Questions :- working in Saudi

[Electromob]

Hi all , I've searched on net a bit only gives job description and not really qualification info .but can't really get a clear picture I'm hoping someone would be able to help.
What are the required qualifications for working as a domestic/ industrial electrician in Saudi Arabia. What are they looking for ? And any other info would be helpful.
Cheers

 

[Mile high Mike]

Hey Electromob.

I'm back from Dubai which is essentially the same thing. Due to the relaxed electrical safety installation laws out there you could go out there with nothing. But if its through a recruitment crowd ie Devex, KBR ect they will want the UK equivlant of an electrician be that JIB, 2330, 2391, 2382. Which ever category you fall into.
If it is in fact through a recruitment company the chances of you getting the posting you request is marginal, I applied 4 times for Dubai and I spent 2 years in Canada on a military base doing handyman jobs, untill 2007 I got out to Dubai.
Also you will be required to have an International CV written, these can be obtained easily (at a cost) they ask everything they need then they will pad it out and write it, then send it out for you. Also obtaining a working permit for these countries has its problems though through the write recruiters this wont be much of a problem.

Good luck to you anyway.

 

[trev]

Any sign of Malcolm ?

Probably spending time with the family on his off duty period

 

[Electromob]

Hi Mike , thx . Do u hav an email or something of the cv people ?
My dad has a construction n recruitment co and I suggested we try a set up of electrical contractors in Saudi. I've also thout to go out ther n test the water 1st. Which otherway is ther to get a job not using agencies?

 

[Engineer54]

Not trying to put a damper on your thoughts about starting an electrical construction type company in Saudi, but your chances will be slim to none!! You need ''contacts'' you need plenty, and i do mean plenty of cash too. The only work that needs full qualifications etc, will be on ''Prestige'' projects, and the chances of an unknown company getting those sorts of contracts will be Zero!!

The reason as stated why British and other Western electricians is cost!! You cannot compete with the third country nationals. Don't believe everything you here about these guy's, quite a few are very switched on guy's and would put a good many Domestic installers and even electricians from the UK to shame. Some are Engineers/Technicians working as electricians, because they can earn more in a week, than they can in a month in there own countries!! Every now and then there may be a contract for an electrical supervisor, who will be supervising these TCNs, but these day's they are very few and far between i'm afraid!!

Going back to your idea of starting a company in Saudi, ...you wouldn't believe the hoops you would need to go through, even just to get in to Saudi, let alone start a business. The Saudis love paperwork and official stamps, trouble is ....getting hold of them ...lol!!

Even the last time i was over there, any Western electrician's i came across were working on specialist systems that there company was installing, they were all on temporary entry/exist visa's not working visa's.

I can't see that Malcolm can tell you any different to be honest, the good old day's of working in Saudi is well and truly over!! They also haven't got the money that had in those day's either. Couple that, to the underlying countries infrastructure has all but been completed, and you can see, now a days, most projects in that part of the world is now Private projects, rather as than was in the past, Government projects!!

 

[grantr37]

speaking arabic will help, as far as I know, in those countries, the law states that a native person (ie a saudi local) has to own something like 65% minimum BY LAW and that you would not be allowed to fully own your company over there, you would have to be number 2 to a local in ownership and control of the company......there are special dispensations for internationally recognised brand name companies such as airlines, drinks companies and clothing companies, which can have a registered office...other than that you get shafted.....as for contracts, it will go to fully 100% local companies with indian workers...

 

[Mile high Mike]

As already stated you have a slim to no chance of starting up a business in Saudi.
Not wanting to put you off working out there, but unless you know an actual company you want to work for you will have no choice but to go through an agency, the rates are good (dependant on contract) the downside is that you cannot negotiate you pay aswell as you could witg workin for an actual contractor. Make life easy for yourself and go to KBR website and see what jobs are on offer, this company also has no requirement for an international CV as they are one of the biggest construction companys worldwide.
KBR are who I have worked for, for 10 years now and the only reason im in the UK now is to update my quals.

I hope this helps and I assure you that if you go for it you will never want to work for anyone else again.

Also expect wages between £46000+ for Middle East, £35000+ for US and Canada, £40000+ for Asia. No UK based workforce as yet.

 

[Electromob]

Thanx guys , alot of info ther. Does put alot in perspective with honest opinions. I have a much clearer picture now.
Sorry dont have thx button on iPhone.
Mike u say ur bak in Uk to update ur quals, and wot would that be ?

 

[Engineer54]

Also expect wages between £46000+ for Middle East, £40000+ for Asia.

You are going to have to be bloody lucky to get those sort of rates, being employed as an ''Electrician'', unless your working in a ''war zone'' like Afghanistan....

 

[Engineer54]

speaking arabic will help, as far as I know, in those countries, the law states that a native person (ie a saudi local) has to own something like 65% minimum BY LAW and that you would not be allowed to fully own your company over there, you would have to be number 2 to a local in ownership and control of the company......there are special dispensations for internationally recognised brand name companies such as airlines, drinks companies and clothing companies, which can have a registered office...other than that you get shafted.....as for contracts, it will go to fully 100% local companies with indian workers...

