The procedures for expat workers to live and work in The Gulf countries will vary in each country.
In general, the process will normally start with the foreign worker receiving a relocation job offer from a sponsoring employer in the particular country who is authorized to hire foreign workers. Both the sponsoring employer and the foreign worker will usually need to sign the employment contract.
Next, the sponsoring employer will normally apply for the required entry permit, work permit/visa, residence visa or ID Card on behalf of the foreign worker (depending on what each country initially requires for foreign workers when they enter the country).
After receiving the entry permit or work visa, the foreign worker will travel to the country in The Gulf, get settled and start working for the sponsoring employer. In many cases, the sponsoring employer takes care of the round-trip airfare for the expat worker, and usually provides his or her housing and healthcare insurance. Be sure to confirm with the sponsoring employer what benefits they will provide (this is usually specified in the written employment contract, but if you are not sure, be sure to ask).
Within a certain time period after the foreign worker arrives, the sponsoring employer might (depending on the country) need to apply for a work permit/visa or residence visa on behalf of the foreign employee in order for him or her to live and work in the country for the duration of their employment contract and/or as permitted by the country’s regulations.
Depending on the regulations of the particular country, the length of the foreign worker’s employment contract, and other factors, an expat worker may be able to live and work in their country of choice for approximately 1-3 years. If the employer wants to continue sponsoring the foreign worker beyond the initial time period, the employer will apply for an renewal of the necessary work permit and/or residence visa on behalf of the worker.
Perhaps, the most important part of the procedure is receiving a relocation job offer from a sponsoring employer, since the employer not only hires the foreign worker, but also generally files the applications for the entry visa, work permit and residence visa on behalf of the expat worker, and normally provides housing (or a housing allowance) and healthcare insurance (be sure to confirm what benefits the sponsoring employer will provide).
Thus, EmployMeGulf.com offers a valuable service to its clients through its user-friendly online platform which facilitates matching job-seekers who want to work in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Qatar, with employers in those Gulf countries who are searching for qualified workers.
This is also beneficial to employers in the Gulf States who need workers to fill various job openings so their businesses can function with optimal staffing levels to meet the needs of their customers. At EmployMeGulf, we take the work out of finding a job in the six Gulf States!
Having said this, here is some additional information about how to work in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman.
In order for an expat to work in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the private sector, he or she must generally get a formal offer of employment in the UAE from a sponsoring employer.
Both the foreign worker and the sponsoring employer must sign the UAE job offer.
The sponsoring employer has to make sure that the foreign worker has read the UAE job offer and understands its terms before signing it.
After both parties have signed the UAE job offer, the sponsoring employer will provide a copy of the letter to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE).
The permit to work in the UAE (if approved) will be issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) based on this UAE job offer letter.
The UAE employment contract will also be based on the UAE job offer letter, it must be signed by the foreign worker and sponsoring employer, and it has to be sent to the MoHRE in 14 days of less from the date the foreign worker relocates to the UAE.
It should be noted that the UAE work permit is valid for 60 days and it allows the foreign worker to relocate to the UAE. After the expat worker enters the United Arab Emirates using the UAE work permit, the sponsoring employer will next have to arrange for the worker to have a medical exam, get a Labor Card and a UAE Resident Identity Card (Emirates ID), as well as have the worker’s passport stamped with the UAE work residence visa – all within 60 days (before the work permit expires).
Please be aware that the foreign worker must be in good health and pass the security check in order for the UAE residence visa to be granted and placed in his or her passport.
Once this has been accomplished, the foreign worker will be allowed to sponsor his or her immediate family members for relocation to the UAE if the worker earns a salary of at least AED 4,000 or receives a salary of at least AED 3,000 and accommodation.
A residence visa to the UAE is issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) for one, two or three years, depending on the sponsoring employer and what type of residence visa it is.
During the time that the UAE residency visa is valid, the foreign worker is allowed to travel in and out of the United Arab Emirates, as long as he or she does not remain outside of the UAE more than six months (otherwise, the UAE residence visa shall be automatically cancelled).
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in the UAE or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
A foreign national who wants to live and work in Bahrain will be required to receive a Sponsorship Letter from an employer in Bahrain.
The foreign worker will also need to send an application for a two-year Bahraini employment visa to the Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) with all of the required documents and fee(s), including a copy of the Bahrain employment contract, Sponsorship Letter, documents confirming educational qualifications, medical exam results, employee’s passport, etc.
After the expat worker relocates to Bahrain, he or she will need to get a Bahraini residence permit which will be carried as identification (ID) while living and working in Bahrain.
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in Bahrain or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
An individual who would like to work in Qatar will need to find an employer in Qatar to sponsor him or her.
