It seems like a really closed country, but the payments are worth it! Will I be able to walk or drive alone as a woman there? I really want to work in Saudi Arabia, but I worry about it.
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Denis PopovContent:
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken a leading position in the global economy and social welfare. Everyone knows that Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country.
Not only natives and citizens but also foreign residents can find jobs in Saudi Arabia. Of course, highly qualified specialists are welcome in this state. But primarily, it concerns men. It is much easier to find a job for them than for women. After all, women are allowed to work only in a few areas.
Although Saudi Arabia favors foreign residents, finding a job for a foreigner in this country will be challenging. This is because, according to labor law, the government annually establishes quotas for the employment of foreign nationals.
A foreign applicant for a job must have an academic degree and be fluent in English and Arabic. And also, the hired worker must have a lot of experience and qualifications. Unfortunately, without education, it is almost impossible for a person in this country to find a job.
To find a job in Saudi Arabia, you can either on your own or through a recruiting agency. But suppose a person has qualifications and a lot of experience. In that case, he can start looking for a place for employment on the websites of major companies in Saudi Arabia, where vacancies are periodically published. Saudi Arabia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. This is because it has a high standard of living and solid salaries. But it is also one of the most closed countries in the world, so getting a job in Saudi Arabia can be quite a challenge.
Until 40 years ago, Saudi Arabian women could drive cars, talk to strange men, and not wear traditional clothing. But in 1979, two momentous events occurred in the Middle East that determined the country's future. First, the Islamic Revolution in Iran - the monarchy fell, and all relations with the West ended. This event prompted many Islamic countries to consider a change in government toward strengthening the clergy.
The situation of women's rights in Saudi Arabia is indeed changing, albeit very slowly. Over the past decade, they have gained rights and freedoms that only 20 years ago they could only dream of.
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with an advisory council whose legislators are appointed by the king. Previously, only men over the age of 30 could hold positions there. However, the situation changed in 2013: for the first time, women were included in the council by decree of King Abdullah, taking 30 seats. In addition, three were appointed vice-chairs of the health and environment, human rights and petitions projects, and the information and culture committees.
Two years later, the king gave women another political freedom. They were allowed to vote and stand for election for the first time. More than 900 women across the country applied to run.
Contrary to stereotypes, Sharia allows women to pursue careers. But only with the consent of the husband and the condition that the work does not harm family obligations.
In Saudi Arabia, until 2005, women could only work in a limited number of fields, such as medicine, education, and trade. In addition, they could only work in places frequented exclusively by women. International companies also give women this opportunity.
Since 2013, women were finally officially allowed to work as lawyers. Previously, they could only work as a legal consultant or assistant. That same year, Ayat Bahriba became the first female police officer. And in 2019, Yasmine Al Maimani was promoted to the first commercial airline pilot.
Until 2015, women were not allowed to vote in municipal elections. As of this year, the situation has changed. Muslim women living in Saudi Arabia can now vote and be employed. After all, the government has expanded employment opportunities for women. Although there have been many frightening myths about Saudi Arabia, based in part on reality, the country today does not resemble a medieval caliphate. European notions of freedom and women's rights have strongly influenced even this conservative state, helped in no small measure by the mass education of local youth in European and American universities.
In Arabia, women also have the right to work and receive a salary, although the range of professions available to them is noticeably narrower. In addition, the average difference in income between men and women here is 30%. Even so, there are plenty of well-paid jobs for women here.
Saudi Arabia is a country of Islam. Therefore, all foreign residents are obliged to respect the state's traditions. This is one of the main requirements.
In Arabia, women work in administration, sales, management, education, medicine, etc. Mostly they find a job in big sites like Jeddah. For example, some medical specialties here are reserved exclusively for women, and men are not allowed into them. But, of course, we are talking about things oriented toward treating women. Over the past five years, the number of working women in the country has doubled to 33%. In the third quarter of 2021, the proportion of employed Saudis was about half that of employed men, yet the unemployment rate for women was three times higher than for men at 21.9%.
Unlike the rest of the world, there are almost no mixed work teams in Saudi Arabia. Instead, women work separately from men. The only exception is medical: both sexes work in hospitals. But don`t let this evaluation stop you. Companies create new programs and opportunities each year.
