Work in Saudi Arabia. Life, problems, work in Saudi Arabia without embellishment Saudi Arabia manager job

Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most closed countries in the world. For example, tourists began to be allowed into this country only in April 2018, when the Kingdom began issuing tourist visas. But this state is one of the world leaders in the extraction of “black gold”, and therefore it cannot but be of interest to potential migrants, including from Russia.

Let's get to know each other better: Saudi Arabia

There are few countries in the modern world that are so closed and mysterious. In the traveler’s imagination, the endless sands of the Arabian desert, tens of thousands of believers making the Hajj to Mecca, a forest of oil rigs, fabulously rich Arab sheikhs immediately appear... And such fantasies are not far from the truth. All this is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia (السعودية - Arabic) occupies most of the territory of the Arabian Peninsula (area 2,149,690 km², 12th largest in the world). It is an absolute theocratic monarchy. This means that the head of the state is a king, who has concentrated state and religious power in his hands. There is no parliament and there can be no talk of any democratic foundations.

On the territory of Saudi Arabia there are two sacred cities for every Muslim - Mecca and Medina. The official state religion is Sunni Islam. A characteristic feature of Saudi Arabia is the enormous influence of religious traditions not only on the local way of life, but also on its legal sphere. Saudi Arabia's legislation is largely based on Sharia principles. Russians who are planning to move to this country need to understand that the influence of Islam even affects the immigration process. For example, you must provide a certificate of your religion. Living in Saudi Arabia is not easy for immigrants who do not practice Islam. It is necessary to thoroughly study the foundations and traditions of the local society. The attitude towards non-believers in the Kingdom is tolerant at the official level, but in practice Everyday life indigenous residents of Saudi Arabia are trying to show their religious superiority over visiting Christians. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering many places, and there are also restrictions on holding certain positions. A person who does not profess Islam has no right to hold public office or serve in the police or other law enforcement agencies of the country. There is also a restriction on holding positions in companies engaged in knowledge-intensive production. Foreign specialists are invited to them, as a rule, as consultants.

Medina is a holy city for every Muslim

Despite all of the above, Saudi Arabia is of great interest in terms of immigration. First of all, because it is a state in whose depths colossal oil deposits have been discovered (25% of the world's reserves). Saudi Arabia is in second place in the world in terms of oil production and export volumes (more than 550 million tons per year), second only to Russia. The share of oil is 96.8% of total exports, accounting for 75% of the Kingdom's treasury revenues.

GDP per capita is 55,260 thousand US dollars (2017). The country's population itself is slightly more than 31 million inhabitants.

Russians in Saudi Arabia

Today no one knows the exact number of Russians in Saudi Arabia. Experts believe that their number is approximately 95 thousand. The majority are employed in the mining of “black gold”; about 20% of the total number of Russians in the Kingdom are Russian wives of the indigenous inhabitants of Saudi Arabia (as this state is called by its citizens and residents of neighboring countries).

Most Russians live in the country's big cities. Saudi Arabia generally has a high level of urbanization - 87% of the population lives in cities. This is largely due to the unfavorable natural conditions of the Arabian Peninsula, where the heat in the shade often exceeds 50 degrees and fresh water supplies are minimal. Arabian cities have a relatively developed infrastructure, there are no water shortages, and for every Arabian there are two air conditioners (according to statistics).

Oil is the main wealth of Saudi Arabia

The government of Saudi Arabia announced the “Quality of Life 2020” program in 2018. As part of this program, $34.6 billion is allocated from the royal treasury to improve living standards. These colossal funds are expected to be spent on the development of the educational system, healthcare, sports and entertainment. The program also involves the creation of 300 thousand new jobs.

In general, the Saudis are not very hard-working people, I would even say that they are not hard-working at all. To tell the truth, they are lazy. The phrase “If someone can do it, let him do it!” reflects their attitude to work well. They will definitely promise to do everything tomorrow, but... The phrase “inshaala bokra” is heard in Arabic more often than others, meaning “if Allah allows, then tomorrow.” But it seems that Allah often does not allow it, so if they tell you “tomorrow”, then it is at least a week from now, but you should not delude yourself, it can also mean NEVER. You just need to get used to it. I don’t speak for all Saudis; perhaps there are some who are hard-working and responsible, but I haven’t met them yet. Although no, one can still be set as an example for others.

lovinsaudi

https://bigpicture.ru/?p=798005

Advantages and Disadvantages of Immigration to Saudi Arabia

Immigration to Saudi Arabia cannot be treated unequivocally. If, for example, immigration to Germany clearly has more positive aspects, then when moving to the Arabian Kingdom there are many both positive and negative aspects. Here are the main advantages of immigration to Saudi Arabia:

• the possibility of employment at enterprises in the oil production and oil refining industries with high wages and relatively comfortable working conditions;
• for Russians who profess Islam, moving to Saudi Arabia is not associated with mental and cultural problems;
• there is practically no crime in the country;
• Saudi Arabia provides ample opportunities for foreign investors and businessmen, so investing in the economy of this country and opening a business on its territory is a promising direction for representatives of the business community of the Russian Federation;
• life in this country is much cheaper than, for example, life in the countries of the European Union.

Along with these advantages, one cannot ignore the disadvantages. It is possible that for some immigrants they will not be relevant. But you can still list several factors that clearly do not belong to the advantages. Among them:

• external closedness of the country;
• censorship and lack of democracy;
• Saudi Arabia has a very strict immigration policy;
• the laws of Saudi Arabia are based on Sharia, so it is very difficult for a Russian person to understand local legislation;
• women in Saudi Arabia have virtually no rights;
• the Arabian Peninsula has a very hot climate, so people suffering from cardiovascular diseases are not recommended to move to Saudi Arabia;
• The foundations of Saudi society are based on Islamic traditions, so it is often difficult for the average Russian immigrant to understand and accept them. Failure to comply with local laws and traditions can lead to disastrous consequences, ranging from imprisonment to deportation from the country;
• It is extremely difficult for a Russian immigrant to obtain Saudi citizenship if he is not a Muslim.

