Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Hi all, I’ve just been informed by someone currently in Neom that NC2 is facing major challenges in accommodating new starters, with a possibility being that employees may be put up in hotels in the short term.

Has anyone been in this situation and if so please advise if this had any negative effect on your work experience.

Most importantly, did you have to pay for their services that would have been otherwise free in the communities ie gym, laundry, food etc.

Thanks

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Hi, I am in this situation right now. I was supposed to be in NC2 but lastminute I have been placed in Duba, a small town to the south.
The hotel is nice and offering all sorts of facilities and buffet for free.
Commuting might be an issue though as the shuttle buses leave 6.15 am...

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thanks. I really don’t mind the commute, it’s the possibility of paying for the services and facilities that are free in the NC camps that gave me cause for concern. Someone from the onboarding team had suggested that I might have to pay for the accommodation etc from my relocation allowance.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Crikey! That's showing as a 90-180 min commute one way, to NC1. Three to four hours added to your working day, every day??
IF this is true, and I actually find it unlikely given that commute, you certainly won't have to pay anything for it. Onboarding are clearly clueless on the subject. I would check elsewhere. Ask your HR or business contact to get a proper reply. And do post back here what they say, please. I'm aiming to be out there end of Jan, but a Duba commute would be a deal breaker for me.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

It really is a shambles especially for a high profile project as Neom. I understand the logistics of getting tons of people in at the same time can be challenging, but not a lot of planning has gone into accomodating new staff.

I wasn’t aware of the commute time but I’m currently doing the same here in the UK albeit just once a week. I used to do a 4hr commute a day just before covid so hopefully I’ll cope.

I’ll look into this and report back as soon as I have some definitive answers.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thank you! In my mind, I'm just comparing 3-4 hours a day versus the 5 minutes my boss has from his accommodation in the holy grail that is NC1! Add in the relentless adverse movement of the gbp/sar f/x rate over the past month and ...

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I completely understand and share in your apprehension especially as I wasn’t told about the problems with accommodation a week before I’m due to fly out. And the fluctuating fx doesn’t help either. It was great a month ago.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Urgh ... my onboarder just confirmed that they are using Masra Diba hotel at the moment. No idea how long this will go on for, but they're building more accommodation, hope it won't be too long, blah blah blah.

They did say "Managers/Directors are being encouraged to offer working from home solutions as they understand this is quite a journey."

I'm going to exhaust Netflix pretty quickly with that journey ...

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I start in early January, and have just asked my onboarder who confirmed NC2 for myself, before a move to NC1 when availability.

Not sure why there’s a difference, maybe from the start dates?

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thanks for that. Yes, presumably start dates are key here ... but whether its a case of "the problem is only a couple of weeks and will be solved by early Jan", or "its a big problem and early Jan joiners are getting the last of the NC2 accommodation" is unknown.

Perhaps the former since we know some folk are already in Duba.

No use worrying about something which may or may not happen, I guess. I'll go back to fx rate scanning again!

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Not problem. I’d imagine it won’t be a long term situation as it would trigger people getting very pissed off.

Just keep most in US dollars and transfer bits to Sterling to pay U.K. bills is my plan.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated. I haven’t heard from my onboarder but I’ve sent a chaser email this morning.

If I hear anything contrary to what you’ve been told I’ll let you know.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Hello to all,
I am suppoed to fly to NEOM beginning of January. Papers have taken 7 months to be completed. I amsupposed to be in NC2. I am on my own and my husband is following sometime later during the year. I thought that being alone at this moment could raise my chances of getting accomodation in NC2, but then again, when reading all these messages, it seems I am probably going to end up in some other location!
On another note, my HR isnt responding and I have my visa appointment tomorrow, while I dont even have my exact arrival and flight details. I am exhausted from all this unclear situation and would really appreciate any consolating feedback...a million thanks!

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Have you been allocated an onboarder yet?

They won’t send you flight bookings until you have your visa.

I’m going out in early January. I’ve spoken to my onboarder who’s confirmed NC2. I’ve also spoken to people in Neom who said there is rumours of Duba hotel but they’ve not actually met anyone yet who is in the hotel.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I thought my onboarder is my HR manager, and she is the only person I have been communicating with (other than my manager in line). And thanks for the info about the visa and flight bookings. So it makes no sense for them to request flight details and arrival date on the visa application if one cannot get them before the visa is issued! (strange illogical concept!)

So I hope that I will end up in NC2, as they said...
This entire process is really nerve-wrecking, I cannot wait to be in there!
Do keep me posted please :-)

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

You’ll get an email from an allocated onboarding manager who handles flights and general arrival.

They requested a copy of my visa on my passport before they booked the flight for me.

All fairly straightforward, but the communication between HR and people who are literally uprooting and travelling across the world isn’t particularly good. Certainly not what you’d expect when joining a new business in the U.K.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

What stage are you at with your paperwork because your onboarder should have been in contact with you by now. My contact with the HR person ended once I accepted the offer and that’s when your onboarder gets in touch to take you through the rest of the process.
As far as accommodation is concerned, I was told by my OB that I’ll be placed in Duba as NC2 is full at the moment.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

how will you work from Duba? Is it remote work? Or will you travel 1hr everyday to the main office?

