was the site manager (but he was paid in riyals) he got one of the drivers to do the business...if one didn't have that facility and worked a 6 day week I wonder about the logistics, unless the employers had an arrangement in place available to the senior employees for the described purpose...

yeah, naam...on my last saudi assignment I was fortunate to live and work in/near Jeddah for 2 1/2 years and it is a nice area but I seem to remember 5 years ago that an iqama was required by the local HSBC bank to open an account...but, as I was paid in euros there was no problem waiting a few months...

it's possible to do a swift transfer in person with a bank draft at a bank where one does not hold an account?

The Al Rajeh (spl?) exchanges are open until late in the evening so no need to take time off from work to do your transactions.

I remember they had TT facilities too but they were expensive.

Maybe get your emploer to transfer the bulk of your salary to your account and pay a local allowance? You won't need much as there's nothing to spend money on!!

Where will you be?

[tutsiwarrior]

I'll be on the east coast in the Dammam area in a camp about 100km away so gettting to a bank is gonna be a hassle...I suppose that the employer can convert the riyals that my salary is paid in and then transfer to an overseas USD account but I don't know about those details yet...at this point I've have only spoken to the headhunter, not the employer but these are questions that I'll ask when the time comes prior to accepting an offer...

yeah and 5 years ago my employer wanted to do things as cheaply as possible regarding iqama application: enter on a visit visa, then go to the US to get a work permit, then return to saudi to get the iqama...and it took forever...if the iqama process now only takes 1-2 weeks does the iqama applicant still have to go to his home country to get a work permit from the embassy? that was a big pain in the ass...would almost put me off wanting to go back to saudi to work and to haveta start the process all over again...

thanks a lot for all the info thus far...

[IMA_FARANG]

Tutsi

I worked in Saudi for 5 years...although that was 20 years back.

There are many moneychangers in Saudi cities...Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran in particular.

There will easily change Saudi Riyals to Dollars, Pounds, or Euros, etc.

And they will give you a good rate and are reliable.

You can also buy foriegn currency Travelers checks there...internationally recognised...that is a very good way to carry your earnings out of Saudi...because Traveler's checks can be refunded if lost or stolen.

The same money changers will be able to take your Saudi Riyals and transfer them to your stateside or European bank...of course there is a small fee for that but it is not expensive.

In banking, Saudi is probably better than Thailand for that purpose.

The one thing I will warn you about though is the 100 Dollar U.S. bills. Iran is a major counterfiter of U.S. 100 Dollar bills.

Watch out for 100 bills being fake...it's not the Saudis...it's the Iranians that are flooding the whole Gulf with phoney 100 dollar bills.

DO NOT take Saudi Riyals out of Saudi. The Saudi government puts restrictions on exchanging them outside of Saudi. You can take as much as a 20 to 25 percent loss trying to exchange them here in Bangkok...the Thai banks don't want them.

Your major problem won't be with money exchange...it will be dealing with the Saudis.

I am not being baised against them...nor do I have any particular dislike for Saudis. I have known some Saudis as very good and honest friends in my 5 years there.

But i will just say,,,for those on this forum who constantly criticise the Thais...you haven't seen anything until you've seen the Saudis. Not all of course, but in my experience...and I have worked in 7 different countries...the worst place I ever worked in for a--holes was Saudi. That is my honest personal judgement based on my experiences there.

But as for banking...that won't be a problem.

[IMA_FARANG]

Tutsi:

Update on what I said.

I just saw you would be working in Dammam. There are a lot of foriegners in that area...it is a major oil production area.

Almost surely there will be major Saudi and foriegn banks in that area. It is NOT out in the middle of a desert with nothing else around. I can't say that about your particular living compound...but I bet you will be surprised when and if you get there.

It took me 6 months to get my igama or work permit. However when you or your company applied for it they gave you a reciept for the application then. That was used until you recieved the final documents. At that time, that reciept was accepted by banks also.

But I'll say again...that was 20 years ago...and it could easily have changed by now.

[meom]

..if the iqama process now only takes 1-2 weeks does the iqama applicant still have to go to his home country to get a work permit from the embassy? that was a big pain in the ass...would almost put me off wanting to go back to saudi to work and to haveta start the process all over again...

The employer has to apply for your visa (visit or work).

At the time of application they have to choose where the visa will be stamped which can be at the Saudi Embassy in your home country or any other country.

[tutsiwarrior]

..if the iqama process now only takes 1-2 weeks does the iqama applicant still have to go to his home country to get a work permit from the embassy? that was a big pain in the ass...would almost put me off wanting to go back to saudi to work and to haveta start the process all over again...

The employer has to apply for your visa (visit or work).

At the time of application they have to choose where the visa will be stamped which can be at the Saudi Embassy in your home country or any other country.

my understnding was that it was the work permit that needed to be obtained from the saudi embassy in the US after which the iqama can be applied for and issued on return to saudi...the degree certification for the WP is easiest done in the home country and I still have all the documentation from the last work permit so hopefully that step would not have to be repeated...it's not like my status as a BSc graduate is gonna change...

but, who knows what the arab folks intention is in this regard....

Edited January 14, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[PattayaParent]

Unless you are really stuck 100km out into the empty quarter on a camp you will find that the nearest town has a bank that can transfer money or you can get a bank draft. If you are 100km away on the coast you will be near a main town, e.g. Ras Tanura, Jubail.

If you employer is any good then they will bus their employees into Al Khobar for a 'day out' on a Friday. You can do your banking then as the Al Rajhi (spl.?) exchanges will be open.

[meom]

..if the iqama process now only takes 1-2 weeks does the iqama applicant still have to go to his home country to get a work permit from the embassy? that was a big pain in the ass...would almost put me off wanting to go back to saudi to work and to haveta start the process all over again...

The employer has to apply for your visa (visit or work).

At the time of application they have to choose where the visa will be stamped which can be at the Saudi Embassy in your home country or any other country.

my understnding was that it was the work permit that needed to be obtained from the saudi embassy in the US after which the iqama can be applied for and issued on return to saudi...the degree certification for the WP is easiest done in the home country and I still have all the documentation from the last work permit so hopefully that step would not have to be repeated...it's not like my status as a BSc graduate is gonna change...

but, who knows...

You need to obtain a visa first which can be either a visit visa or a work visa.

If you come on a work visa then once you are in Saudi the employer applies for the ikama.

The visa itself (work or visit) will be stamped by the Saudi embassy. Normally this will be in your home country but there is a provision in the application that allows your employer to choose where the visa will be stamped so you don't necassarily have to collect it from the Saudi embassy in your home country.

[meom]

If you employer is any good then they will bus their employees into Al Khobar for a 'day out' on a Friday. You can do your banking then as the Al Rajhi (spl.?) exchanges will be open.

If your employer is any good then they will issue you with a multiple exit-entry visa and you spend thursday night/friday in Bahrain.

[tutsiwarrior]

If you employer is any good then they will bus their employees into Al Khobar for a 'day out' on a Friday. You can do your banking then as the Al Rajhi (spl.?) exchanges will be open.

If your employer is any good then they will issue you with a multiple exit-entry visa and you spend thursday night/friday in Bahrain.

I useta live around the corner from the Sea Shell hotel and it's infamous bar where a lot of the 'weekend in Bahrain' activity useta happen...these days on a Friday I'd rather stay in camp and catch up on my sleep or maybe look at the vegetables at a market in a settlement local to the camp...

just gimme the goddam money and lets get it over with...

[meom]

^

Yes you're right.

Depends a bit on the type of contract you have.

Some folks have to do 6 months straight and then a visit to Bahrain every couple of weeks does wonders for the soul.

I'm doing 2 months on, 2 weeks off and can't be bothered either.

In the past I used to go Diggers in Bahrain which was ok for chinese food.

[Somtamnication]

And who are the major headhunters for these kinds of jobs? Earning Baht is getting old.

[tutsiwarrior]

..if the iqama process now only takes 1-2 weeks does the iqama applicant still have to go to his home country to get a work permit from the embassy? that was a big pain in the ass...would almost put me off wanting to go back to saudi to work and to haveta start the process all over again...

The employer has to apply for your visa (visit or work).

At the time of application they have to choose where the visa will be stamped which can be at the Saudi Embassy in your home country or any other country.

my understnding was that it was the work permit that needed to be obtained from the saudi embassy in the US after which the iqama can be applied for and issued on return to saudi...the degree certification for the WP is easiest done in the home country and I still have all the documentation from the last work permit so hopefully that step would not have to be repeated...it's not like my status as a BSc graduate is gonna change...

but, who knows...

You need to obtain a visa first which can be either a visit visa or a work visa.

If you come on a work visa then once you are in Saudi the employer applies for the ikama.

The visa itself (work or visit) will be stamped by the Saudi embassy. Normally this will be in your home country but there is a provision in the application that allows your employer to choose where the visa will be stamped so you don't necassarily have to collect it from the Saudi embassy in your home country.

of course to travel from Thailand to saudi initially I shall need a visa that I shall need to obtain from the BKK saudi embassy...for the iqama process previously I had to travel to the US after arriving in saudi to obtain a work permit then to return to saudi to obtain an iqama...two different activities...to travel from BKK to saudi then to travel to the US to get the work permit...the work permit is required to obtain the iqama...

I had an unpleasant experience at the BKK saudi embassy to get a business visa to travel the first time I went in 2007 that I won't describe so as not to violate forum rules regarding profanity and etc...