But for people with an adventurous temperament, Saudi Arabia is simply a storehouse of opportunities and a sea of ​​discoveries. In this case, it is worth mentioning the rich history of the country. Traveling through Arabian cities, visiting monuments of Arab culture, you can plunge headlong into the fabulous world of the East, which will leave few people indifferent.

A friend of mine married a Saudi Arabian many years ago. Immediately after graduation, the couple moved to their husband’s homeland. Many years later, we found ourselves on the World Wide Web, and my former classmate shared her experience of living in a distant Arabian country on Skype. It turns out that Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are prohibited from driving cars, motorcycles and other vehicles. The reason for this was the statement of Saudi doctors that driving a car affects the woman’s pelvic organs and deviations are possible during the birth of a child. Saudi scientists, in turn, argue that driving a car by representatives of the fair half of humanity can violate the moral principles of local society and give rise to prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce. This is exactly the formulation given. Nevertheless, Saudi women have been fighting for the right to drive in recent years, petitioning the king and the government. A Saudi woman cannot walk the streets unaccompanied. The accompanying person should only be a male relative. Five years ago, Saudi women gained the right to have passports; before that, this was not provided for by local law. The woman was initially entered into her father’s passport, then she was entered into a similar document of her husband. When traveling abroad, a local woman must provide written permission from a parent or spouse. You can only go outside the house wearing a black abaya. No other clothing is provided. The face must be covered with naqab. In some cases, it is allowed to walk with an open face, but hair must be covered with a black scarf. Girls under 12 years of age are exempt from these rules.

Main methods of immigration to Saudi Arabia from Russia

In 2018, there are a fairly limited number of options for moving from Russia to Saudi Arabia. This is explained primarily by the country’s strict immigration laws and its closedness from the outside world. But today the Kingdom’s authorities are announcing changes in immigration policy in the near future, providing for its liberalization. We list the main methods of moving to this country available to Russians.

Marriage to a Saudi citizen

The opportunity to immigrate to Saudi Arabia upon marriage is real. As a rule, in this case we are talking about Russian women. Muslims have the right to marry a representative of another faith, but subsequently, already in the status of an official wife, she must convert to Islam. The marriage must be concluded according to local laws, so the marriage certificate, if it was concluded outside the borders of Saudi Arabia, will need to be legalized.

After marriage, the spouse turns to the immigration authorities of the Kingdom with a request to immediately issue a permanent residence permit. When submitting documents, the spouse's written consent to this procedure is required. A permanent residence permit is issued in this case for a period of five years. After this period, you can apply for citizenship. Many Russian wives of Saudi citizens are in no hurry to accept citizenship of the Kingdom, living as its permanent residents. Both when obtaining permanent resident status and when acquiring citizenship, the husband’s written consent and a positive reference from the local community, signed by the rector of the Islamic temple around which this community is formed from among its parishioners, are required.

Video: prohibitions for women in Saudi Arabia

Education

You can also immigrate to Saudi Arabia while studying. It should be said that there are several technical and humanities universities in this country. But the education they offer is of high quality and prestigious can only be called a stretch. But the religious higher educational institutions of Saudi Arabia are famous throughout the Islamic world. Studying there, on the contrary, is very prestigious and provides the opportunity for further career growth, not to mention the possibility of legalization in the Kingdom itself. Examples include the Islamic University of Medina, the Imam University in the capital city of Riyadh, and Al-Qasim University.

The duration of studies in religious higher educational institutions varies from three to seven years.

You can enroll in a higher education institution remotely or in person while staying in Saudi Arabia, for example, on a tourist visa. Initially, the student receives an appropriate student visa, then applies to the immigration authorities with a request for a residence permit. Initially, a residence permit is issued for a year, then, at the request of the administration of a religious educational institution, it is extended until the end of the course of study. After five years of being in the country as a temporary resident, a foreign student has the right to request permanent residence. In the future, he has the opportunity to become a subject of His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The Saudis themselves prefer to send their children to study at foreign higher education institutions, in addition to receiving a local higher education prestigious.

The religious higher educational institutions of Saudi Arabia are famous throughout the Islamic world

Immigration for employment

Moving to Saudi Arabia for work can easily be considered one of the realistic methods of settling in this country. Subspecialty specialists are in demand in the Kingdom. This is not to say that foreigners are welcomed with open arms. Getting a foreign labor migrant to work involves many bureaucratic procedures. Issuing an invitation to work and official permission for a foreign specialist lies on the shoulders of the receiving party. The employer pays all costs associated with obtaining a visa and airfare for his future employee. In addition, in Saudi Arabia there is a poverty tax, the proceeds of which go to material support for low-income residents. In this way, the filling of vacancies for local residents is compensated. Employers are required by law to provide housing to foreign workers at their own expense or to compensate for their rent.

It takes a long time to complete all the necessary documents. A work contract must be signed with a foreign labor migrant, which must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the employer must provide written guarantee for the foreign citizen being hired.

A foreign specialist moves to Saudi Arabia on a work visa. According to it, you can stay and work in this country for a year, during which you must obtain a residence permit. Temporary resident status is initially granted for a year, then it can be extended for another five years.

The most common vacancies in Saudi Arabia are:

• specialists in the field of oil production and refining:
• specialists of all levels in the field of medicine;
• teachers of English, French and Spanish;
• software developers;
• pilots, flight engineers, air traffic controllers;
• banking specialists.

Immigration when investing

The favorable investment climate created by the Saudi government, as well as the inexhaustible reserves of oil in its depths, attract many foreign investors. Representatives of Russian capital are no exception in this case.

