Traveling and working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has survived in the realms of unknown for centuries and has been seen as an impenetrable territory. But, its image has undergone a transformation by becoming the development hub of the Middle East and one of the most preferred career destinations in the world.

Jobs in Middle East countries have gained a significant status as it helps in realizing the dream of working abroad for most of the people. It gives them not only a huge salary along with attractive incentives but also a lifetime opportunity to mingle with people of different nationalities, ideologies, beliefs, etc. One gets to move in circles of top notch professionals from various countries and share ideas with those unknown to rest of the world. It is a rewarding experience as one gets to participate in developing a country that has long remained veiled with conservative ideas and is now opening up to welcome modernization.

Saudi Arabia is considered the birthplace of Islam and has one of the highest Muslim populations of in the world. It has been an emblem of everything most inexplicable to the West but is now welcoming outsiders to help boost the Kingdom's economy. Since, Saudi Arabia is not a developed country; it needs aide from outside in form of trained and qualified professionals who can support in the overall growth of its economy. This is why there is a flood of jobs in Saudi Arabia across all industries, professions and levels. From defense to healthcare to telecom to banking to IT, substantial numbers of expatriates are being employed in the Kingdom.

Most of the jobs in Saudi Arabia are contractual and every employee hired from outside the Kingdom is called in on either time or project based contract. It is a great idea to read and understand the contract carefully before signing it as it helps set the expectations right. Also, one must make sure that he/ she has all the documents needed- passport, work visa, residence permit and work contract at the time of leaving the home country. The visa fees and trip charges are generally sponsored by the employer as it is his responsibility to transport the employee safely into the country. One gets to save a lot of money by working in Saudi Arabia as transportation and accommodation are paid by the company. Also, since cost of living is low and there are not many places to splurge money in, one gets to save most of the salary.

Jobs in Saudi Arabia cities like Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and other places are very popular among expatriates. It is advisable that one understands the culture and lifestyle followed by the locals to avoid getting a culture shock. Saudi Arabia belongs to a different part of the world- Middle East- known for its opulent oil, petroleum and natural gas reserves. The laws in the Kingdom are strict and the crime rate is minimal, so, one does not need to worry about security there. Women are not allowed to work unless are with their husbands and are expected to cover themselves fully.

Working conditions in Saudi Arabia are quite decent and with government focused at improving them further, it is bound to get better. One has to remember that he/she is migrating for the sole purpose of money and as soon as both employer and professional's work is done, the employee has to leave the place. So, one should know what exactly he is looking for and then take a decision about making a career in a new place like Middle East or Gulf.

Deepika Bansal writes on behalf of NaukriGulf.com, a leading job portal for jobs in Gulf Region and Middle East jobs. Naukri.com's foray into the Middle East is an Endeavour to provide established client base with services that best meet their international requirements as well as expand our operations on to a global arena.