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Contract
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i) |
Check with the recruiting agent the exact terms of the
contract - especially about the duration of contract, salary,
working hours, the other benefits like housing. food, vacation,
tickets for going home, responsibility for payment of Iqama
etc. charges, the place where you are supposed to work and the living
conditions, and terminal benefits. |
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ii) |
If the contract is in Arabic you should have it translated
into English and also understand the contents of' the contract before
signing it. |
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iii) |
If the contract is an “initial contract", then you must ask
for the "final contract" and sign that before leaving
India.
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Sponsor / Employer
Check with your agent the exact details (name, address, tel./fax nos) of
your Saudi sponsor / employer (known as KAFIL) - whether it
is a person or a company, and the person who is supposed to supervise your
work. Get the telephone number of this person and talk to him before
leaving India. Ask him or the agent about who is going to receive you at
the airport, how will you be transported to your residence or work place,
etc. If you are not familiar with Arabic and English and if this employer
knows only Arabic or English, then you should ask someone else who knows
Arabic/English to talk to him over the telephone from India in your
presence to get all the details and finalise your programme accordingly
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Language
Knowledge of English & Arabic is very useful and it would be good if you
could pick up some basic Arabic before coming to Saudi Arabia.
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Passport
While having your passport made either through the agent or directly, you
must furnish your correct particulars and correct address. This is also
important in the case of any tragedy which (God forbid) may occur. You
must always truthfully record all your particulars. When you get your
passport, please check that all your particulars are recorded properly and
if there is any mistake you should have it corrected. Do not travel on a
passport, which is inaccurate.
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Visa
Before leaving India, check whether your visa is an appropriate one. The
visa may have endorse-ments in Arabic. If you are unable to make out the
endorsement - please ask a person who can read Arabic to translate. Do not
rely on what the recruiting agent tells you.
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Umrah Visa
Please remember that if you are coming to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa,
you are not allowed to work in the Kingdom and if you stay beyond the 30
days stipulated in that visa you become an illegal alien in Saudi
Arabia and are liable to detention and deportation apart from getting
rigorous punishment. Umrah visa is given only to Muslims to visit Makkah
and Madina.
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Working Conditions
Before coming to Saudi Arabia you must talk to people who are either
working in Saudi Arabia or have been to Saudi Arabia in the recent past to
know about the living conditions and working conditions in Saudi Arabia.
You must be thoroughly acquainted with all this and you must not come here
only on the basis of what your recruiting agent tells you. Do not come
to Saudi Arabia with pre-conceived notions and be prepared to leave as and
when things do not turn out the way you had imagined or wanted it to be.
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Photocopies / Photographs
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i) |
Photocopies of your passport and the contract that you have signed
should be available with you in adequate numbers. |
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ii) |
You must also leave a set of the photocopies of your passport and
contract with full address/telephone & Fax number. of your sponsor
with your family in India so that in time of need you may be able to
get the same easily. |
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iii) |
Carry at least 20 of your recent passport size photos with you. |
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Air Ticket
When you get your air ticket to Saudi Arabia you must check where you are
going to land and from there how you are going to be transported to the
place where you are to go. There might be a situation in which your
customs formalities will be done at the place where you are landing first
in Saudi Arabia, after which you might have to change planes. You must be
aware of that.
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Air Travel
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i) |
You must ask a knowledgeable person about travelling in an airplane
-how to use seat belts; how to use the toilets in the aircraft and
such details. |
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ii) |
You must also be aware of how much luggage you can carry and what type
of luggage is to be carried in hand and of what specifications. |
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iii) |
All your luggage should be properly marked with your name & address in
Saudi Arabia. |
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Drug Trafficking
Carrying drugs and other narcotic substances entails death sentence in
Saudi Arabia.
You must be extremely careful not to accept any gift or packet or any item
from anyone, not even from close relatives, while coming to Saudi Arabia.
The baggage that you have both checked in baggage and hand baggage, should
not have any open pockets on the outside in which packets can be
pushed in by anyone.
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Medicines
If you are under medication and if you are carrying certain prescribed
medicines you must have doctor's prescription in original and the
medicines should be carried along with its original packing and
literature so that custom authorities can easily identify them.
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Other Banned Items
You must know that religious literature, liquor, obscene video cassettes
and other obscene literature are banned in the Kingdom and you are liable
for punishment if detected carrying them. Get to know, the exact rules
of customs from your agent especially about prohibited articles.
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Recruiting Agent's Fees
In many cases, recruiting agents are charging exorbitant amount of fees
from the workers. The company or person recruiting you would in any case
be paying a handsome amount to the agent. If at all any amount is to be
paid to the agent it should be reasonable and you should not be asked to
take a loan, sell land or pawn your property / jewellery to pay the agent.
Do not get carried away by the green pastures that the recruiting agents
show to prospective candidates coming to Saudi Arabia. Please be careful
while befriending anyone on your way to Saudi Arabia. You may be cheated
and put into serious trouble by such people.
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Arrival
You must be aware of how to use telephones at the airports in case you
are stranded at the airport or any other place you should be able to ring
up your employer or the person who is in-charge, with whom you should have
already talked from India, and inform him about your situation.
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No Second Contract on Arrival
Do not sign another contract on arrival in Saudi Arabia, especially if the
terms and conditions are inferior to what you signed in India or if it is
in a language that you do not understand.
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Identity Documents
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i) |
While in Saudi Arabia always carry either your passport which should
have a valid visa or in lieu of the passport, a valid residential
permit called 'Iqama’, |
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ii) |
In no case you should part with your Iqama or give it to
anyone else. It is your basic document without which you may be
arrested and deported. The Iqama is valid for the place
where you work and where you live. |
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iii) |
While leaving Saudi Arabia on leave etc., you need to have an
‘Exit/Re-entry Visa’ stamp on your passport and a permission letter
from your sponsor. |
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Labour
Complaints
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i) |
In case of labour complaints, kindly approach the Indian Missions in
Saudi Arabia (at Riyadh and Jeddah) for help. The person who is
employing you is called the "Kafil”(sponsor) and your basic
relation is with your sponsor. |
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ii) |
If you are shifting sponsor, it is illegal without a valid permission. |
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iii) |
If you run away from work and take another job that is also illegal. |
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iv) |
In case you find that the job is not suitable, you should also have
with you enough means to travel back to India. |
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Ladies
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i) |
Ladies who are coming to Saudi Arabia to work as maids, nurses,
doctors, etc., should be very careful about the place where they are
supposed to work and the conditions of their employment, specially if
they are coming alone. |
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ii) |
They should also be aware of the strict observance of dress code and
wear "ABAYA" which covers their hair and the whole body and
also the observance of strict segregation of males and females in
Saudi society. |
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Traffick
Kindly note that in Saudi Arabia, the traffic moves on the right side (as
against left side in India) of the road. It takes some time to get used
to it. The number of deaths due to traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia is
high. Pedestrians and bicycle riders have to be particularly cautious
while on roads. Collision with a stray camel on highways can be fatal.
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Vehicle Insurance
Please note that under administration of justice in Saudi Arabia is
carried out under the Islamic Shariat Laws which are very stringent.
Accordingly, the person held responsible for causing damage/injury/death
in a traffic accident is liable to pay compensation. It is, therefore,
advisable to have comprehensive insurance for yourself and your vehicle.
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Agricultural Farm Workers / Shepherds
Such categories of workers are not covered under the Saudi Labour Law.
The living conditions for them are severe since they have to live in
remote farms and work in deserts. The wages for farm workers/shepherds
are low.
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Register with the Embassy / Consulate
Once you arrive in Saudi Arabia, it is always desirable to register with
the lndian Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate General of India in Jeddah,
so that in case of need or when you are in distress, the Mission officials
are able to help you.
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