subject: Saudi Arabia: Before Relocating For A Job [print this page] The most popular industries where expatriates take up jobs in Saudi Arabia are oil & gas, defense and healthcare besides IT, telecommunications and banking. These sectors employ a huge number of foreign workforce in junior, middle and senior positions. The local talent cannot suffice to fill all these positions hence, trained and qualified expatriates are employed in various positions. Saudis pay high salaries to expatriates and that is the primary reason why so many people move in here despite a drastically different culture and lifestyle that the place offers. Although, the government is taking concerted efforts to prepare locals for the many jobs on offer, there are many skills and job roles that cannot be fulfilled by the locals and foreigners are required.
For those looking to move to Saudi Arabia for jobs, there are a lot of legal formalities and processes to fulfill before making the move. As with relocation to any country, even moving to Saudi Arabia is a huge task in itself. For westerners, the process may be a little cumbersome as it is an Islamic country and requires expatriates to adhere to the rule of the land which is basically centered around the Islamic ideology. Western expatriates take medical shots before moving to Saudi Arabia to avoid any health problems before they settle down. You can contact your local GP for more details on the same and even the embassy would give you details of what medical precautions to take.
Other than this, in the legal process, there are local and national background checks conducted on the expatriates. Usually, the PRO of your new employer will take care of all these things for you but at most points your involvement will be required. You must keep all the paper work in place to avoid any legal complications later. The work permit, the contract drawn with your recruiter, the residency permit for Saudi Arabia, papers for relocation etc should all be in order and you must retain multiple copies of the same.
Also, if you are moving with your family and kids for a job in Saudi Arabia, you would have to gather information on the international schools in the area that you would be located. Considering the number of expatriates working in Saudi, there are many international schools that cater to the children of foreign workers. There are also exclusive social clubs for expatriates and their families. These are good to join for networking and gathering local information. While most of the information is available online, nothing is more reliable that getting to know it from the horses mouth. Before relocating, try to get in touch with someone who is already living in that area and can provide you all the required information.
Initially, you would require some getting used to especially if you come from a very open society. Culture in Saudi Arabia is quite conservative and women do not enjoy much liberty. However, in enclosed spaces, partying and merry-making is allowed for women. Considering the kind of monetary benefits associated with moving to Saudi Arabia, all this adjustment may be well worth it.
