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Working Tips for First Timers in Al Khobar KSA
Sep 4, 2010
Here are some tips from our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Let’s hear it from them personally – the job offers available, things to bring, software that should be installed in your cellphones, and laptops and more.
Here are some of the personal advices of experienced OFWs for first-time OFWs bound to Al Khobar. The following posts are taken from OFWGuide Forum.
Question From OFWGuide forumer: Omelani:
Good day mga bossing, may tinanggap akong work sa Al khobar sa Extra Stores,first-time OFW lang po ako kaya hihingi naman po sana ako ng advice sa inyong lahat tungkol sa mga kuro-kuro ko: (Good day! I received a job offer in Al Khobar in Extra Stores, it’s my first time to work overseas. I just want to ask some advice from you about the follow things that bother me)
- May offer sa amin na free accomodation saka free hatid sundo, pero kung ayaw naman ay bibigyan ako ng monthly housing at transpo allowance, bale 3 months advance po yun. Ano po kaya ang mas praktikal pagdating diyan? Bigyan niyo namn po ako ng information sa cost of living ng mga Pinoy ngayon sa Al Khobar. (They offer a free accommodation and transportation but if I don’t want to avail that they would give me a monthly housing and transportation allowance, three months advance. Can you give me which among these options am good?)
- May dala akong laptop naka windows 7 na, eh sa October pa labas nung Windows7 i-check kaya un? (I have a laptop with Windows7 installed, but Windows7 is yet to out in market on October, would they check it?)
- May kumakalat na bali-balita na pati cellphone at USB ay chine-check sa airport. May laman pong Christian Bible software ang cellphone ko, kumpiskahin kaya iyun? (Hearsays that they also check cellphone and USB in airport. There’s a Christian Bible software installed in my phone, would they confiscate it?)
Answers From OFWGuide forumer Dark_hollywood:
- Ang Extra Store ay malaking tindahan ng mga electronic at gadget dito sa Middle East. Mas maganda kung housing allowance na lang kasi makakapamili ka ng kuwarto unlike kapag company accommodation provided. You have no choice kung hindi isama ka sa maamoy, balahura, pasaway na ka-roommate. Kung transportation allowance naman, depende din iyan sa distance ng accommodation mo kasi kung may kalayuan ay tatalunin ka sa pamasahe. Baka iyung transpo allowance mo ay kulangin pa. So kung malayo, mas mainam ang hatid-sundo ng company car pero kung kalapitan lang eh mas mainam yong may transpo allowance. May extra ka pang money na masa-save niyan. (Extra Store is a big electronic and gadget store here in Middle East. Much better if you would choose housing allowance so you could pick your own room unlike in company accommodation, you have no choice but to get along with a different attitude of your roommate. For transportation allowance, it would depend on the distance of your accommodation. If it’s far, you would spend more in your fare. If it’s just few miles away, go for transportation allowance, you would have extra money to save.)
- Kapag eastern region kasi hindi na masyadong strict not unlike Riyadh kasi talagang may time na bubusisiin ang iyong mga dalang gamit. Saka hindi naman sila masyadong particular with program or system. Maliban na lang kung ang dala mo ay pirated cd/dvd at may lamang mga harram sa ISLAM yong laptop mo like porno & religious (Christian). Ito ang mga karaniwang nadadale talaga sa inspection. (Eastern region are not so strict, unlike in Riyadh where all your things would be checked thoroughly. Added to that, they are not so particular with the program or system. Nevertheless you brought pirated cd/dvd and you installed things which are forbidden in Islam like porn and religious, particularly Christian, things. These are the usually items that are confiscated during inspection.
- Kung matiyempuhan ka so possibleng ma-confiscate ka at matulad dun sa mga bagong dumating na pinagbayad or pinagmulta ng tig-500 riyals bawat image or videos na nakita. (If you will be caught, it would be sequestered and you would probable experience like those who came here who where asked to fine 500 Riyals each image and videos.
Answers from OFWGuide forumer Zurcekim:
- Mas maigi kung ikaw kukuha o hahanap ng sarili mong titirhan pero you have to take in mind na ikaw din ang bibili ng mga gamit sa bahay. So, pag isipan mong mabuti yun bang bibigay sa yong housing allowance ay magkakasya sa pambayad mo ng renta sa bahay pati na din pambili ng gamit? Typical na kuwarto sa Khobar ay from 500-800/month. Suwerte ka na kung makakuha ka ng mababa sa 500. Typically din, ang binibigay ng company na housing allowance ay 25% of your annual salary or equivalent to three months salary. (It’s better if it is you who would choose your house, but you also have to consider that you are the one who would buy furniture for it. So you have to think carefully if the housing allowance that the company would give you is enough to pay your rent and buy furniture. Here in Al Khobar, room rate usually range from 500-800 Riyals, fortunate if you would found lower than 500 Riyals. Typically, the company gives 25% of your annual salary or equivalent of three months salary for your housing allowance.)
- May naibalita lang sa email na may software and/or gadget na ngayon na pang-check ng mga electronic materials ang airport dito sa Saudi. Kaya kung ang software mo ay hindi genuine o may mga religious materials ka o mga pornographic materials ay mas maigi pang burahin mo na o huwag mo na lang dalhin. Sabi nga sa amin sa PDOS dati ay tiyempuhan iyan. What if matiyempuhan ka, mahirap magka-aberya dito lalo na hindi ka pa nakakapasok ng bansa at nasa airport ka pa lang. Mas maigi na yung nagiingat kesa sa mapahamak ka at may alinlangan ka na may dala kang bawal. (I read in some emails that a software and/or gadget are now used to check electronic materials in airport in Saudi. So if you are using fake software or you have religious or pornographic materials installed, much better if you delete or just leave it. Checking of your belongings is by chance, what if it’s your fate? It’s complicated to be in trouble here. Much better if you would be careful than sorry.)
Did you find the above answers helpful? You can still read more helpful answers to this post that would give your useful insights about working and living in Al Khobar. Kindly visit the OFWGuide Forum thread in: Mga Bagong Dating sa Al Khobar.
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