The Russian investor must obtain approval from the country's General Investment Authority. Not provided for at the legislative level minimum threshold investments. By default, investment projects starting from $300 thousand are considered. Each investor undergoes an interview and approval of the project in the specified Department. Initially, an investment application is submitted remotely. The first interview with the investor is also conducted online. If approved, he will be granted an investor visa. The next interview takes place directly on the territory of Saudi Arabia. An investor visa is issued for a period of one year; during this period, you can obtain a residence permit, which will initially be valid for two years. After a two-year period, the performance of investments in the Saudi economy will be assessed. If the result is positive, the above department will apply for an extension of the residence permit for the foreign investor, which is possible in this case for the next five years. After this period, the foreign investor has the right to apply for permanent residence.

The country's currency is the Saudi riyal.

1 Saudi riyal is equal to 0.27 US dollars.

The most attractive sectors of the Saudi economy for foreign investors are:

• oil production and oil refining;
• banking;
• IT technologies;
• telecommunications.

Business immigration

Business immigration to Saudi Arabia is also closely related to investment activities. In this country, you can register your own enterprise or purchase a stake in an existing business. In this case, the foreign co-owner must own at least 33% of the company’s shares. The review of business plans of foreign entrepreneurs is carried out by the same General Investment Directorate, which is responsible for attracting foreign capital and controls the opening and running of business by foreign entrepreneurs. A businessman with foreign citizenship can initially obtain a commercial visa, on the basis of which a residence permit is requested for a period of up to one year. If you comply with all the rules for doing business, your residence permit can be extended for another five years.

Members of their families also have the right to move to Saudi Arabia along with investors and businessmen.

Almost every family has a servant. But again, this is a necessity, not a luxury. For example, you can’t go anywhere without a driver. As I said, there is no public transport. Not every Muslim husband will let his wife go with taxi drivers, so you need your own, proven one. There are many children in families, so a maid is hired to look after the children and the house. Housekeeping services are quite cheap. For example, the salary of a maid who works 24 hours a day is $1000–1500.

Ksenia Ivanova

https://www.gazeta.ru/lifestyle/style/2017/01/a_10476539.shtml

Main stages of immigration to Saudi Arabia

The main steps when immigrating to Saudi Arabia are:

• visa opening;
• obtaining a residence permit;
• obtaining permanent residence;
• entry into citizenship.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Visa

Visas to the Kingdom are as follows:

• workers;
• investor;
• commercial;
• student;
• family;
• tourist;
• pilgrims;
• transit.

Every Russian who wants to immigrate to Saudi Arabia must first apply for an entry permit to this country. To do this, you can visit the Kingdom Embassy in Moscow or a visa center in another region of the country, first finding out on the embassy’s website which visa centers issue entry permits and where they are located.

A visa is issued at the embassy within two weeks, and at the visa center - about a week longer. The cost of registration varies and depends on the type. For example, the price will range from $14 for a work visa to $134 for investors.

The first step on the immigration path is to obtain a Saudi visa.

Resident card

Based on the visa, a residence permit is requested. To do this, you should already contact its immigration service in Saudi Arabia with a package of documents. You must apply during the validity period of your visa. The conditions and deadlines are different for different categories of applicants. As a rule, a residence permit is initially valid for one or two years. After this, it must be extended. Extension usually occurs for five years or a shorter period (at the request of the applicant).

The state fee for the initial receipt of a residence permit will be 155 US dollars. Extending your status will cost almost half as much.

Permanent residence

Permanent residence can only be obtained if there are compelling reasons. The status becomes available after five years of residence in the country with a residence permit. It is important to know that a temporary resident must not be absent from Saudi Arabia for more than six months in a row during the period of validity of the residence permit.

When obtaining permanent residence you will need to pass certain tests. They are somewhat different for Muslims and representatives of other religions. It is easier for Muslims to pass the tests, since many questions relate to the traditional foundations of Islamic society. These tests are considered integration; a foreigner must be well versed in national traditions.

There is no need to take an Arabic language test when obtaining permanent resident status. It is enough to speak English. By the way, you can also pass an integration test on it. If the applicant speaks Arabic, this will be an undeniable advantage for him. When obtaining permanent residence, the state fee will be $175.

Video: Documentary about Saudi Arabia

Citizenship

Obtaining Saudi Arabian citizenship is extremely difficult. It becomes officially available after five years of permanent residence in the Kingdom. During the five-year period, the holder of permanent residence must not leave Saudi Arabia for a period of more than six months in total. As you can see, the residency requirement consists of 5 years with a residence permit, then 5 years with permanent residence. And that turns out to be 10 years. Only foreign spouses of Arabians are entitled to a shortened period of obtaining citizenship (5 years).

Citizenship can be granted individually by the king for special services to his country. In this case, no additional conditions will be required.

Obtaining Saudi Arabian citizenship is also difficult because the applicant must score a certain number of points. For example, to obtain citizenship, the foreign spouse of an Arabian must be married for five years and give birth to a child (in total - 23 points). A male foreigner applying for citizenship of the Kingdom must score a minimum of 23 points out of a possible 33. Compliance with the residence requirement for 10 years ultimately gives 10 points. The rest relate to the professional activity of the applicant. For example, higher medical or engineering education corresponds to 13 points. It turns out that after living in Saudi Arabia for 10 years and having the appropriate education, you can become a citizen. If the citizenship applicant has a higher education in the humanities, then he will be awarded only 10 points. And he won't have enough " passing score" But at the same time, those with a doctorate degree are awarded an additional 8 points, masters - 5 points.

The accrual system is very complex, it includes family ties with citizens of the Kingdom, religion, knowledge of the Arabic language, and much more. We only gave general concept about this process.

In Saudi Arabia, dual citizenship is prohibited for everyone. However, there is no state fee for obtaining Saudi citizenship.