Moreover, a railroad company in Saudi Arabia advertised 30 new jobs for women and received more than 28,000 resumes in response. The Guardian reports that the job announcement sparked such interest after loosening the country's employment rules for women.
Spanish railroad corporation Renfe, which operates transportation in Saudi Arabia, said an online assessment of academic and English language skills had cut the number of candidates by about half.
The women who get the jobs will drive high-speed trains between the cities of Mecca and Medina after a year of paid training. The company currently employs 80 drivers, with another 50 undergoing training.
An interesting fact is that a foreign worker must inform his manager about his movements around the city and the country. But this is not due to the restriction of foreigners' rights but to the fact that each foreign specialist is assigned a person responsible for such a foreigner's safety.
The best jobs for females in Saudi Arabia are primarily available in schools, health care, and related fields.
Women can only be employed as gynecologists and dermatologists in the medical field. To be employed as a doctor in any specialty, applicants must take an exam to prove their job qualifications when they arrive in Saudi Arabia. The exam is taken electronically using the Prometric program. A score of over 65% of correct answers is required to prove your qualifications and qualify you to work.
Requirements for foreign doctors:
No criminal record in the home country.
No pregnancy for women.
High level of knowledge of the English language.
You must legalize all documents confirming specialization and education in the Embassy of KSA.
Work experience of at least two years.
Working as a doctor in Saudi Arabia costs $3,000 to $5,000 per month. The employee is given an annual leave of 30 days. The doctor must pay medical malpractice insurance of $800 once every three years. Junior medical staff earn about $1,000 a month.
In the oil industry, women can only work as engineers. But only one company in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, employs women. Other organizations have different rights to hire women.
In 2015, women were allowed to work at cash registers in department stores. But the primary condition is that the woman's face is completely covered. They are also entitled to work as storekeepers in these organizations.
As for women, they are allowed a few things: a cashier in a supermarket with an utterly covered face, an engineer at Saudi Aramco, a teacher, and a doctor. The most popular medical specialty here is cosmetologist. In second place are gynecologists. Every local woman has at least three or four children. Maybe more, at this time, they are either already studying and living separately or still lying at home in a cradle under the care of babysitters. And every local hospital has a midwifery department, and a significant part of the anesthesiologists' work is assisting with cesarean sections and epidural anesthesia of labor. A doctor and a nurse are popular Indian female jobs in Saudi Arabia.
It is prestigious to work as a doctor in Saudi Arabia because professionals are given every opportunity to improve their work and earn a high income. If the professional fits the position, the processing is provided urgently. And since there is a shortage of doctors, it is possible to get a job in the Saudi capital, which is much more prestigious. The country has a positive attitude toward foreign applicants, but finding a job takes time and effort. This is connected with the fact that the government approves quotas for the employment of foreign citizens yearly.
Many professionals speak positively about working in Saudi Arabia. Most are happy with the benefits provided to professionals. According to reviews, working as a doctor is attractive because of the high salary, as only some countries pay that kind of money. Professionals are also happy with the provision of housing and free travel. This dramatically saves personal funds. In addition, employees are provided with various social guarantees.
Local women practically do not work in such services as the health and beauty industry. Nannies, housekeepers, masters in beauty salons, and kindergarten teachers are women from India and other countries. If you have experience in teaching, you can get a job in Saudi.
Among doctors, private clinic employees pay the highest salaries: surgeons, ophthalmologists, gynecologists, dentists, and intensive care specialists. Specialists in this field have jobs with salaries ranging from $3,000 per month to $9,000.
For a nanny, the income will be $1,500, and for a nurse, a little higher - $1,700. The maid at home will earn $ 1000, including free accommodation and meals.
Under the current law, only foreigners who have found an employer and signed a contract of employment with him describe the working conditions, salary, and provided position in detail.
In addition to their salaries, employees of Saudi employers have bonuses. They additionally receive the following:
Health insurance.
Personal car.
Tuition for children's education.
Living expenses.
According to the law, if a Saudi Arabian employer employs a foreign national, he must pay for a work visa, a work permit, and all additional documentation required for employment. It is important to remember that according to the law, an employee may leave Saudi Arabia only with written permission from the employer.
As a result, you get the following:
a decent wage;
pleasant working conditions;
valuable experience;
the opportunity to learn the culture of another country that is closed to most tourists;
essential connections: professional and social.
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