Minimum salary package requirement (Jubail)

across countries wrote:

Can anyone share some insight about what is the minimum salary package to Saudi Arabia for an expat (engineer position)? I've been reading all the topics from here, but I still feel a bit lost.

Thank you in advance !

depends on which engineering degree you hold and from where(foreign degree i.e US or UK)...whats your experience,last work responsibilities etc...there are so many factors...

mechanical engineering .... 10 years + of service in this field ... european degree

across countries wrote:

mechanical engineering .... 10 years + of service in this field ... european degree

Again depends on N number of factors. No thumb rule for the salary and the variation is too much for anything to write here....

Each country have a standard /a basic salary package . The question is where is this limit . There is no person to know this thing? Of course for a foreigner .

Probably about 600 riyal a month does that help you

Problably you are not so close or perhaps it's better first to tell you how much is and then you 'll tell me that is true or not

Can anyone help us in this matter ?

across countries wrote:

Problably you are not so close or perhaps it's better first to tell you how much is and then you 'll tell me that is true or not

You think thats wrong ... welcome to saudi. If you look at every other post with the same and/or similar questions, scroll a few centimeters no doubt yu will find 5 of the same, you will see there is no minimum as such. I do not know why people ask this - it is such a stupid question. Even in the UK it is a stupid quesstion. Job title doesn't entitle you to X aount An operations manager in the UK ranges from minimum wage at 15k a year or what ever it works out at to plus100k so as I said pointless question question

I completely agree with LoopyLou !!! Salaries Cannot be generalized. And I hope someone gives you the correct answer. BTW, why dont you cnotact the company's HR for the exact range ???

Let's look a little bit on article as follow:
"A Comparison of Expat Salaries in the Middle East

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expat Salaries in the Middle East

The following table illustrates average expat salaries for a variety of jobs in the Middle East region. Please note that while a great deal of research has been undertaken to ensure the validity of these figures, earnings will vary, and are affected by such factors as nationality, years of experience and relevant qualifications. Note further that salaries are increasing in the Gulf Region at an average rate of 6.6%, and within individual countries as follows: Qatar at 6.8%, Saudi Arabia at 6.7%, Oman at 6.4%, Kuwait at 5.7%, the UAE at 5.2% and Bahrain at 4.9%.

Also note that, while it may be unfair, in the Middle East western expats generally earn more than their eastern counterparts. The figures given below are for western expats working in the Middle East.


(Basic salaries quoted in US$ per month; these salaries are paid to you tax-free and largely without deduction)


Middle East Expat Salary Survey Job Description Saudi Arabia  Middle East Average
General Manager (Multinational Company) 15,000
General Manager (Local Company) 10,000
Head of Information Technology 9,167
Accountant 8,000
Business Development Manager 10,000
Banking –  Head of Operations 16,250
Banking – Branch Manager 15,000
Creative Arts Director 11,904
Sales Manager 9,000
Construction Project Manager/Chief Engineer 11,667
Executive Secretary/PA 5,700
ESL Teacher 3,000
Country Averages for Expat Employees 12,730

Further Considerations for Expats moving to the Middle East

Expats are urged to keep up-to-date with the current economic climate in the Middle East before deciding on relocation.  The Gulf Region's heavy dependence on oil revenues, coupled with the weakening US Dollar, has seen the cost of living in most GCC Countries rise at a far greater rate than salary increases in recent years.
Middle Eastern countries are trying to curb their dependency on foreign labour and have started to hire locally wherever possible, and to offer increasingly less attractive expat salary packages.
Bear in mind that although the prospect of earning and saving lots of money is indeed appealing, expats must also factor in the quality of the life they will lead in the Middle East. For some western expats, the need to adopt a different mode of behaviour in the Islamic states of the Gulf Region is not worth the salary they receive at the end of every month. (On this note, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman are certainly the most 'open' of the GCC countries, and offer the most comfortable transition for western expats.)
With these considerations in mind, many analysts have identified Asia as the new hot destination for expats looking to live and work abroad. A quarter of expats currently living and working in Asia earn more than US$200,000 per annum."

So Loopy Lou87 I think that SAR 600 (around 160 USD) maybe is only in your imagination.

across countries wrote:

So Loopy Lou87 I think that SAR 600 (around 160 USD) maybe is only in your imagination.

Its not Imagination, I have seen people working on this salary range here, although not engineers.

Country Averages for Expat Employees 12,730 USD, Hows that possible when most of the salaries are below this range ??? Can you explain this....

Dear Sir

You have asked a question thats almost impossible to answer. There is no standrd salry and very little quide lines.
It all depends on your nationality, position you hold, type of company you are working for, years of experience, locally employed or over seas etc etc
Salary for example for a construction engineer in my line of business can vary from 5000.00 sar a monthto 15,000.00 a month. i am just counting Asians , Arabs, etc --Not europeans.

Then you have to look at package offered, schools, accomodation, air fares, transport , medical , holidays etc etc

Generally as long as you are happy with the package then you live with it first time around . If and when you feel like a change then you can start to demand what you would like.

Regards

Trevor

This is an answer that I'm looking for . Very sincere and realistic .

Thank you !

I have been reading replies to this thread and i am amazed at what I am seeing.
To be honest all the answers are correctas it depends on who you ar owrking for.

If you are with say Chevron, Brown and Root, Stone and Webster, etc then yes salary levels are going to be relatively high  but If you are with a cgeneral contractor say in Riyadh or Jeddah then levels are much much different.

I am recruiting at present in both the Phillipines and India and i will give you my salary level that my company has put as a guide line.