Someone there wanted to go to Saudi Arabia... And there they just granted women the right to vote. And before that, it was as if they weren’t people at all, apparently. Now women there will be able to vote in municipal elections, as well as stand as candidates. Also, women, according to the king, will be able to be appointed to the Consultative Council (Majlis al-Shura), an advisory body under the king. The members of this council are appointed by the King of Saudi Arabia, and the current composition of the council is only men.

https://rabotatam.ru/topic/4190-%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BD%D1%8C-%D0%B8-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1 %D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA %D0%BE%D0%B9-%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B8/

Documents for obtaining resident status

When obtaining resident status, you will need to provide the following documents:

• foreign passport with visa;
• 3 photographs 3.5*4.5 cm, can be black and white;
• certificate of religion. This document must be obtained from your church, translated into Arabic or English and then certified by a notary. It would seem that in this case one could resort to falsification, but for the Arabians faith is sacred and they cannot even imagine that in this situation it is possible to deceive the Almighty and the immigration officers;
• certificate of absence of AIDS and tuberculosis;
• certificate of no criminal record;
• a bank account statement showing the flow of funds for six months;
• the basis for requesting status (work contract, invitation from a university, marriage certificate with an Arabian, and so on);
• a receipt for payment of all administration fees.

When obtaining a residence permit, documents can be submitted in English or directly in Arabic. Copies are certified by a notary.

A certificate of no criminal record is included in the list of documents for obtaining resident status

Where to contact

The Special Police Department for Immigration Affairs handles all immigration paperwork. Its representative offices operate in all large and small cities of the country.

When obtaining a residence permit, you will need to undergo a fingerprint procedure. As a rule, fingerprints are taken using modern equipment at the offices of the police immigration department.

How long will you have to wait

You will have to wait no more than two weeks for a residence permit; with permanent residence it is somewhat more complicated. You'll have to be patient for a month. But you will have to wait up to six months for a Saudi passport.

What to do if refused

The Saudi Arabian authorities may well refuse to issue a residence permit. The most unpleasant thing is that if you refuse, they may not even voice the reason. The applicant has two working weeks to file an appeal with the immigration office. This may be successful if the authorities have misinterpreted any of the applicant's documents or personal situation.

If the appeal is rejected, you can go to court. But the process is unlikely to be won. The hearing will be conducted in Arabic and according to local laws. Therefore, the appellant will, at a minimum, need the assistance of an interpreter and an immigration lawyer.

Most often, applications are denied due to the potential threat to the national security of the Kingdom that the applicant may pose, or due to an incorrectly prepared package of documents. If in the case, for example, with European countries, the reason for the refusal is usually clear, as are the further actions of the applicant, then in Saudi Arabia they can refuse even without sufficient grounds. For example, the reason could even be an anti-Islamic statement on social networks...

The fact is that in the Kingdom (as in all six oil-producing countries of the Arabian Peninsula) taxes are not levied on citizens. Both native residents and migrants (!) - this is the principled position of the authorities, resulting from Islamic ethics. To collect taxes from subjects is to exploit them. The Saudi monarchy does not agree with this. Neither native citizens nor migrants pay income tax (in Germany, for example, such tax ranges from 8.95% to 28%, and in Australia - 19 - 54%), value added tax (VAT) applies only to cigarettes and energy drinks.

Evgeniy Zelenev

https://www.fontanka.ru/2016/04/22/087/

What should illegal immigrants fear?

Illegal migration from Russia to Saudi Arabia is very rare. This is difficult to do due to the strictness of local laws, and also because an illegal alien will be immediately “surrendered” to the police by the local population. Arabians are very scrupulous about observing laws and are sure to inform the authorities about an illegal migrant.

The punishment will definitely be deportation. You will also have to pay a fine of about $300. In the future, a ban on visiting the Kingdom will be imposed for at least five years. Although even after its expiration it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain a Saudi visa.

To immigrate to Saudi Arabia, you must fully meet the criteria of this country. Despite all the difficulties, moving to sunny Arabia will open up new horizons in life, from employment to knowledge of the wonderful world of the Arab East.

Saksan (Saudi Arabia)

I wasn't very enthusiastic when
husband persistently sought work in Saudi Arabia,
and came here with great caution

I was not very enthusiastic when my husband persistently sought a job in Saudi Arabia, where he had already worked before. And I came here with great fear. But I liked the country. The cities are clean, modern (except for the central, older part) with wonderful glass and concrete office buildings and amazing elegant architecture.

Residential buildings- these are either luxurious mansions behind high walls from cottages to palaces, where Saudis mainly live, or 2-4-story buildings in the center - with small, blind, always dirty windows, hung with rags or covered with plywood, something like dormitories for “guest workers”, of whom there are countless here.

On the wide avenues there are many flowers, palm trees and topiary trees - this is when a tree or bush is given all sorts of shapes by constant pruning. Wherever we go, along the roads, for hundreds of kilometers, there are neatly trimmed trees everywhere. However, it is very rare to see a garden in large, rich mansion houses. Usually a very large house is built and surrounded by a high stone fence, leaving no free space inside for at least a couple of trees. Perhaps this is why local residents love to relax on the lawns of parks or on the beach by the sea (but no one ever swims), and have picnics with barbecues. They also like to go out into the desert with tents, claiming that 100 years ago everyone was nomadic Bedouin.

Almost all foreigners, employees of foreign companies, live in compounds . These are something like military towns behind fortified concrete walls with barbed wire, checkpoints and barriers, stationary machine guns and paramilitary guards. Such measures were taken after the terrorist attacks that took place five years ago. Inside the compounds there are from a dozen to hundreds of villas, cottages and apartments, schools, kindergartens, shops, restaurants, swimming pools, sports complexes, hotels, etc. Women in the compound can feel absolutely free and dress as they please, in a Western style.

Disadvantages for a woman outside the compound are that she cannot drive a car and must wear a long-sleeved, toe-length black cassock called an abaya. . In Riyadh, the rules are stricter, where a woman is required to cover her head with a black scarf, but in Al-Khobar I know those who, having lived here for ten years, have never even had a headscarf or scarf on their head.

