Saudi Arabia : Job market

What are my chances of getting a job?

Graduate opportunities in Saudi Arabia tend to be restricted to those with specific professional qualifications, experience and skills. You are unlikely to get work as a new UK graduate with little commercial or practical experience. If, as well as your UK university qualification, you have good levels of experience in your field of work then opportunities are possible, particularly in areas such as engineering (especially in the oil industry), IT, healthcare, banking and medicine. There are also opportunities to teach English in Saudi Arabia.

• Typical problems encountered: opportunities for non-Saudi nationals are limited to areas where there are skills shortages. The use of Arabic as the main business language also places UK graduates at a disadvantage. It can be more difficult for women to obtain work in Saudi Arabia, but not impossible. Opportunities for women tend to be in medical or teaching roles.
• How to improve your chances: gain professional experience elsewhere first or work for an international organisation which has an operation in Saudi Arabia and could offer a future opportunity to relocate.
• Language requirements: Arabic is the major business language and English is widely spoken. Organisations that rely heavily on overseas workers tend to use English as the working language. It will be beneficial to know some Arabic and private language schools are available in Saudi Arabia where you can learn the language. Places such as Linguarama  and Berlitz  also offer Arabic courses which can be completed before you move.

Where can I work?

• Major industries: oil is the main industry in Saudi Arabia (detection, extraction, refinement, production and distribution). It has around a fifth of the world’s petroleum reserves and the petroleum sector accounts for 90% of the country’s exports. Other significant industries that employ foreign workers include telecommunications, defence, healthcare and IT.
• Recent growth areas: in recent years efforts have been made to diversify the Saudi economy and the development of six ‘economic cities’ has seen expansion of the financial services and manufacturing sectors. The diversification has also focused on power generation and natural gas exploration.
• Shortage occupations: engineering, IT, education, healthcare and construction professionals are in most demand.
• Major companies: the state oil company Saudi Aramco is the largest Saudi employer. Other major Saudi companies include SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation), SEC (Saudi Electricity Company) and STC (Saudi Telecom Company). Many major multinational companies have operations in Saudi Arabia, including BAE Systems, Cisco Systems, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Schlumburger, Nestlé and Siemens.
• Search for more companies: Kompass Saudi Arabia, Saudian Yellow Pages and The Saudi British Trade Directory. Many Saudi-based businesses are family owned.
• Major cities: Riyadh (capital), Jeddah, Al-Khobar.

What’s it like working in Saudi Arabia?

• Average working hours: 8 hours per day and a maximum of 48 hours per week. The exception to this is during Ramadan when hours may not exceed 6 per day and 36 per week. The working week begins on Saturday and runs to Wednesday or Thursday, depending on whether the company operates a five or six-day working week. Friday is the Islamic day of rest and all work is expected to stop at prayer times.
• Holidays: vary depending on individual employers and contract. They can be very generous with larger employers looking to attract overseas workers.
• Average graduate starting salary: depends on the role, industry and experience. Jobs for overseas professionals tend to be very well paid and salaries are generally much higher than the equivalent in the UK. The net income received is made even higher by the fact that no personal tax is paid.
• Tax rates: most overseas workers are free from taxation in Saudi Arabia.
• Working practices and customs: UK graduates should take time to understand the basic principles of Islamic law and how foreign workers in Saudi Arabia are expected to behave. Every aspect of life in Saudi Arabia is heavily influenced by a strict adherence to Islam. Business appointments must be scheduled around the five daily prayer times, as well as the religious holidays of Hajj and Ramadan. Business dress should be conservative for men. Women should dress conservatively in loose-fitting clothing that covers the arms and legs. Inside the compounds the restrictions on women tend to be less prohibitive. Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.