General Checks before Departure to Saudi Arabia
- Ensure that the validity of your Passport is not less than six months.
- A valid Visa must be either stamped on or accompany your Passport.
- You must possess a copy of the Employment Contract signed by you and your foreign employer, duly attested by the registered recruiting agent.
- In addition to originals documents, it is advisable to keep a copy each of employment agreement/contract in English duly authenticated by the recruiting agent, complete passport including pages of visa and EC and Certificates of educational qualification with you and your family members in India, separately.
(NOTE: In Saudi Arabia, sponsor/employer keep original passports and employment
contracts with them. However, workers must keep copies of these documents with
themselves.) - Open a Savings Bank N.R.E. Account in one of the Banks in India to enable you to send your remittances from abroad.
Get familiar with the local labour laws, working and living conditions of Saudi Arabia.
- Keep with you complete address of the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah.
- Keep handy with you contact number and address of the sponsor and his/her agent in Saudi Arabia. Also keep contact details of your RA in India and Indian missions in Saudi Arabia
After Arrival in Saudi Arabia - Few Precautions
- Once you land your dream country and if face any difficulty in locating your foreign employer, contact your RA and the nearest Indian Mission immediately.
- At the first available opportunity, visit the nearest Indian Mission and get yourself registered.
- Obtain the Labour Card and IQAMA (identity Card) as early as possible after arrival in Saudi Arabia and keep with you. “Iqama” (identity cards) are issued by the Ministry of Interior, whereas, the Labour cards are issued by the Ministry of Labour. Both Iqama and Labour cards are issued to all expatriates workers soon after they settle down on their jobs. According to Labour Laws, it is the responsibility of the sponsor to get these documents issued to the worker within ninety(90) days of his arrival. However, If it is not issued within a period of 90 days, immediately contact nearest Indian Mission with full details and particulars of the employment.
- Always keep with you or your friend a copy of Employment Contract signed by you in India.
- DO NOT sign any other Employment Contract or any blank paper.
- DO NOT strike work or resort to agitations. These are illegal under Saudi Arabia’s labour laws. You could be arrested, imprisoned and deported.
- In case you misplace your Passport, inform the nearest Indian Mission immediately giving them full details.
- DO NOT accept temporary or permanent employment with another person or establishment other than the sponsoring company / establishment / person.
- Get your Passport, Visa or Employment Contract renewed before it is expired. If you are returning to India for a short while during the tenure of your Employment-Contract abroad, ensure that you have been granted Exit/Re-entry visa and not the Final–Exit and return to Saudi Arabia before its expiry.
- Indian workers assigned to drive a vehicle, whether any type of car, Light or Heavy Commercial Vehicle must drive only after they have been issued proper Driving Licence by the Saudi authorities and the vehicle has Third Party insurance, at least. If the sponsor forces him to drive the vehicle without licence and TPI, he must immediately report it to the Police or the Mission (Embassy or Consulate). According to the Saudi laws, In the absence of Driving Licence and Insurance(TPI), the driver alone is held responsible for any damage to life or property