In the city center you can sometimes meet a mutawa - a religious policeman who will tell you that you should cover your head . But I have not heard of him applying any sanctions to European, Indian or Filipino women. All women here wear an abaya - a seemingly standard black dress that hides their curves. However, one can only be amazed at the decoration of the abaya, all kinds of braids, lace, rhinestones. Some are simply works of art. Arab women also cover their faces with a black mask called the niqab. Regarding the coolness of the abaya and niqab: if you are sufficiently tanned in the local sun and there is no danger of burning your delicate skin, then of course, the abaya and headscarf are a burden. But if you haven’t sunbathed, then it’s better not to take risks and such clothes will be a salvation. And the niqab is a kind of respirator during dust and sand storms, which are very common here.

There is no public transport at all . A woman has no right to ride in a car with a man who is not a relative. But she can take a taxi. Compounds usually have their own buses that take children to school and then take women shopping. As a rule, these are large supermarkets and shopping malls with stores of famous companies that are found absolutely everywhere in Europe and America.

Many non-local women who have lived in KSA for years do not know the city at all, do not have their bearings, and see life only from the window of a bus or car , which delivers them to the doors of the stores and picks them up from them. In my opinion, they have simply created their own mental prison and are ready to shy away from their own shadow and scare each other with horror stories.

Personally, I don't see any problem respecting local laws and traditions , not to wave my non-Oriental mentality like a flag, to behave and even dress like a local woman, which gives me the opportunity to feel completely calm even in those neighborhoods where Europeans never visit. I put a scarf on my head, a niqab on my face so as not to attract attention to myself, and explore different areas on foot. These include shopping areas with many shops and small shops, as well as “dormitory” areas. And no one ever bothered me during multi-kilometer hikes. Although I am not frivolous and not at all careless, having experience in “hot spots”...

On the surface, it appears that Saudis are outnumbered in percentage terms by foreigners, especially those from India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Arabs from Yemen, Aden, Palestine, Egypt and Jordan. Many people speak English, so you can easily get by everywhere without knowledge of Arabic .

The goods in the stores are very diverse . Absolutely stunning dresses, fabrics and haberdashery, jewelry. I have never seen such affordable wealth, abundance of assortment, imagination and ingenuity of design anywhere. There are no good shoes, just oilcloth. There are also plenty of Chinese goods that can be seen in any market in Russia.

Supermarkets - on par with the best in Europe . The products are fresh, of excellent quality, everything is clean and tidy, prices are similar to European ones. In general, shopping is pleasant because no one is forcing their goods on you. No one here pushes anything (except for traders in Philippine and Pakistani bazaars), no one persuades you, everyone is attentive, polite and helpful. Some stores selling women's goods (not necessarily lingerie) do not allow men to enter at all...

Restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia always have two rooms. : single - only for men, and women are not allowed; and a family section - for women or families (where men who are not accompanied by at least one woman will never be admitted under any circumstances).
Once they opened a fair with attractions, like Luna Park - there were also two sections - separately for men and separately for women.

The roads in Saudi Arabia are beautiful , but the driving style is deadly: for example, many at an intersection turn left from the fourth right lane across all traffic, without first changing lanes. Turning right is always allowed at a red traffic light. Parking is a completely separate issue.

It’s bad to be alone in Saudi Arabia, especially if you’re young. There is practically no entertainment for young people, opportunities to meet people of the opposite sex are limited and therefore quite rare, there are no discos, no dances, no theaters or cinemas - there are simply no. Even the visit of guests to family people in many compounds is limited to hours, as before in Soviet dormitories, you have to leave documents at the entrance. And a visit from a single guest from outside to a person of the opposite sex who is in Saudi Arabia alone without a family may even be denied by the compound administration. However, each compound may have its own rules. One compound can be guarded as a super top-secret military facility, where even ladies' cosmetic bags are checked, and in another, all the guards and security are nothing more than a prop and a parody.

Saudi Arabia, “like Greece,” has everything. But this “everything” is often hidden from view. Yes, a lot of things seem ascetic, joyless, with a lot of restrictions. But often this is only an external effect... There are so many courses in the compounds! If not in yours, take a taxi and go to another one. Do you want to take up horse riding? No problem! Would you like diving? For woman? In the Red Sea or the Persian Gulf? Even easier! Golf? Not a problem either. Well, there are tennis courts, football fields, swimming pools, saunas, bowling alleys and fitness clubs in almost every compound. Have fun?... No country where I live has ever had so many “tea parties” and parties. The fantasies of unemployed women trying to diversify their leisure time are inexhaustible. And if Western European embassies and all kinds of organizations and cosmetic companies sponsor...

Work? This is where problem number one comes in! Well, in Riyadh it is more difficult. In Jeddah, Dammam, Al-Jubail, Al-Khobar - there is still a chance. My friends from different compounds, in the end, whoever wanted to, everyone worked. True, the choice of professions is very small. In general, life in KSA is quite wonderful. Therefore, to the question “is it even possible to live in Saudi Arabia?” - I’ll answer with the words of the saying: “What difference does it make where to live? As long as you live well!”

However, as it turned out, talented Belarusians are in demand not only in educational institutions of this country. Quite a few Belarusian doctors also work in Saudi Arabia.

Our hero today is a Minsk resident Dmitry Melnikov- just one of them. Four years ago, as part of a group of 30 Belarusian doctors, he decided to move to the Al-Hasa region - the second largest oasis on the planet.

Today Dmitry lives and works as an anesthesiologist in the city of Dammam with a population of one million.

— The story of how I ended up in Saudi Arabia began with a desire to work as a doctor in Kamchatka, at a submarine base. A friend found an ad on the Internet and waved his hands for a long time, describing the beauty of the Far East and the opportunities that a salary of - scary to say - two thousand dollars a month provides. At the same time, I was somewhat embarrassed by the town of ten houses and the opportunity to get to the mainland only during the shipping season. But these are mere trifles compared to the salary, which was three hundred percent higher than mine at that time (I worked in the anesthesiology department of an emergency hospital).