1. Site engineer with 5 yrs minimum experience and maybe some Middle east --8000.00 sar per month, some accomodation allowance of 1000.00 sar per month and 1 return ticket every 2 years!!!!
2. Planning  engineer -primavera exp -- 7000.00 sar per month --same allowance and conditions.
3. Land surveyor -- 6000.00 per month and same allowance.
4. General labourers -- 1250 - 1750 sar per month
4. Foreman for site 5000.00 per month same allowances

Also in some cases 3 months salary will be held back!!

I am running a division of a local company and I can assure you that salary levels in the construction industry except at senior management level are low -- very low and the work expectation is still there as we work 6 days x 10 hrs per days on fixed salary.
Other industries may be differnt , but to be honest speaking to a few folks over the past year or so the salary levels in my experience are coming down --not going up.

As an individual I can assure you that I was earning more 12 years ago than I am earning now and  i also had a full expat package for 3 children educated at DubaI College.

Just my 3 penny worth

Regards

Trevor

Good info Trevor !! And as said by you and I completely agree, that this varies completely from Industry to Industry. In my oil and Gas Field, the variations are too large to even imagine !!

@ across countries - Are you looking for the job in construction industry ??? If Yes, dont take the offer more than 15K SAR/month...... Becoz thats realistic !!!

Smart tips . I'll take in account accomodation ,transportation , medical insurance , allowance , schooling , air fares , etc as trevor said .

any other comments/suggestions?

Hi I'm new to this forum. As far as I understand, in Saudi three things determine your salary package - nationality, work experience and education level (in that order). What doesn't count is where you actually reside or which university/country you acquired your education (unless you are Saudi, but this is Expat.com ). Generally North Americans, Latinos and Europeans are in the privileged band, followed by local and other Arabs and finally Asians and Africans.

Nice to hear.

Which is the main points that I should focus? Where should I won't let guard down?

If you read all the above posts you will see what to ensure that you have included in your package.
But as previously mentioned it all depends on your nationality, type of position you are applying for, and who you are working for and in what industry

Good luck

Trevor

Thanks trevor.

I read also all from above .

trevorcox wrote:

If you read all the above posts you will see what to ensure that you have included in your package.
But as previously mentioned it all depends on your nationality, type of position you are applying for, and who you are working for and in what industry

Good luck

Trevor

How about in SAUDI METHANOL CO? Sabic arrazi. I know a filipino analyzer specialist quality assurance dept. They said they earn 6k riyals for non saudis. Is this true for such position?

salaries are not controlled in Saudi its just a bargain

You have to know somebody in that organization to discover the salary limits

I come back to you ladies & gentlemans with a question . Is there any taxe's that can decrease a salary ?

With regard to KSA there are no taxes imposed on your salary.
what ever tax you have to pay in your home country or where ever you may live is then between you the local tax office.

Regards

Trevor

I reply as before --there is no minimum and no maximum salary for a position in KSA.

the Minimum is what you are prepared to accept and the maximum is the most that you can get out of the company !!!!!!

No one on this forum will be able to tell you any diferent --it ends up being down to the individual and if you accept a osition and find that the engineer or whoever next to you is earning more than you then there is nothing you can do --except maybe find someone earning less than you !!!

It is in a nut shell --a lottery !!!

Regards

Once a final salary package is offered from employer is it worth negotiating or mostly its "take it or leave it" situation.

Thank you !

Kind Regards

Don't know if this would be any help, but my husband and I have been searching for jobs for two months now. He was offered one job as a project manager for 19,000sr, monthly and then he was offered another IT job for 10,000sr monthly. The one for 19,000sr was through wasta...the other was a job he found on his own.
When he applies for the job he is British, as that is what his passport says. His birth place is Pakistan, but we don't tell people that because it lowers his wages if they know. It doesn't seem to be so important what education you have, as long as you have some and experience, and if you studied anywhere in the UK or the US, then that seems to be good enough! Nationality is everything here. You get paid more if you are from the UK or US, and then its the Saudis who are next in line for decent pay, and then everyone else. I don't like this, and its a very unislamic way - but welcome to life I guess.

I am offered a job with 33k SAR per month with residence in compound or 25% of salary. I am making here in canada over 200k per annum but paying 40% tax too. Is this a good salary ? Or average?
My job will be in Buraydah, is there any American or Canadian/ British school available in this city or I should keep my family in riyad and commute on weekly basis.
Folk help me to decide, I have two kids 10 and 5 and all there schooling is in canada.
Thanks

Sorry to say but the schooling here is really crap. Everyone says so. Just telling you so you won't be shocked. I don't put my kids in school here but rather homeschool them. From what we have seen of the schools they are no good academically, unfortunately. Maybe others have seen differently, but I hear this from everyone we meet here in Riyadh and from what we had witnessed ourselves.

The pay you are stating is good pay for here, very good. And it will go a long way in living a comfortable life.
We have been here for only a few months, and to be honest I really like it for the most part. Its not as strict as we thought it would be, and if you research what to do, you will find loads of things. The weather is very very hot, and will continue to get hotter as the summer hits us. But that doesn't mean its impossible to go out in it. You just have to be careful and smart about it. There are many indoor things to do, and some of the mountainous cities are quite a bit cooler than Riyadh.

Also, remember the weekends are Thursday and Friday here, and I think that takes a bit of getting used to. Its kind of strange actually. But eventually you will get used to it.

Good luck!

Thanks for quick reply, I really appreciate it.

Thanks for your comments rationalchaos.

Regards,

Good luck abhmd in your new job .

Regards ,

Paying tax is a national sport in many countries . In Romania they are somewhere around 35-40 % .