Procedure of changing category on visa in Saudi Arabia?

Question

Hi this is Khurram i am working as senior programmer in Khobar.

Before my arrival, My contractor asked me that time that he does not have any appropriate visa for me. He asked me to use the labor visa which will only be a dummy visa and only for traveling purpose and when i will be here in Saudia he will get this changed in two months .

Now when i am here and i have asked him about this he totally denied that he said it will be changed in two months rather says it will take 9-10 months.

I am a recently married person and already told him that i will bring my family but now i don't know what to do as the things seems very difficult for me to continue and also i don't want to go back at this time because i came here after resigning my current job in pakistan.

Any sincere suggestions will highly be appreciated and regarded.

Regards,

Khurram

Answer 1

ASAK,

Khurram the situation you are into currently is a default situation for many working in KSA. The changing of profession is a difficult and time consuming job which has to be handled by your company's Mandoob/Government Relation Officer only who are TYPICAL saudis who dont want to do anything good for themselves, anyway coming back to the procedure:

1. If you are a graduate/degree holder, your degree has to be attested by the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan (also probably by the pakistani Ministry of Human Resources)

2. Once you have your degree is attested, your company's Commercial Registration hold a permit to change to a computer programmer, this happens if your company is registered as a software company.

3. Most of the Saudi Software Companies(smaller ones) adopt this procedure of bringing people on a Labour Visa as it is easy for them to get you an iqama and other government documents.

4. It is a non-happening procedure and to request your saudis to do it or follow-up is even more difficult.

5. You can write to my email will give you a few hints you can utilize in Khobar to try to get your work done.

Ramadan Kareem.

Allah Hafiz.

Answer 2

This is f*** situation which  i too suffered in KSA in 1999-2000 as I too travelled to Saudi unknowingly on a labour visa and suffered a lot to change this

as you cant even take Licence and Family there and the SAudis will not help u in changing the same  ..

Finally i left  that job went back to india after spending 1 yr with great difficulties away from my family..

Allah may help u