Saudi Arabia citizenship scheme

[newscaster]

I believe there are too many conditions to be met before getting it, any comments on thsisdevelopment?

[Rani]

Hmm....

Well...I have the following:

1- Born in Saudi Arabia, maintained an iqama here since my birth 27 years ago.

2- My father lives here, since 35 years ago.

3- My mother is Saudi by citizenship (her dad immigrated here since 1949).

4- I have a Masters in Engineering from McGill in Montreal.


Yet, according to the criteria, I fail to amass enough points (23 points) for citizenship......this basically tells you that 1 in 2000 will get it....... if I had a PhD I would have gotten it......

silly..right?

[guybrush]

Excuse my ignorance, but what has education got to do with citizenship?

[Panama Jack]

Keep in mind that a condition for Saudi citizenship is also to renounce one's other citizenship(s). I believe making citizenship available as well as the sale of property to foreign nationals is a condition of the WTO. After making it possible, the standards, then, are up to the country in question.

From what I read in the press, the office handing out citizenship application forms was over-run on the first day with mostly asian and african menial workers-- "taxi drivers" as the article quoted it.

My reading of the tea leaves, is that the Saudi government wishes to comply with the requirements of the WTO but does not encourage immigration-- thus the bar is set quite high. Keep in mind also that the Kingdom faces a chronic problem of unemployment and underemployment, so if it is going to have people become Saudi's, it wishes to have them as some of the most talented people who will probably also create additional employment.

[fractional]

Some do. They'll have many applicants from countries in the Arab world (mainly outside the Gulf), Iranian and Iraqi Arabs, Saudi born Pakistanis, Indians, etc,. who have been living in the country. They got used to the life style and they like it in their perspective.
Good luck to them!

[Rani]

Guybrush:

"Excuse my ignorance, but what has education got to do with citizenship?"

Well...The Saudis are keen on naturalizing professionals and other higher degree holders as part of an overal program to "increase the Saudi content" in hospitals and institutions (saudization of key and strategic positions).

I personally this it's discrimination. Why should someone who dedicated his entire life to BUILDING those institutions with his own hands, be denied the same right (Granted they are Muslim, Arab, etc.).

Well I'd better shut my mouth, as any sensible expatriat should.

[ExSimGuy]

Can a middle-aged part time "speaker" in the Christian Church here qualify after 15 years living in the Magic Kingdom?

[GlobalFlyer]

Yeah right! "Infidels" can certainly forget about it ;)