Grounded7

Hi Mahesh,

I’m in the exact situation and it really is extremely stressful and frustrating. They’ve offered me NC2 (initially was told 1 bed in NC1), with a move to NC1 1bed (was told 2 bed) when my family moves in Sept at the beginning of school term. The place in NC1 is dependent on school enrollment.

I find it strange that the school can’t confirm availability atm, especially as your accommodation will not be confirmed until a place in the school has been allocated. And how could one make a decision to relocate to another country based on such uncertainty!!

I understand there’s an enrollment process, but it’s one school for people based in a single location. If they’re struggling to find an equation to address this simple problem, I’m struggling to see how Neom’s main objectives will be realised in their proposed timescales.

I was supposed to kick off my degree attestation process now to join by late March but have paused for more clarity. However it seems like I’ve exhausted all avenue for more information - no one seems to have any kind of certainty. They keep using Covid/start up as an excuse, but I just feel it’s incompetence more than anything.

Anyway please do share if you receive any further info on school/accommodation. Thanks!

mm23

Hi Grounded7 ,
Agree with what you have said. The school moves in a different pace, saying that the enrolment for 2022 doesnt start till end of January or Feb, but Onboarding want to move at a faster pace and is asking me to resign and start the attestation/ visa process. It is very frustrating and adds to the overall anxiety. On top of this, I was told that I probably can only come for a week in July to help the family pack up and relocate. I think this is unreasonable to expect my wife to handle most of it, especially, when we have to sell everything, rent the house, organise the dog to be transported, manage the emotions of two kids who are leaving their friends behind...

Regarding the housing, the Onboarding rep told me that they have placed me in the accomodation queue (not sure how true this is as I was told previosuly that I have to enrol the kids first). It is NC2 until the family joins, I have been told.

I have spoken to couple of families who live there currently, and they all have only positive things to say about the community. This gives me hope. The only consistent negative (not really, in my view) is that the work is full on and can get beyond hectic. The fact that the office and camp are co located, blurs the line between work and life.

They are having issues like any other start up, but I really wish that they had started the camp construction before anything else. If not how are they going to attract and retain talent. I have heard relocatoin stories with other employers in KSA, and they seem a lot more organised. Anyway, lets see what happens. I am hoping it all gets sorted out.

Grounded7

Hope so too. I haven’t heard much over the last few weeks as most have been away for xmas. You said they’re only allowing you to be away for a week in July. Could you expand on it a bit more? If you have annual leave remaining, what exactly is their issue (barring significant work impact)?

I’ve already got a few things planned over the summer. I was hoping to join Neom sooner to avoid taking time off within the first couple of months of joining, but their own timescales have exacerbated this issue so in no mood to be dictated when I can/can’t take leave unless it’s for a very obvious reason.

mm23

Leave is dependent on the team you work with and your work load, is what I have been told.

Codger81

Does anyone know if the Riyadh airport lounges (T1 or T2) are 24hr? I see contradictory information, but I believe they are based on the airport website.

Also, whether the showers are working too?

mm23

Hi everyone,

I just heard from someone that they have started charging 4000SAR per month rent for family housing? Anyone know about this?

Makes me wonder if they will start charging for food in the future as well?

Codger81

Charging, as in costed in the compensation package?

Legal practice in the Gulf requires packages be broken up between basic pay, accomodation/board, and transport. So it's part of the offer, but you receive the benefit, not the cash.

mm23

Agree, but I was told that onsite accommodation will be free and the allowance is for us to keep if we use company housing. So bit contradictory to the contract

Codger81

Don't believe I was told that. Cash in lieu if not using the provided option, is how I've always seen it.

Sounds like miscommunication, but you'll find out.

Grounded7

I was told about the 4000 SAR charge back in July. It’s got nothing to do with the salary. It’s an additional charge that you need to pay per month for a 2 bed unit.

For me, the more shocking news was that the change in eligibility criteria for 2 bed units ie. 2+ children enrolled in school.

nonthaburi

Well now you know who you're working for.

Treat this as a good guide as to how things will be in the future.

A couple of years ago I posted about the myriad of possible problems to expect working in Neom, accommodation, visas, family life, schooling, transport being some of the issues I raised.

I seem to remember being criticized by some posters because the company has said this, has said that blah blah blah
It's a start-up in the middle of nowhere. Why on earth would people expect this to be well run and organized, with people knowing what they're doing. They can't manage that in Riyadh or Jeddah so why would Neom be any different.

Never underestimate the SAF!

I think people new to the region need to be more realistic in their expectations.

Trailing_Hubby

And here we are a couple of years later with about 1500 people on the ground, 170+ kids in school, ongoing camp expansion and an airport just down the road. It’s not for everyone, but there are far worse places to be.

From what I heard they never started charging for the family cabins.

ZeroCool_HTP

Do most people get their own company car or how are cars assigned? Or do people lease their own vehicles?

Fuzzy0wuzzy

So, I thought basic accomodations is covered but you can pay additional 4k sar for an upgraded villa accomodations?

Saff_Parker

Hmm that’s not how it currently is.
I live in a 2-bed family cabin.
Monthly rent is 4k SAR which, as far as I know, we haven’t yet been charged and have been living in it for 3 months. Think they intend to begin charging very soon.