[tutsiwarrior]

And who are the major headhunters for these kinds of jobs? Earning Baht is getting old.

depending on yer industry and discipline there are loadsa sites on the net...or talk to associates; most every expat contract worker in oil & gas and energy have worked in saudi at one time or another...

[lumply]

^

Yes you're right.

Depends a bit on the type of contract you have.

Some folks have to do 6 months straight and then a visit to Bahrain every couple of weeks does wonders for the soul.

I'm doing 2 months on, 2 weeks off and can't be bothered either.

In the past I used to go Diggers in Bahrain which was ok for chinese food.

Are the Chinese working ladies still doing the rounds at Diggers?

[tutsiwarrior]

^

Yes you're right.

Depends a bit on the type of contract you have.

Some folks have to do 6 months straight and then a visit to Bahrain every couple of weeks does wonders for the soul.

I'm doing 2 months on, 2 weeks off and can't be bothered either.

In the past I used to go Diggers in Bahrain which was ok for chinese food.

Are the Chinese working ladies still doing the rounds at Diggers?

there useta be the odd chinese girl at the Sea Shell (mostly thai women) and I got a couple for a 4 day party...forgot about work and just got in booze and food...they were on their way to the bars in Dubai but had stopped off in Bahrain...

we were layin' around naked and the pizzaman rang the bell and I said 'toss the blankets over so he can't see youse...' and I paid him with 2 beautiful naked gurls under blankets in the same room about 10 feet away...we then had a great laugh...

but let's not digress too much...this thread is about problems associated with workin' in saudi and gettin' paid in local currency...

but, you know...any excuse to tell a story...

Edited January 14, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[GooEng]

Won't your employer pay your wages into a foreign account - into your euro account for example - the conversion being done during the transfer?

Your pay exits the Saudi company account as SAR and arrives in your account as €/£/$/¥ whatever?

[GooEng]

Some of the Saudi banks are affiliated/owned by international banks SAAB is HSBC, you may be able to work something out that way??

[tutsiwarrior]

Won't your employer pay your wages into a foreign account - into your euro account for example - the conversion being done during the transfer?

Your pay exits the Saudi company account as SAR and arrives in your account as €/£/$/¥ whatever?

Some of the Saudi banks are affiliated/owned by international banks SAAB is HSBC, you may be able to work something out that way??

these are possibilities that we want investigate in this thread but so far no one has been able to confirm a saudi bank TT with an automatic conversion from riyals to USD/EURO/GBP to an offshore account...speculation only...

btw, I have USD and GBP accounts with HSBC in the UK and the conversion rates from one to another are criminal...I wanna try to avoid that if posssible with riyal to USD if indeed I can arrange the facility...but the convenience may override any other consideration...

like I said before, I wanna see if the employer has a transfer arrangement available presuming that all the other employees are paid in riyals as well and need assistance transfering to western currency bank accounts...

Edited January 14, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[kwonitoy]

I had an unpleasant experience at the BKK saudi embassy to get a business visa to travel the first time I went in 2007 that I won't describe so as not to violate forum rules regarding profanity and etc...

I know what you mean, I did a visa at the BKK embassy in 07 also and it was a minor miracle that I got a 30 days single entry visa. Took me 3 vistis I believe

My second trip, my company flew me from Thailand to Canada (home country) 2 hr. at the embassy, no hassles.

Last year, when trying to get a visa from BKK I was told do not come to the Saudi embassy in BKK in person, they will now only deal with 2 or 3 acredited agenceies.

I wound up fedexing my passport to Canada and a visa company there got the multiple entry visa without problems.

If you're 100kms north or Dammam would the job be at Khursania? or Manifa area? I've been at both and understand your problem with getting to a bank in that area. I had problems even getting money with my HSBC International debit card at a lot of ATM's. There was only an ATM at one of the highway gas stations south of Khursania that worked.

Don't know about transferring your payroll out though.

Ken

[PattayaParent]

Won't your employer pay your wages into a foreign account - into your euro account for example - the conversion being done during the transfer?

Your pay exits the Saudi company account as SAR and arrives in your account as €/£/$/¥ whatever?

Some of the Saudi banks are affiliated/owned by international banks SAAB is HSBC, you may be able to work something out that way??

these are possibilities that we want investigate in this thread but so far no one has been able to confirm a saudi bank TT with an automatic conversion from riyals to USD/EURO/GBP to an offshore account...speculation only...

btw, I have USD and GBP accounts with HSBC in the UK and the conversion rates from one to another are criminal...I wanna try to avoid that if posssible with riyal to USD if indeed I can arrange the facility...but the convenience may override any other consideration...

like I said before, I wanna see if the employer has a transfer arrangement available presuming that all the other employees are paid in riyals as well and need assistance transfering to western currency bank accounts...

