weasel decentral

not if you believe that a condition like that is anyway enforceable

david999

Well, offer is in.
I would really appreciate anyone’s opinions.
My UK gross salary plus bonus have been matched, but not my 20% pension contribution by UK company.
However, on top there is a 40% uplift to cover extended work week and hardship.
So overall, I get a further 20% increase from my UK salary and of course all tax free.

48 hour working week (5 days)
Furnished apartment in western style compound is covered plus utilities (excl overseas tel calls and Internet). Would prefer a villa with garden!
Company car provided (pay for petrol for private use)
Economy airfare for me and dependents there and back plus one return economy fare to uk or equiv
Goods shipment 500Ibs per adult air freight or equivalent cost by surface
$4000 paid to relocate home after assignment finished
Education paid, but we have no kids
8 paid local hols
30 calendar days hols (after completed assignment period of 12 mnths)?? Don’t know if this incudes weekends?
Free health insurance policy (Don't know if just for me or spouse as well)
Severance award of half months pay for first five years, than one months pay for subsequent years
That’s about it, what do you reckon?

TIA
David

david999

Anyone???

Desert Dubliner

This is great if you were on GBP70k and a lot less so if you were on GBP30k.

Standard. 9.5 hours a day is standard here as it includes 3 prayer times (which you will work through) and a lunch break.

Take good care to either find out if this is a fixed allowance (and how much) or provided accommodation. In case of former find out how much and then find out what this will buy (provided there is availability which is hardly the case) and in case of latter find out which compound and how big a flat they are providing. Housing is a problem in KSA and given all other restrictions, it is the most important element and at the same time most difficult to resolve.

Find out which car. Driving here is crap and you want the biggest / safest piece of metal around.

Make sure it is annual and how it's paid. Do they give you tickets (with airline of their choice which can be crap) or do you get cash equivalent (which gives you more flexibility).

Ok.

If you happen to get kids and stay for years, find out what they are paying and what it buys. It is on a long finger but it may mean something at some stage. Also, ask if you can waive this and boost your basic because you are losing out. Long shot and it is unlikely to happen but you may win. You never know.

By law.

Ask if it's working days. This is pretty standard.

This is not a perk but by law they have to insure you and (i believe) your spouse. Check which insurer (although they are all same crap) and what policy level as these vary.

This is also by law, it is called End-of-Service-Benefit.

Not bad but it all depends on the basic amount and what you'll be able to save.

david999

Thanks for that detailed answer DD.

Regards
David

jam25mack

Ditto on the actual amount. Why don't you just spit it out and tell us your experience and what they are offering you? Then people can say if it is a good deal or not. As we don't know if you were on a good deal before or where you are from in the UK and therefore how much you were getting paid. The same job in Central London pays very different to that in say..... Leeds.....

A 20% uplift of FA is still FA.

britexpat76

You started to answer your own question, add to it :-

Laws dating back 1500 years
The worst drivers in the world, bar non
No Pork
Everything closing 5 times a day to pray
The most boring place on earth

I could list more................Its a hole.

But good luck, you can fly out every weekend to other places in the GCC, but make sure you factor £500 a weekend in to escape.

Desert Dubliner

Nah.

The laws are made up as you go along around ME, there is seldom a predefined outcome. It depends how the judge feels on the day and whom you pissed off.

I can't find any spare time in my weekends. Social life on the compound is frantic. This is BBQ season and each w/e we have someone coming over or going to someone. We go to the beach. Granted I have kids so lots of it is driven by kids birthdays and meeting other parents.

Traffic is mad but you get used to it. Manage your schedule around prayer times but this is really a big drawback.

All else are inconveniences and frankly speaking I do not command this income say in UAE due to competition so overall it sort of balances out.

The biggest issue is incompetence and laziness at workplace. This is impossible to manage in this country and if you think UAE, Qatar or Bahrain are bad, you'd have to see this. This is the only thing that is eating my nerves as the management abroad expect results from this highly paid western guy and many have no appreciation how bad things really are here with all red tape and incompetence.

Desert Dubliner

In any case, I would only move to UAE if offered the same income, not on a smaller income as I do not see the inconveniences of KSA bad enough to justify 20% or so drop in income.

britexpat76

Combined with acute liver failure this is one of the only reasons I would ever consider KSA..........I think with family it is more bearable than certainly a single bloke or young couple.

scrubbedexpat141

I'm genuinely not seeing KSA as commanding a great increase. Certainly not 20%.

Companies have the attitude of: "Oh, you're not working? We'll offer you Dubai money for Jeddah, interested? No? OK, we'll find someone who is"

Desert Dubliner

For a western expat, Saudi is NOT the place to come for liver healing.

Desert Dubliner

Perhaps this is the case in construction. I am not seeing this in energy business but I could be wrong.

david999

OK guys, here it is.
My total package in UK is 86k gross.
I stay in the most expensive city in Scotland working in a senior mngt position.
My highest qualification is a B.Sc (Hons) degree through the OU and I have 17 years experience.
I've been offered 100k with housing paid and also car provided.
Aim would be to save minimum 5k per month for the two of us, does this sound feasible?
All in all, I think this is a pretty reasonable offer.
What do you reckon?

TIA
David

Desert Dubliner

Yep.

The only thing you should consider is your wife and what she's gonna be doing all the time. A good compound with good crowd and no issues. Failing that, it is going to be misery for her 8am-8pm while you're at work. And you will work, buddy. That's why they pay us big bucks over here.