petrolhead2015

Hi Expats. We originally from LA, worked in the UK for the six years.
We're currently considering either setting up an operation in Yanbu on the West Cost of Saudi Arabia or on the East Coast near Dahran.

Does anyone have experience of living and working in KSA who can make suggestions for either East or West Cost? The key issues are whether we can recruit a local workforce of technicians, and best place to attract Western ex-pat management and their families to relocate for three to seven year contracts.

Thank you all in advance for sharing your experience and intelligence.

Best
Pet

Sherlock Holmes

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

As you've posted some quite specific questions, I'll move your thread to the Saudi Araba forum where the locals will get to see your thread.

Enjoy B.E.

scot47

Doi you know that you can only do business there in partnership with a Saudi ?

Quackers

You must have a partner who acts as your sponsor and guarantees to pay all your 'creditors' ie. wages, suppliers etc.

You can hire Asians but Westerners require 'Iqama' (resident visa) and you must employ a number of Saudis (not sure how many) for each Iqama. The Saudis will not do any work but they will come and collect their weekly/monthly pay packet.

The easy way for Westerners is a business visa (exit/entry every 30 days) so being near Bahrain/Dubai etc would be a help.

Westerners won't go to Saudi without a big paycheck as there is no fun and as such it's all about the 'money'.

Bahtatboy

Not so. My former company (a UAE company, but whose shares were owned by Europeans) opened and ran a KSA company which they owned 100%. But you need to ensure that the trade licence you can get (and actually get) permits the activities you intend to perform: which could end up meaning that, in practice, you need a Saudi partner. Its vital to ensure that you get good, accurate advice about corporate matters, and even some law firms operating there with foreign partners and apparently good credentials give crap advice.

As to East or West I'm not sure, but getting westerners to sign up--and stay--for 7 years could be a major challenge.

mentalist

My vote would be Dharan, simply because Yanbu is the pits.

scot47

I think the OP - Petrolhead - assumed that you just arrive in KSA and open up for business.

OleJanx

Given the talk of seven year contracts, I don't think the OP has done anywhere near enough research into Saudi Arabia.

scot47

And now he seems to have disappeared - overcome by petrol fumes.

dragonladyoz

perhaps he wrote post while *high* on them ???