In general, the sponsoring employer will apply for a temporary entry visa to Qatar on behalf of the foreign worker who they want to hire.
After the expat worker relocates to Qatar, the sponsoring employer will apply for a residency permit (RP) on behalf of their new employee.
A residency permit to Qatar needs to be renewed every year by the sponsoring employer and it allows the foreign worker to bring his or her immediate family to live in Qatar (they must get the relevant permit or visa for family members).
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in Qatar or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
Expats who wish to work in Saudi Arabia will need to find an employer, with permission from the Saudi Ministry of Labor to hire foreign workers, who will sponsor them for employment in Saudi Arabia.
An employer who decides to hire a foreign worker will apply for a work visa to Saudi Arabia on behalf of the worker.
After the foreign worker receives the Saudi work visa, he or she will be allowed to relocate to Saudi Arabia and begin working in the Kingdom.
Within 90 days of the expat worker’s relocation to Saudi Arabia, the sponsoring employer will need to apply for a Saudi residence permit (Iqama), which also includes the permit to work in Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the foreign worker.
In order to apply for the Iqama, the sponsoring employer will need to provide a signed employment contract, a letter from the employer that has been certified by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Chamber of Commerce, two passport-style photos of the employer, two passport-style photos of the expat worker, the results of the expat worker’s medical exam from a licensed physician, a recent police certificate, documents related to professional or educational credentials, and the foreign worker’s valid passport.
Depending on how long the foreign worker’s employment contract is for, the Iqama residence/work permit will be initially valid for one year or two years and then afterwards, the sponsoring employer will need to renew the Iqama so the expat can continue to live and work in Saudi Arabia legally.
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in Saudi Arabia or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
A foreign citizen who desires to work in Kuwait must get an offer of employment in Kuwait from a sponsoring employer.
The Kuwaiti employer will need to apply for the No Objection Certificate (NOC) on behalf of the foreign worker they wish to hire, which will allow the expat worker to relocate to Kuwait.
After the foreign worker relocates to Kuwait, the sponsoring employer will then apply for the Iqama (residency visa to Kuwait) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will require the expat worker to get a medical exam and be tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS; provide a police clearance; a passport-style photo; and a passport that is valid for at least six months.
Once the expat worker receives the residency visa to Kuwait, he or she must file an application for a Kuwaiti Civil ID (Bitaqa Almadaniyah).
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in Kuwait or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
For an expat to work in Oman legally, an employer with a Labor License from the Omani Ministry of Manpower (MoM), who has permission to bring foreign workers into the country, must send a Letter of Invitation (Omani job offer) to the foreign worker.
The sponsoring employer will also need to send an application for the Omani employment visa to the Immigration Department of the Royal Oman Police on behalf of the expat worker that he or she wishes to hire.
In order to receive an employment visa to work in Oman, the foreign worker must be 21-60 years of age; have a medical exam and provide a medical certificate; possess a valid passport; and meet other criteria.
After the Omani employment visa is granted to the foreign worker and he or she relocates to Oman, the expat worker will have 30 days in which to go to the Civil Status Department of the Royal Oman Police to be issued the Omani residence card.
The Omani residence card is issued by the Directorate General of Civil Status and along with the employment visa will allow the foreign citizen to live and work in Oman for two years.
EmployMeGulf.com can provide you with an Employment Profile Review to determine your eligibility to apply for relocation jobs in Oman or the other five Gulf States. Our EmployMeGulf.com online platform also facilitates searching for relocation jobs in the Gulf States.
As you have just read in this overview, the basic procedure to live and work in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates is relatively easy once you receive a job offer from a sponsoring employer in The Gulf country of your preference.
For the most part, you need to find work in The Gulf with a sponsoring employer and then the employer who wants to hire you takes care of filing the applications for the permits and visas with the relevant government ministry or agency.
In addition to finding work in The Gulf, you may need to get a medical exam, have a passport that is valid for a certain length of time, provide a police clearance certificate, get passport-style photos, provide copies of educational credentials, and other relatively easy tasks.
EmployMeGulf (EmployMeGulf.com) was established to take the work out finding a job in The Gulf countries.
Our advanced platform gives you a simple and effective way to connect with employers who have relocation jobs available for talented individuals like you who want to work in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman.
Just as the sponsoring employer does most of the hard work for you in dealing with the government authorities in their country and submitting the applications with the required documents, let the experienced employment specialists at EmployMeGulf.com work hard on your behalf to match your personal profile and preferences with an employer in The Gulf who has a relocation job waiting for you!
The EmployMeGulf.com website is a private consultancy which is owned and operated by Better Life Online Services Limited (Ireland), Registration Number 658644, Suite 23, The Cubes Offices, Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Ireland, and is not a government agency or a law firm.
Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved
