Sama threads combined
Join Date: Mar 2001
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You will not be granted an IQAMA, which is the work and residence permit, and most probably you will fly with a visitor visa where you can read in plain English: not permitted to work
Is this a normal practice now because of the job quotas? I can guess the answer(s), but I'm sure someone will come up with them based on local facts
.
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Eagle18. Can I ask a few more questions about your statements?
But do you get paid each month or do the company owe you more than one month's salary? What currency are you paid in?
Does this reduce monthly or is it fixed for a fixed period of time: if so how long?
The chief pilot said to me that he hopes to make it a commuting contract this year because he is concerned that he will not be able to keep pilots otherwise. Is he reliable or was he trying to lure me in?
Do they provide or do you have to provide your own?
If they provide it what sort of standard accommodation do they find for you? Is it with other members of the company or are you spread around different compounds?
What are the other members of the crew like? Where do the majority of crews come from? What nationality are the cabin crew?
If it's as bad as you painted the picture in your last post why do you stay (and how long have you been there)? Are you there with your family or do you have family in your home nation?
Sorry to quiz you so hard, but having been offered a position I have yet to have any correspondence from them about the contract or start date.
Payment date is written on the contract - 27th each month - you will never get your money on this date
you will sign a $24000 training bond
There is no commuting and nobody can believe there will be, unless you sign a contract with commuting clauses clearly explained.
Do they provide or do you have to provide your own?
If they provide it what sort of standard accommodation do they find for you? Is it with other members of the company or are you spread around different compounds?
What are the other members of the crew like? Where do the majority of crews come from? What nationality are the cabin crew?
If it's as bad as you painted the picture in your last post why do you stay (and how long have you been there)? Are you there with your family or do you have family in your home nation?
Sorry to quiz you so hard, but having been offered a position I have yet to have any correspondence from them about the contract or start date.
Join Date: Jan 2002
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(the chiefpilot) Is he reliable ?
he made sure a pilot don't get pay on his annual leave/vacation because the chief heard that the pilot might not coming back from his home country (same as the chief's).
The work for that pay is done ! he must get paid.
so .. is he reliable?
Join Date: Nov 2008
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eagle18 and others
eagle18 is right.
A month ago a newspaper noticed that companies in the kingdom that had not presented real numbers of saudization were forbidden to get iqamas for 5 years, not sure who are them, no names.
Chief pilot is replaced.
Salary delays are increasing.
As an individual you will not be able to bring your family.
You will get no support of the company for your basic needs.
No resident visas, can you just realize the meaning of the problem?
Bond is pro-rata.
90 per cent of crews are looking for other job, even former C.P. and other managers.
Time to think.
A month ago a newspaper noticed that companies in the kingdom that had not presented real numbers of saudization were forbidden to get iqamas for 5 years, not sure who are them, no names.
Chief pilot is replaced.
Salary delays are increasing.
As an individual you will not be able to bring your family.
You will get no support of the company for your basic needs.
No resident visas, can you just realize the meaning of the problem?
Bond is pro-rata.
90 per cent of crews are looking for other job, even former C.P. and other managers.
Time to think.
Last edited by Dustwing; 4th Feb 2010 at 08:49.
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Sounds like SAS-- "Saudi Aviation Syndrome." Pilots at a few companies have gone through exactly the same problems you describe, especially the tardy payment thing.
The reason for not giving Igamas is simple. If you don't have an Igama, you are not working in the Kingdom. So from a quotas point of view, you don't exist. This is how some companies who depend on expats can claim that they have a high percentage of Saudization. No Igama-- good luck. No banking, no wiring money out of the country, no drivers licence, no vehicle ownership. To summarize it-- "it sucks."
Combine it with a 3-year fixed bond and it sounds to me like a prison term
The reason for not giving Igamas is simple. If you don't have an Igama, you are not working in the Kingdom. So from a quotas point of view, you don't exist. This is how some companies who depend on expats can claim that they have a high percentage of Saudization. No Igama-- good luck. No banking, no wiring money out of the country, no drivers licence, no vehicle ownership. To summarize it-- "it sucks."
Combine it with a 3-year fixed bond and it sounds to me like a prison term
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No Igama
Visit visas are generally issued for 30 days with extensions for an additional two months, so how can people stay long term in KSA on these visas?
What is Suha Arkan doing about all of this?
Mutt
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Good question
Very good question Mutt, when you find out let us know... please.
You are one or the persons here that has a very good level of information, affirmatives are consistent but the case is happening a lot lately.
thanks,
Duster
You are one or the persons here that has a very good level of information, affirmatives are consistent but the case is happening a lot lately.
thanks,
Duster
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No News is Good News!
If you have not heard anything with regards to an offer of employment - consider yourself extremely LUCKY! You will not find a single person in the company who can look you in the eye and say a single good thing about the management or the company itself.
Someone above said that it feels like a prison sentence to be here working and that is a perfect description. Yes the money that we are paid sounds good, but factor in that you have NO life insurance, No loss of license insurance, No education allowance for children's school, No flight privileges on any airline in the world or even a discount, No support from the company as Dustwing mentioned, and oh yeah, did I mention that the job is in SAUDI ARABIA??? You will be worked and treated like a dog then left to fend for yourself as far as finding a place to live. No one is going to help you and no one cares. You will also most likely never find out a way to bring your family into the country, (I have been here almost two years and am still without mine) and best of luck trying to rent or buy a car or even open a bank account.
These are the facts, actually I may have sugar-coated things a bit. We are all looking for a way out of here - even the CP resigned in disgust last month citing, "Family" reasons. If you are already here it gives you some time to look for another job. If you are not already here and want to add ten years to your life - Don't come.
Someone above said that it feels like a prison sentence to be here working and that is a perfect description. Yes the money that we are paid sounds good, but factor in that you have NO life insurance, No loss of license insurance, No education allowance for children's school, No flight privileges on any airline in the world or even a discount, No support from the company as Dustwing mentioned, and oh yeah, did I mention that the job is in SAUDI ARABIA??? You will be worked and treated like a dog then left to fend for yourself as far as finding a place to live. No one is going to help you and no one cares. You will also most likely never find out a way to bring your family into the country, (I have been here almost two years and am still without mine) and best of luck trying to rent or buy a car or even open a bank account.
These are the facts, actually I may have sugar-coated things a bit. We are all looking for a way out of here - even the CP resigned in disgust last month citing, "Family" reasons. If you are already here it gives you some time to look for another job. If you are not already here and want to add ten years to your life - Don't come.
Join Date: May 2008
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pull up, pull up...
Dust, just curious,
are you working for Sama?
i don't want be sarcastic or misunderstood, i am trying to understand the reasons behind your msg and the one from Malcontento.
thans
Dust, just curious,
are you working for Sama?
i don't want be sarcastic or misunderstood, i am trying to understand the reasons behind your msg and the one from Malcontento.
thans
Last edited by bigmisterno; 1st Mar 2010 at 17:09.
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If you went to an interview or presentation by QR / EK and then to a Sama day I think that the "don't come here" message from Dustwing and others is entirely the correct one. Having been offered a job by them (in mid-Jan) and heard nothing since accepting (no paperwork, no further phone contact, nothing) I think I've had a lucky escape.
Last edited by Harry Shyters; 1st Mar 2010 at 18:44.
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red lights
yes, some work for sama, and no salary is being paid on time for quite some time, respect and support by the company to it's employees is not their strong quality/capability, and if you need a job of course you can accept. by the way, many of the guys are leaving very soon... a forum is a chance to let others to know what is happening. The stay away message is a friendly advice. Read the previous pages of the forum and very good luck in your decision.
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a320t
I wasn't suggesting that you had been to the EK/QR presentations. I was saying that if you had..... (and I have). I have been interviewed by Sama and I was offered a job and have heard nothing since accepting it a month and a half ago. Busy? More like they've shed a whole lot of PSO routes (see the Sama website).
I believe that what Dustwing and others are saying is true and that if you do have a family to feed, Sama is the last place you should go to feed and clothe them.
You should try PM'ing some of these posters and see what they have to say.....
EK / QR are going to be taking a lot of pilots, between them they need way over 400 pilots this year. Why not go there - you may get an earlier start date than you'd think. They do all that Sama don't do (resident visas, staff travel, interline, new aircraft, accommodation, transport, leave, bidding), need I go on.
HS
I wasn't suggesting that you had been to the EK/QR presentations. I was saying that if you had..... (and I have). I have been interviewed by Sama and I was offered a job and have heard nothing since accepting it a month and a half ago. Busy? More like they've shed a whole lot of PSO routes (see the Sama website).
I believe that what Dustwing and others are saying is true and that if you do have a family to feed, Sama is the last place you should go to feed and clothe them.
You should try PM'ing some of these posters and see what they have to say.....
EK / QR are going to be taking a lot of pilots, between them they need way over 400 pilots this year. Why not go there - you may get an earlier start date than you'd think. They do all that Sama don't do (resident visas, staff travel, interline, new aircraft, accommodation, transport, leave, bidding), need I go on.
HS
