getting my iqama
#16
Re: getting my iqama
Oh the East Chermans would be proud of the bureaucracy here...and it has to be followed, the rules is the rules.
#17
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Doha
Posts: 320
Re: getting my iqama
It really is all down to your company, I have been in kingdom 4weeks, got my iqama on the wednesday of the 3rd week, turned up for work on the Saturday and was taken by one of our Gov. affairs guys to the driving school and had my drivers licence in 30 minutes. Pocket sr400 lighter.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
#18
Re: getting my iqama
It really is all down to your company, I have been in kingdom 4weeks, got my iqama on the wednesday of the 3rd week, turned up for work on the Saturday and was taken by one of our Gov. affairs guys to the driving school and had my drivers licence in 30 minutes. Pocket sr400 lighter.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
#19
Re: getting my iqama
It really is all down to your company, I have been in kingdom 4weeks, got my iqama on the wednesday of the 3rd week, turned up for work on the Saturday and was taken by one of our Gov. affairs guys to the driving school and had my drivers licence in 30 minutes. Pocket sr400 lighter.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
The system here works well, it is just the people administarting it that cause the problems. If you do not have the support system of your company/sponser then it would be a nightmare.
Good luck.
#22
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Saudi Arabia
Posts: 2
Temporary Work Visa
I'm in Saudi on a temporary work visa valid for 3 months, the plan is to send me home after 3 months to get my permanent visa. I'm now in the probation period.
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
#23
Re: Temporary Work Visa
I'm in Saudi on a temporary work visa valid for 3 months, the plan is to send me home after 3 months to get my permanent visa. I'm now in the probation period.
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
If you leave before the end of the probation, it would be at own expense, but make sure you can get your passport back without a hitch.
Good luck.
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Jubail, KSA
Posts: 41
Re: Temporary Work Visa
I'm also in Saudi on a temporary work visa as many other colleagues here around. I'm on my second week now BUT I have the passport at hand. As such our probabtion period is something of an 'unforeseen situation', an informal agreement between us and the employer that doesn't fall into the Saudi labor law. At least to the best of my knowledge I don't need NOC to leave the country nor does the Saudi law requires so.
Good luck to all, PM if you might need anything
Good luck to all, PM if you might need anything
I'm in Saudi on a temporary work visa valid for 3 months, the plan is to send me home after 3 months to get my permanent visa. I'm now in the probation period.
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
I'm in my 2nd month, but this company is terrible. Can I leave before the probation period on my own expense and return without a NOC and work for another company?
Please advise?
Last edited by function_analysis; Apr 18th 2011 at 5:02 am.
#25
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Saudi Arabia
Posts: 2
Re: Temporary Work Visa
From my understanding, you don't need a letter of no objection ( NOC ) but more of a Certificate. THe Certificate is more generic and a kind of 'To WHom It May Concern' type. THe NOC would *probably* be more specifically addressed to the new employer / sponsor.
If you leave before the end of the probation, it would be at own expense, but make sure you can get your passport back without a hitch.
Good luck.
If you leave before the end of the probation, it would be at own expense, but make sure you can get your passport back without a hitch.
Good luck.
I'm definitely going to leave this company. I hate dishonesty.
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 68
Re: getting my iqama
So I've been here in Riyadh a week and a half, and I need to get my iqama. My (American) employer told us to get 6 passport photos and get a medical exam, and turn both into our boss. They didn't tell us where to get the exam or what to ask for or where we get the paperwork or anything. Can anyone suggest where to go, and how to get there (like, would a taxi know where it's at), do I need to make an appointment, etc? Or are there any other tips/tricks for completing the iqama process? Where should I go to get the passport photos? (yeah, I'm really new here)
Thanks!
Thanks!
In Saudi Arabia all government related applications for Iqama and others must be done through a Saudi PRO. What kind of a company is it that doesn't have a PRO or an HR Department to process such applications
It is the prime responsibility of the Sponsor / Manager to fix these things for you
#27
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47
Re: getting my iqama
What a nightmare.
In Saudi Arabia all government related applications for Iqama and others must be done through a Saudi PRO. What kind of a company is it that doesn't have a PRO or an HR Department to process such applications
It is the prime responsibility of the Sponsor / Manager to fix these things for you
In Saudi Arabia all government related applications for Iqama and others must be done through a Saudi PRO. What kind of a company is it that doesn't have a PRO or an HR Department to process such applications
It is the prime responsibility of the Sponsor / Manager to fix these things for you
What to take away from this: do your research before coming here. Check out the company. Know exactly what promises you can count on and how they will be implemented and in what time frame. If you don't take precautions, you're setting yourself up to be abused without recourse (other than by incurring significant financial loss by the waste of time and money trying to leave when your company basically won't let you).
#28
Re: getting my iqama
The phrase "white-collar trafficking" has been thrown around.
..., you're setting yourself up to be abused without recourse (other than by incurring significant financial loss by the waste of time and money trying to leave when your company basically won't let you).
Yes. And another thing: The level of management expertise and business competence here is astonishingly poor. No clue of any form of Business Management and they mostly behave towards foreigners as they did serfs 300 years ago. They believe we are all here because we are so desperate and so will tolerate the same abuse as our Asian counterparts.
The corruption is also amazing.
I take it month-by-month depending on getting (always late) last month's wage.
The best way to be here is still as part of a foreign company.
..., you're setting yourself up to be abused without recourse (other than by incurring significant financial loss by the waste of time and money trying to leave when your company basically won't let you).
Yes. And another thing: The level of management expertise and business competence here is astonishingly poor. No clue of any form of Business Management and they mostly behave towards foreigners as they did serfs 300 years ago. They believe we are all here because we are so desperate and so will tolerate the same abuse as our Asian counterparts.
The corruption is also amazing.
I take it month-by-month depending on getting (always late) last month's wage.
The best way to be here is still as part of a foreign company.
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 68
Re: getting my iqama
I made this thread back in October. I'm still here, somehow, but our unbelievably awful company is in a world of trouble. They have a huge lawsuit, they're losing their contract and hemorrhaging money left and right, UNESCO and human rights organizations are investigating, etc etc. The phrase "white-collar trafficking" has been thrown around. The iqama issue was the tip of the iceberg for us. Unfortunately, from what I've read and heard, this isn't all that uncommon in Saudi Arabia. Our company was just extra incompetent on top of being deceitful.
What to take away from this: do your research before coming here. Check out the company. Know exactly what promises you can count on and how they will be implemented and in what time frame. If you don't take precautions, you're setting yourself up to be abused without recourse (other than by incurring significant financial loss by the waste of time and money trying to leave when your company basically won't let you).
What to take away from this: do your research before coming here. Check out the company. Know exactly what promises you can count on and how they will be implemented and in what time frame. If you don't take precautions, you're setting yourself up to be abused without recourse (other than by incurring significant financial loss by the waste of time and money trying to leave when your company basically won't let you).
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 162
Re: getting my iqama
I would be careful in choosing to work directly for a Saudi company. I would seek separate recommendations from existing ex-pat employees that could attest to the integrity of that company.
Unfortunately the whole Sponsor & Igama system can be abused here, and often is.
Do your homework before comitting to a position here. Western companies operating in the Kingdom are normally OK. Many local companies can also be good employers. However, if you get in with a bad one, you will find yourself in a very difficult situation.
Unfortunately the whole Sponsor & Igama system can be abused here, and often is.
Do your homework before comitting to a position here. Western companies operating in the Kingdom are normally OK. Many local companies can also be good employers. However, if you get in with a bad one, you will find yourself in a very difficult situation.