And then I took the first and, as it turned out, the main step towards a total change in the environment around me - I wrote a resume. In Belarus, doctors usually do not write resumes for job searches. After university, the state takes care of employment, and then acquaintances come into play: either you are invited to work somewhere, or they say that there is a place somewhere.

When looking for a job abroad, on the contrary, it is the resume that is put at the forefront. More often it is called “CV” (CV, Curriculum Vitae), that is, “biography”. Although it was unusual to write about myself, it was not difficult - there are a lot of samples and recommendations on the Internet.

And since I wrote it for the “underwater” HR department, I decided to post it at the same time in the vacancies section on JOBS.TUT.BY. The “submariners” never answered me, but TUT.BY worked - a letter came with an invitation to take part in a project to send our doctors to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

At that time, I would hardly have been able to show on the map where it was located. In addition, fragmentary media reports about this country formed in me a certain vague negative attitude towards the region. And I did not answer the letter.

I am still grateful to the girl who, a couple of days later, extended an invitation for me over the phone to an interview with representatives of Arab employers.

The owner of a small new private hospital and its medical director flew in for an interview.

About three hundred of us, the applicants, gathered. The interview took place every day for a week. Characters who came for an interview wearing a T-shirt with a marijuana print or citizens with obvious signs of a severe hangover and a bottle of beer in their hand were immediately eliminated. The rest were asked purely professional questions about the theory and tactics of patient management for various diseases and conditions.

At the same time, the level of English was assessed. This is the working language in Arab countries; documents and medical histories are written in it, conferences are held and communication with colleagues and patients takes place. I’ll say right away that insufficient knowledge of the language is not at all an obstacle to working in the Gulf countries. Since he is not a relative here and his general level of knowledge is about a B in high school, if we take the old grading system.

There were guys in our group who had never studied it at all (even at school and university they taught other languages). Three months of lessons with a tutor before departure and the desire to succeed are quite enough to achieve the minimum required level of English proficiency. I won’t say that it was easy for these people to work for the first year, but they all managed.

Based on the results of the interview, thirty people were selected in fifteen specialties. And off we went.

Of course, it was exciting and even somewhat scary. The most prudent of us have insured our lives and health for large sums.

Everyone's money has disappeared. As it turned out, in the Gulf countries crime is practically zero. Even in the CIS countries, the likelihood of encountering either Islamists or hooligans is immeasurably higher. The only feeling that the locals feel towards us is benevolent curiosity. During my four years in Saudi Arabia, I did not see not only aggression, but generally not a single sideways glance. That's why all our doctors are here with their families now. Flights (including air tickets for annual leave), accommodation and medical insurance for the doctor and his family members are paid by the employer.

For children there are international kindergartens and schools teaching in English language. At first we were worried about adaptation, but after a month the photographs of our children hung on the Honor Board - the worries slowly faded away. School tuition costs on average from $2,000 to $5,000 per year, depending on the age of the child and the level of the school itself.. There are also more expensive ones (this is up to the parents’ choice). Children are transported to and from classes by a school bus, and sometimes by the parents themselves. Or rather the father, since women are prohibited from driving in Saudi Arabia.

But buying a car for a family is not a problem. Leasing programs have been developed. It’s a very unusual feeling to walk into a showroom and know that you can afford any car. In Minsk, I only went to the Lada showroom.

Gasoline here is cheaper than water. Half a liter of water costs the same as a liter of 95: you can fill a full tank with the change from buying groceries.

Our Belarusian driving license here gives us the opportunity not to study at a driving school, but to immediately take an exam. First practice - you need to drive in a circle and do diagonal parking. The parking space is one and a half times larger than ours. Traffic rules fit on an A3 sheet of paper, with signs on one side and rules on the other. The questions in the theoretical part of the exam are something like: “When should you turn on your headlights?” And the answer options: “when reversing”, “if there is a mother-in-law in the cabin” or “in the dark”.

The traffic on the roads here is such that I won’t even describe it - this is a separate topic. I will only say that everyone does not go according to the rules, but where they need to go at that moment. That's why we insure our cars without fail. It's not very cheap, but the salary is certainly enough.

Salaries in Saudi Arabia are not astronomical, but they are still different from Belarusian ones. The minimum that our guys go for is $3,000 net per month. Our residency diplomas and PhD degrees brought unexpected benefits. In our country, a candidate of science receives a bonus of $100 at best. But here, having such a diploma increases your salary at least three times, and in some cases much more.

It costs about $300 per person per month to live. These are groceries, internet, electricity and household items. Shopping and restaurants are separate.

There is no entertainment in the country and shopping is almost the only opportunity to go out somewhere to unwind. Fortunately, the salary allows you to purchase things of any brands and brands. So girls have a lot to do in huge malls, where you can easily spend the whole day.

Life here is more difficult for women doctors than for men. And the point is not that you can’t go out alone - you can. There's simply nowhere to go here. And to go to the mall, you can easily take a taxi (there are city services and Uber). And it’s not that you have to wear an abaya (this is a black robe that extends from the neck to the toes). Firstly, they are not only black (this is just a traditional color for local women). Our women wear blue, green, and beige. In addition, there are a million styles, many and beautiful: fitted, with embroidery, inserts, rhinestones. Secondly, according to the unanimous recognition of our girls, abaya is simply convenient. No need to think about what to wear. No need to buy outfits. And it is quite suitable for hot and windy weather.

The problem with women in Saudi Arabia is that they are terribly bored here. Men too, but at least they can go to the gym, race go-karts on the track or ride ATVs in the desert. They can also pack up and travel across the country to see the sights.

In fact, all women can do is sit at home, go on visits and to boutiques, and on Fridays go out to the city embankment or to the beach to barbecue with their family. This is probably why local women love going to doctors so much. Some kind of entertainment.

