remedy451

Hi there,

I've been offered a contract IT position with Saudi Aramco in Dhahran at an annual salary of $126,000US with ALL expenses to be paid by ME. I have the following questions with respect to this offer:

1. Is this a reasonable salary considering that I will be relocating to Bahrain with my wife and two-year old son?

2. What are other IT professionals getting over there as well as what expenses are being covered for them?

3. What can I negotiate?

4. Does anyone have experience with a JVC contract and if so which company did you go through?

Thanks in advance!

Jammy_Dodgers

I was in Riyadh, so its a different Kettle of fish.
Basically I was there as a TDA (Technical Design authority) for STC whilst they were undergoing a Disaster Recovery and Business continuity excercise.

Wages were around 700 quid a day plus bonus etc.
HOWEVER.. that was working for one of the big 5, who could not get their permie staff out there for love nor money.
Lots of people are leaving Saudi, Id haggle for accom and car allowance..

Frans Wind

Hi Remedy451,

As for the salary I can't make any remarks as I'm not an IT specialist, but the package? For Aramco norms is shit. I would for sure atleast ask for:

1. Company house & Car (Which is rather normal in Saudi)
2. Medical insurance (You and if applicable, your family as well)
3. Ticket refund (coming into Saudi)
4. A multiple exit / re-entry visa and the right to keep your own pasport with you
5. Atleast 30 days paid vacation per 12 months (Including the return ticket(s))

Are you sure this is ARAMCO? I've never heard of such a shitty package.

Frans

Jammy_Dodgers

Must admit, even if they dont pay the highest base salary..they normally chuck in everything else.

remedy451

Thanks for the replies thus far. This is a contract with Aramco - coming through a contracting company. So it is not Aramco providing anything (or lack thereof) its the contracting company.

Frans Wind

Hi Remedy,

In that case I would re-think the idea if I was you. Even a contracting company should know that the package offered is poor to say it mildly. Why? If all other expences are on your account? 50 to 70% of you salary (easily) is lost within Saudi Arabia / Bahrain. If it was offered to me I would refuse the offer. Your "contracting company" isn't skimming the milk, it's leaving you with a glas of water.

Frans

Frans Wind

I've seen this happen in the past so many times Remedy. I mean "Contracting Companies" going into the what I call "Greedy Mode". They get offered a total amount Aramco is willing to spend on an employee. Meaning including housing, transportation, medical insurances and tickets from and to the Middle East. What these "Contracting Companies" then do? Is strip everything to a bare minimum thereby increasing their own profits made on you.

US$ 126K might sound nice but you will then end up with peanuts, esspecially if you (also) decide to live in Bahrain which is an expensive country to live in. And? Has Aramco aproved the fact you will be living in Bahrain? If not? I would for sure have this matter settled even before stepping on a plane. And, are you paid in US Dollars, or Saudi Arabian Riyals? With a weak US Dollar (if you're not American ofcourse) you might want to negotiate a better exchange deal as well.

Frans

Truth Speak

aramco will be paying the contractor over twice this.....working 4 them is something else.....hassle...hassle and more hssle.......ask for 200k which looks about right

TS