Only a Fool would right off 65% of a contract price!!! lol!! It's more like 52 to 55% ownership, and will be subject to international law, not solely Saudi law. Most contract deals are made with a commercial business company with a substantially reduced monetary percentage. There main role is looking after all the initial national legislations, visa's, chamber of commerce, licences etc etc!! Apart from that, they are basically sleeping partners..

 

[Mile high Mike]

You are going to have to be bloody lucky to get those sort of rates, being employed as an ''Electrician'', unless your working in a ''war zone'' like Afghanistan....

This isn't the actual rates but rates you could achieve working off my own experience, these rates are guides only not to be taken literally. Obviously Afghan and the likes are higher paid but these rates are achievable dependant on what skills you can bring on board. Pay rates are achieved on time spent abroad, quals, contracts working and position.
I'm guessing you have been somewhere like Afghanistan working?

Electromob - looking to do Solar PV course but need my 16th-17th edition first. Just keeping up to date, but also I cannot renew my work visa for a bit and because of family I thought Id stay in the UK for a bit.

 

[Engineer54]

This isn't the actual rates but rates you could achieve working off my own experience, these rates are guides only not to be taken literally. Obviously Afghan and the likes are higher paid but these rates are achievable dependant on what skills you can bring on board. Pay rates are achieved on time spent abroad, quals, contracts working and position.
I'm guessing you have been somewhere like Afghanistan working?

No never worked in Afghanistan, in the Middle East, mostly worked in the Saudi and the Gulf States over many years. But i have been involved with the hiring of Western and Eastern electrical tradesmen on the Middle East contracts i've been involved on.

Unless something has drastically changed since my time in the Middle East, then i still say that an Electrician would be bloody lucky to be on those sort of rates!!
Yes if you have been in the employ of a good company for a good few years, then there may be a chance, but definitely not as a newly recruited electrician...

 

[Electromob]

This isn't the actual rates but rates you could achieve working off my own experience, these rates are guides only not to be taken literally. Obviously Afghan and the likes are higher paid but these rates are achievable dependant on what skills you can bring on board. Pay rates are achieved on time spent abroad, quals, contracts working and position.
I'm guessing you have been somewhere like Afghanistan working?

Electromob - looking to do Solar PV course but need my 16th-17th edition first. Just keeping up to date, but also I cannot renew my work visa for a bit and because of family I thought Id stay in the UK for a bit.

I didn't think 16th or 17th edition meant anything abroad.
Best time now being home with the family, anyway.

 

[Engineer54]

I didn't think 16th or 17th edition meant anything abroad.
Best time now being home with the family, anyway.

Most of the high end projects in Saudi will have it's electrical systems based on BS7671 or NEC, or even a combination of them. That goes for most emerging countries in the Middle and Far East, including the project i'm now on in China. Hong Kong has always used BS7671 (or previously the Reg's ) for All it's government and high end projects. Same goes for Gibraltar and a good few other commonwealth countries.

As an example, on one of my projects, ..the King Fahd Medical City project, the BS7671 was in the main, the Reg's used for the 5 hospitals, (operating theatres, X-ray suites, and medical rooms were to DIN/VDE) and the Service buildings, and the NEC covered most of the staff accommodation buildings and recreational facilities....

EDIT... Apart from that, there are quite a few countries around the world that have based there electrical codes and regulations on the British system. They may not be upto the present 17th edition, but not that far away from them!!

 

[alarm man]

Hi Mike , thx . Do u hav an email or something of the cv people ?
My dad has a construction n recruitment co and I suggested we try a set up of electrical contractors in Saudi. I've also thout to go out ther n test the water 1st. Which otherway is ther to get a job not using agencies?

So your looking to set up an agency in Saudi,? How much will they have pay to get paid their wages there..

 

[fuzzydunlop]

Hi Mike , thx . Do u hav an email or something of the cv people ?
My dad has a construction n recruitment co and I suggested we try a set up of electrical contractors in Saudi. I've also thout to go out ther n test the water 1st. Which otherway is ther to get a job not using agencies?

This is how it works firstly you have to know someone to go over there to get you your visa, otherwise you skip the sequence of events that will happen

1) You have a business and think great I'll go to Saudi Arabia those stupid Arabs have never thought of it

2) Go to Saudi Arabia and sell your amazing idea

3) After weeks of selling your idea you're getting low on money and your visa is due to run out, finally you meet someone who "knows" someone who can help you

4) The person who can help you unfortunately needs money, at a minimum £100,000 as you have such an amazing idea which will make the worlds richest country even more money, probably more than oil (which is currently about £200bn per annum)

5) After handing over the money you'll have to make 100's of telephone calls to your middle man asking when the meeting is, to which you'll be answered it's coming/soon

6) After weeks you'll get to meet the man below the man who also needs money (probably 25% of step 4) but still you'll definitely get the contract

7) Several weeks later after repeating steps 4,5, and 6 but with lesser amounts of money, You'll finally get to meet the man but, it will be in a restaurant with lots of other people. Your man will point at you speak in Arabic to the man who will nod and smile at you

8) Everyone will leave in their Rolls Royces, unfortunately they're all going the opposite direction to you so you'll have to get a taxi back to the bed sit you're staying in as you've spent all your money on a very expensive meal and bribes

9) Your visa is cancelled and you can't get hold of the person in step 3

10) come home £200,000 lighter and realise that maybe someone has a)thought of your idea before and b) those damn Arabs may be cleverer than they look