The most popular medical specialty here is cosmetologist. In second place are gynecologists. There are a lot of births here. Every local woman has at least three or four offspring hanging from her in the mall. The rest at this time are either already studying and living separately, or are still lying at home in a cradle under the supervision of Filipino nannies. And every local hospital has an obstetrics department, and a significant part of the work of anesthesiologists is care for caesarean sections and epidural pain management for labor.

At the same time, the patients are not only local residents, but also guest workers (or expats, as they usually call “those who have come in large numbers” here). For twenty million locals, there are ten million expats. It's not hard to guess who does all the work in the country.

The level of medical literacy of the population leaves much to be desired. If the patient does not know exactly how many kidneys he has and why he needs a spleen, then telling him about angiotensin-converting enzyme is simply useless. This is also why there is a huge number of diabetes in the country with a whole range of complications. It affects up to 20% of the population. A sedentary lifestyle with a high-calorie diet, as well as long-term isolation of the population and the inevitable accumulation of genetic errors play a role in this. Plus a philosophical attitude towards life and death.

A ten-year-old diabetic boy was admitted to our intensive care unit ten times a year. Of these, in half of the cases they are in a state of coma.

We ask parents:

—Are you injecting him with insulin?

- Why?!

- He does not want.

If this is how parents treat their children, then you can imagine how they treat themselves.

Fortunately, there are no specific infectious diseases in the country. Firstly, because there are no carriers - I see flies maybe three times a year, one at a time. Secondly, because any organic matter in such heat instantly dries into stone. Simply put, everything dies before reaching the consumer. For the same reason, there are no dangerous animals, and non-dangerous ones are rare - mainly in the southwestern part of the country, where there are mountains. Everything else is a lifeless desert. To drive a thousand kilometers and only come across a couple of gas stations where three or four Pakistanis live on mattresses thrown right there on the ground - the feeling of all this is specific.

The equipment of hospitals in Saudi Arabia is at the level of world standards. In parentheses, I will note that in Belarus it is no worse - our doctors upon arrival here did not encounter anything new for themselves. Moreover, Belarusian specialists usually have a better command of the practical aspects of treatment. But to speculate about new methods and delve into the nuances of the theory is for the Arabs. It’s ours to really do something.

Doctors from the CIS are treated positively, but warily. It’s good if there are a hundred of them in the country - they simply don’t know us. And therefore, it is clear that the employer does not want to take risks by hiring someone unknown. In addition, new countries mean new hiring schemes and new document requirements. The world-famous Arab laziness forces employers to use long-established methods - to hire Indians, Pakistanis and Egyptians.

This Arab direction is something unusual for us, and the whole world has long realized that there is an unrealistic amount of money from the sale of oil and people who do not want to work themselves. So European-Americans do not hesitate to work for a dozen or two years in the desert. High salaries and local tax laws greatly contribute to this. And it’s easy to save here - there are no temptations.

True, Western specialists usually work in large American or Arab-American companies, mostly related to oil. I will not name the figures of their salaries in order to avoid psychological trauma for Belarusian readers.

Citizens of Western countries live in compounds - these are closed areas with a permit system. Inside, everything is almost like in America and Europe.

Unfortunately, our specialists have not yet had time to prove themselves in such a way and things with our housing are simpler, although often noticeably better than at home. Each doctor here is provided with a separate apartment. Most often they have three rooms, plus a hall and two bathrooms. Furniture and household appliances are included. We only pay for electricity, about $25 a month. Everything else is at the expense of the employer.

The apartments are located in a building that belongs to the hospital. Only doctors live there. The nurses have their own houses and everything there is arranged like a dormitory; they live two or three to a room.

You can get to the hospital on foot. The accommodation is located in such a way that travel time is three to five minutes. Or you can take a small hospital bus that transports staff around the clock - just call the driver (not everyone likes to walk at night or in the heat).

The working day is eight hours. The regime is six days. There are on-call duties at home, and overtime is paid separately at one and a half times the rate. No more of our day and a half for you. Worked 8 hours - go home.

Since almost all of us work in private hospitals, we rarely encounter difficult patients. A private owner doesn’t need problems; for him, medicine is just business. And it’s easiest to treat healthy people. Therefore, for our doctors this is a natural resort in a professional sense. After Belarusian or Russian medical practice in large emergency hospitals, local planned patients do not present anything difficult.

But this does not mean that we are not working hard. Eight hours a day at the operating table is nothing like sunflower seeds. But at least here we have the opportunity to sleep at night and not run around in soap and water around serious emergencies.

Everyone spends their free time in their own way. Some people watch movies online, some bought an easel or a piano and finally got their hands on their favorite hobby, some study and take exams in other countries (fortunately, in Saudi Arabia there is both time to study and money to buy textbooks and fly to these very other countries for exams).

And someone is traveling. Nearby is Bahrain with its nightclubs, cinemas, a wonderful history museum, wind tunnel flights and tennis on the roof of a skyscraper. Qatar is also nearby with good opera. And of course the Emirates, where there is almost all possible tourist attractions. And in general, from here the whole world is in the palm of your hand.

On Fridays, a public holiday, we often get together as a group on the beach. There we have volleyball, barbecue, and swimming. On public beaches, women can only swim in abayas. This process looks like this: they go into knee-deep water, sit down and chat about something for an hour. Men swim in the same way, but in shorts and T-shirts. Interesting fact: in a country where most of the borders are maritime, no one knows how to swim. Our girls swim on closed beaches where locals are not allowed. You can also wear an open swimsuit there.

It is not difficult for a doctor or nurse to get to Saudi Arabia. To do this, it is enough to have a residency, at least basic English, and pass an exam (tests on a computer) in your specialty three months after arrival. That's all - get a license and go to work. However, work and payroll for newly arrived specialists begin from the first day when we work under a temporary license.

Three attempts are given to pass the exam. Most of us pass with the first one. In my memory, only one person reached the third and also passed. A similar system for recruiting specialists operates in all Gulf countries: Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Over the course of four years, our guys dispersed to almost all of these countries. But still, Saudia is the most conservative of the Arab countries. It's easier to breathe in the neighbors.

The most difficult place to continue medical practice is to get to the Emirates, but here Belarusians have a head start. Russians and Ukrainians, for example, need to be candidates of science to work there, but we don’t.

Usually, three to four months pass from signing the contract to departure, but a lot depends on the Arab side. Their way of working is clearly characterized by a sign we once came across on the door of a mobile communications salon: “Dear visitors, our salon operates according to such and such a schedule. But we may not exist."

There is no problem in contacting me or other colleagues working here and asking us about the employment algorithm or some professional or everyday details - social networks are now an integral part of everyone’s life.

For some time now I have begun to have a different attitude towards people who go to work abroad.

Five years ago I personally shouted at someone good man, who was going abroad, called him a traitor and asked who would raise the country. It's still a shame.

People often write to me on social networks, they say, you probably fly home and start to wrinkle your nose: this is not right for you, and this is also wrong. Guys... when I fly home, I think “God! How good! How wonderful and reasonable everything is arranged here! What wonderful people we have! And what a pity that those who scold their homeland have never been further than a tourist hotel in Antalya.”

In Belarus, not everything is as you would like, but this is always and everywhere the case. The only thing we really lack is money. And the Arab countries are just the perfect option to solve this problem. Some people go to Arab countries to buy an apartment, some to buy an SUV from a showroom, some to buy a house in the village. And for our country as a whole, all these trips are not at all expensive. You see, there is no permanent residence in Arab countries. And all our doctors, having worked and earned money there, will return home, only with the housing issue resolved, a broad outlook and international professional experience. By the way, everything earned will also end up in Belarus, which is very good for our economy.

The Philippines trains tens of thousands of nurses every year for export. And they cook well. They have both money and reputation on this. Who's stopping us? It seems to me no one. Well, here we will only be glad to see an increase in the Belarusian diaspora.

See you on the Gulf Coast!

If you have lived outside of Belarus for a long time and want to talk about it, write to [email protected]

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken a leading position in the world market in the field of economics and social security. Everyone knows that Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country where women do not have the right to vote.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest state on the Arabian Peninsula

Until 2015, female representatives were prohibited from participating in municipal elections. Since this year the situation has changed. Now Muslim women living in Saudi Arabia can not only vote, but also find employment. After all, the government has expanded employment opportunities for the fair sex.

Not only its native residents and citizens, but also foreign residents can find work in Saudi Arabia. Highly qualified specialists are welcomed in this state. But this mainly applies to men. It is much easier for them to find work than for women. After all, female representatives are allowed to work exclusively in several areas.

Work in Saudi Arabia for women is only possible in the field of education or health care.

In the medical industry, women and girls can only find employment as gynecologists and dermatologists.

Women can only find employment in the oil sector as engineers. But only one company in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, hires women. Other organizations do not have similar rights to employ women.

In 2015, women were allowed to work at department store checkout counters. But the main condition is that the woman’s face is completely covered. They also have the right to work as storekeepers in these organizations.

Work for men

Most of the citizens of this state and male foreigners work in the oil sector. This is due to the fact that the bulk of Saudi Arabia’s income (more than 90%) comes from the export of petroleum products.

Oil sector jobs for men in Saudi Arabia

Men who do not have a specialized education in this industry can find work in the field of tourism, construction and IT technology.

Legislative framework and main aspects of employment

Although Saudi Arabia is very supportive of foreign residents, finding a job for a foreigner in this country will be quite difficult. The thing is that, according to labor legislation, the government annually sets quotas for the employment of foreign nationals.

According to current legislation, only a foreigner who has found an employer and signed a work contract with him, which describes in detail the working conditions, salary and position provided, can get a job in Saudi Arabia.

According to the law, if an employer from Saudi Arabia employs a foreign national, he undertakes to pay the employee for a work visa, work permit and complete all necessary additional documentation for employment.

It is important to remember that according to the law, an employee can leave Saudi Arabia only with written permission from the employer.

Labor legislation provides for 48 working weeks and an 8-hour working day.

Work Visa

This is what a certificate of no criminal record looks like

• A diploma confirming relevant education.
• Conclusions on passing a comprehensive medical examination. The certificate must indicate that the applicant is not sick with the following diseases:

• HIV infection.

Conclusions on passing a medical examination for HIV infection

• Hepatitis type A.
• Hepatitis type B.
• Hepatitis type C.
• Tick-borne encephalitis.
• Meningitis.
• Syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Tuberculosis.

An example of a certificate of completion of a tuberculosis examination

If all documents are in order, then the visa is issued for exactly the period requested by the employer.

Upon arrival in the country, the employer is obliged to independently obtain a work permit.

Requirements for foreign workers

Saudi Arabia is a country of Islam. Therefore, all foreign residents are obliged to respect the traditions of the state. This is one of the main requirements.

A foreign applicant for a job must be fluent in English and Arabic. And also the hired employee must have considerable work experience and qualifications. Unfortunately, without education it will be virtually impossible for a person to find a job in this country.

Large Saudi Arabian companies employing foreign residents:

The largest oil giant "Saudi Aramco"

Saudi Telecom Company building

Also in this state there are international branches of world companies such as Procter & Gamble, Nestlé and Siemens.

You can also look for work in Saudi Arabia on job portals.

The most popular job search sites:

It is better to look for work in such cities of Saudi Arabia as:

• • 1. Riyadh.
    2. Yanbu.
    3. Jeddah.

If you can’t find a job vacancy on your own, then you should contact a specialized recruiting agency. This organization is engaged in personnel selection and organizing interviews with potential employers.

But it is worth remembering that in order to find the necessary vacancy and find employment, you will need to pay at least 10 percent of your estimated annual income. This is a fee for the services of the recruiting organization.