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I have finished my paperwork (all attestation done, after 7 months since the offer came!) and just had my visa appointment last week. I still have to finalize one more item - medical test finger prints, which it seems they were unable to do becuase my right hand doesnt give any prints. So I was requested to get a medical "exemption" letter from my doctor, get it stamped by the local medical authorities and send it per Post next week. Following that, I should be receiving my visa per post.
On another note, and from what I have seen online, DUBA is 1.5hr drive to NC2 and Tabuk 2.5hr, which would be exhausting if ones is to be driven daily back and forth!

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

See the posts above - there's info up there on who can work from home and who has to get the bus each day.

HTH.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Looks like the long commute to the office in the beginning I think.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

You’d probably have to work on the bus also. 🤣

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Might have to pull the old motion sickness gag if they expect that! I've asked my onboarder for an update on the situation, which let's face it is pointless since they're always the second last people to know what's going on! Will let you know if I hear anything of worth.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Eek! I'm going through the visa process now so this is worrying. Deal breaker for me too as a single female I'd need to be in a community and feel safe 😬

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

have you had your onboarding call? I believe they let you know there.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Your onboarder can confirm if you’ve been allocated a cabin. I reached out to mine after reading this thread and they were good enough to confirm I am to be based in NC2 initially.

I also spoke to some people out in Neom who said they’d heard the rumours but hadn’t actually met anyone who was travelling from a hotel in Duba.

It’s definitely a leap for all of us and feeling safe and being able to meet others is certainly necessary. I’m sure Neom realise this and working to resolve any issues.

I’m taking it all as a bit of an adventure, and given the likely economic challenges in the U.K. in the next couple of years it’s definitely a gamble worth taking.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thank you :)

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Yeah I have but that was over a month ago and I'm still waiting for my visa....it's taking an age sadly

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Hello Good people,

I am starting in early Feb the boarding team did not inform me of any updates about the accommodation. The last thing she said was that I will stay at NC2 until they move me to NC1. I have heard that people working on the Torjena project will move to the new Torjena camp, so some places will be vacant at NC1 and NC2.
Any updates from those who are living in Duba?!!

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Is anyone working in Oxagon or joining Oxagon? Are these housing allocation also currently related to Oxagon camp?

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Getting a Saudi visa is a bit of a dark art. No one quite knows how it's done, but one day it appears. Seems pretty standard from everyone I speak to, and includes my own experience. It's a bit like life in Saudi, things happen but never as you expect.

My advice, don't take it very seriously and always view things through a comedic lense here. Otherwise, you may lose it.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Does anyone know when the Trojena accomodation will come on line?

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I heard by Jan 2023

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

New joiner on this thread

I have one question to families that were promised a 1 bedroom cabin once their kids are enrolled to Neom school.

​​​Were these promised honoured and accomodation was provided inline with school enrollment?
I am also in onboarding process and will be travelling with family and was told as long I have school enrollment. But now nearer the time there is no more discussion on accomodation and I don't even know if I am coming alone or with family.

Appreciate if the related people can reply and give their experience

Many thanks

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

What stage are you in in the onboarding? I was told I couldn't bring my family until I get there and get an Iqama first. What process will you be using?

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Dear Expat KSA,

I am already working in KSA. Me and my family all hold an iqama. We will be transferring my iqama to Neom and as family is already under me so their iqama will remain under my sponsorship

I was just wondering if anyone had an issue with accomodation when they brought their family over? I was told I have to get my kids enrolled and that would assist me in getting 1 bedroom but since the enrollment, no discussion on accomodation.

For two bedroom I am told that there is a very long wait.. Could be 6 months or more and there is no guarantee on time

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

2 Bedroom units are at least 12 months away. Not 6.

And that is assuming everyone that is already on the list goes in before you, so could be much, much longer than that im afraid.

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

Thank you for the update... Tbh For two bedroom, I've not even been thinking as the wait is for a year or more (as u mentioned)

I am just worried that the onboarder I totally mentioned to get enrollment for kids and this will help me to get 1 bedroom but so far they don't want to discuss the accomodation until my paperwork is complete. My current apt lease is running out soon and I don't know whether to lease for another year or few months. Hence was asking the group if someone had similar experience related to. School enrollment and housing
Thanks

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

I am due to fly out to Neom later this week and have been told that I will be accommodated in the hotel in Duba until new units at NC2 become available

Has anyone got any first hand experience of this and, if so, how are they finding the facilities (food / laundry etc) at the hotel

Thanks in advance

Re: Accommodation Challenges in Neom (NC2)
 

You will probably be based in Duba Marsa hotel, which is a nice hotel, the food is better than I expected and there are some amenities like gym and a small outdoor pool. The town itself has nothing to offer.
The main issue with living in Duba is the commute. It is at least one and a half hour away, the traffic is chaotic with construction vehicles, trucks etc comprising most of the traffic. Accidents are often and you might end up doing 3 to 5 hours per day, back and forth.
The good news is that there will be many new cabin in NC2 available soon (under construction as we speak).