Al Rajhi (spl?) exchanges will TT GBP or USD if you give them Riyals. I did it once but remember it was expensive enough not to bother again.

You will likely need your iqama to do it.

[meom]

of course to travel from Thailand to saudi initially I shall need a visa that I shall need to obtain from the BKK saudi embassy...for the iqama process previously I had to travel to the US after arriving in saudi to obtain a work permit then to return to saudi to obtain an iqama...two different activities...to travel from BKK to saudi then to travel to the US to get the work permit...the work permit is required to obtain the iqama...

I had an unpleasant experience at the BKK saudi embassy to get a business visa to travel the first time I went in 2007 that I won't describe so as not to violate forum rules regarding profanity and etc...

You need a visa to travel to Saudi.

The type of visa that you will get initially depend on your employer and it can either be a visit visa or a work visa.

If you enter the country on a work visa then the ikama will be applied for by your employer the moment you enter the country and you will not have to leave in order to obtain your ikama.

If you initially enter on a visit visa because the emplyer doesn't have the work visa yet then you have to leave the country, go back to wherever the work visa will be issued (which can be your home country or other place as explained before), then return to Saudi and enter the country on your work visa after which the employer will process the ikama.

It's not rocket science.

Regarding money transfer I transfer dollars from the local bank here to outside. The dollar is basically fixed to the SAR at 3.755 SAR to the dollar, so the bank here converts the SAR to dollars which are then wired out.

Edited January 15, 2012 by meom

[meom]

^

Yes you're right.

Depends a bit on the type of contract you have.

Some folks have to do 6 months straight and then a visit to Bahrain every couple of weeks does wonders for the soul.

I'm doing 2 months on, 2 weeks off and can't be bothered either.

In the past I used to go Diggers in Bahrain which was ok for chinese food.

Are the Chinese working ladies still doing the rounds at Diggers?

Haven't been there in a while but I guess they're still there.

Bahrain is basically one big brothel so it's not only the Chinese but a whole range of horizontal entertainers from all over the globe that converge there.

[tutsiwarrior]

of course to travel from Thailand to saudi initially I shall need a visa that I shall need to obtain from the BKK saudi embassy...for the iqama process previously I had to travel to the US after arriving in saudi to obtain a work permit then to return to saudi to obtain an iqama...two different activities...to travel from BKK to saudi then to travel to the US to get the work permit...the work permit is required to obtain the iqama...

I had an unpleasant experience at the BKK saudi embassy to get a business visa to travel the first time I went in 2007 that I won't describe so as not to violate forum rules regarding profanity and etc...

You need a visa to travel to Saudi.

The type of visa that you will get initially depend on your employer and it can either be a visit visa or a work visa.

If you enter the country on a work visa then the ikama will be applied for by your employer the moment you enter the country and you will not have to leave in order to obtain your ikama.

If you initially enter on a visit visa because the emplyer doesn't have the work visa yet then you have to leave the country, go back to wherever the work visa will be issued (which can be your home country or other place as explained before), then return to Saudi and enter the country on your work visa after which the employer will process the ikama.

It's not rocket science.

Regarding money transfer I transfer dollars from the local bank here to outside. The dollar is basically fixed to the SAR at 3.755 SAR to the dollar, so the bank here converts the SAR to dollars which are then wired out.

OK...so we can say that the first time that I went to saudi in 2007 I obtained a 3 month business visa that required me to travel to the US to obtain a work permit in order to return to saudi to make the iqama application...never heard of a 'work visa' at that time...if it is true that 'work visas' are now available before travelling to saudi at the BKK embassy and that an iqama can be obtained directly in saudi without any requirement for further travel outside of saudi then so much the better!

OK...so we can also say that with a bank account in saudi the bank will convert SAR to USD and do a TT/SWIFT transfer to an account elsewhere, outside of saudi...hurrah!...no need to dick around any further if the exchange rate is acceptable...usually with HSBC (SABB in saudi) it is not...it is criminal as I stated before using the USD to GBP rate that is used between accounts in the UK as an example...do you always get SAR3.75 to USD1.0 when you convert at a bank in saudi?

loads of good info; rocket science or not...

is internet banking now widely available in saudi?

Edited January 15, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[meom]

The normal rate is 3.755.

There's a narrow band of fluctuation and if you buy dollars in cash at the local money exchange you pay 3.76 - 3.77 per us dollar.

Regarding the visa nowadays Saudization is much more a priority for the government and work visas are not that easy to get versus visit (business) visa.

Technically you're not allowed to work on a business visa but as a "consultant" you're not really working so some employers bring in expat personnel on a visit visa.

Anyway good luck.

It's pretty chilly at the moment though.

note: yes internet banking is widely available.

Edited January 15, 2012 by meom