Anyone familiar with SAMA ?

Please provide more info. Have you got some job offer? Is the employer asking you for that?

Yes I got a job offer but apparently now it looks like my file is pending somewhere at SAMA for approval or so.
So my questions are the following : is this a standard procedure ? how long does it take to get that processing done ? Is it possible to speed it up ?

Yes, that's a standard in recruitment for banks & insurance companies. I'm not sure of the timespan though. Will check with someone in HR and let you know in a few hours (it's mid-night here in ksa at the moment)

Thanks. I keep waiting for weeks and weeks ... How long does it take usually ? Months ?
Any way to speed the process ?
Do they have a deadline ?

blue indigo wrote:

What type of license do expat bankers need before working in a bank in KSA ?  How long does it take to get it ?

Hi Blue Indigo,

I dont think "license" is the correct word; what is needed is an attestation of the qualification (degree) from the HRD of the concerned Government/ State, followed by a confirmation from the University and then the KSA embassy. This is to be followed up with the Embassy's acceptance of the degree for the post for which you have an offer. This may prove to be a bother in case the degree and post do not strictly conform. If they do, then the visa gets stamped prompto, else some extra efforts and, maybe, a letter from the Bank HR to the Agent/ Embassy could be required. The overall process could stretch from say a couple of months to four-ish months or so.

Best of luck!

vkrmbhtngr.

Thanks for the answer.  In this case the bank sent the file to SAMA weeks / months ago and is just waiting for the feed back.  But the bank did not ask me to provide the attestation from the University.   

Just to be sure that I understand your comments : When you write "attestation of the qualification (degree) from the HRD of the concerned Government/ State" which HRD do you refer to ? I am currently employed by another bank overseas that has nothing to do with the bank in KSA that wants to recruit me.

The bank in KSA keeps telling me that their HRD is chasing SAMA but they get no feed back so they suggest to be patient ...

No I don't agree that it might be about any degree attestation. It's purely SAMA issue. Mine is a financial organization and I know very well how slow they are in approvals. However, it's never a matter of months.

If you are comfortable, can you tell me what title they are considering you for?

It is a senior position in banking, basically heading a business line.  But it is a not an executive position, I mean at the executive board.  The role reports to a member of the executive board. The corporate title is senior VP.
May I ask why you ask me ?

blue indigo wrote:

It is a senior position in banking, basically heading a business line.  But it is a not an executive position, I mean at the executive board.  The role reports to a member of the executive board. The corporate title is senior VP.
May I ask why you ask me ?

As TLL said Banks and financial institutions do a back ground check before they hire Saudi's as well as non Saudi's. This is not related to degree certificates, they are simply checking your track history especially in senior positions for any fraud or unfair practices. For Saudi's they ask for a police clearance and they might ask you as well.

HRGuru wrote:

blue indigo wrote:

It is a senior position in banking, basically heading a business line.  But it is a not an executive position, I mean at the executive board.  The role reports to a member of the executive board. The corporate title is senior VP.
May I ask why you ask me ?

As TLL said Banks and financial institutions do a back ground check before they hire Saudi's as well as non Saudi's. This is not related to degree certificates, they are simply checking your track history especially in senior positions for any fraud or unfair practices. For Saudi's they ask for a police clearance and they might ask you as well.

Ahha, no wonder it took sooooooo long in my case, but the Agent just kept telling me to be patient and that the process is running at a slightly slow pace, but not to worry!

Thanks for the answer.  As I wrote earlier, I provided the bank with police records etc but it happened after they submitted the file.  And I am not too sure that they forwarded those documents to SAMA because the bank is waiting for a feed back from SAMA first. And indeed SAMA did not ask them anything yet.  Really embarrassing indeed.  I do not understand why SAMA does not come back.  Would it be possible that they approach the wrong organization in the country I am currently working in.

HRGuru, you mean that you experienced the same issue with SAMA ? How long did it take ?

blue indigo wrote:

HRGuru, you mean that you experienced the same issue with SAMA ? How long did it take ?

Its vkrmbhtngr who faced similar delays, i am in HR

Could be as you said since they approached the wrong organization in your country, could also be due to the seniority of the position. Senior banking positions are usually for saudi's and SAMA might ask for clarification. Then again you have to know that hiring process in KSA takes some time.

HRGuru wrote:

blue indigo wrote:

HRGuru, you mean that you experienced the same issue with SAMA ? How long did it take ?

Its vkrmbhtngr who faced similar delays, i am in HR

Could be as you said since they approached the wrong organization in your country, could also be due to the seniority of the position. Senior banking positions are usually for saudi's and SAMA might ask for clarification. Then again you have to know that hiring process in KSA takes some time.

That's right folks, it took all of over four months in my case. Patience is indeed a virtue you need to bank on!

Thanks for the comments.  So it means that I need to wait extra months.  I suppose that they would inform me immediately if they have any question ?

blue indigo wrote:

Thanks for the comments.  So it means that I need to wait extra months.  I suppose that they would inform me immediately if they have any question ?

Sure they will.

I would say not necessarily so, then also that you need to be in regular (weekly at worst) touch with the prospective employer's HR and with the Agent assigned/ appointed. People do tend to dose off you know!

vkrmbhtngr wrote:

I would say not necessarily so, then also that you need to be in regular (weekly at worst) touch with the prospective employer's HR and with the Agent assigned/ appointed. People do tend to dose off you know!

I kept contacting the KSA bank but they told me to be patient and they cannot do anything else than just wait since SAMA does not answer to them ... The KSA bank told me that it is very frustrating for them too.  They do not understand what is going on.  Everybody is waiting for me there and the processing is on hold for whatever reason they ignore.  Finally they told me that SAMA "could" have approached the regulator (like FCA in London for instance) in my country of residence and is waiting for a reply.  The issue is that the regulator here does not look at this type of request.  They only look at financial institutions but not at private individuals. So I am very embarrassed if that is the real explanation ... because SAMA will wait for ever before receiving an answer if they ever receive one from my "local" regulator, if you see what I mean

You got a point there, have you shared this with the HR guys in the bank, I am sure if the bank intervene they can push things at SAMA, especially since you are coming in for a senior position.

Yes I did mention that to the business line at the KSA bank.  I never talked directly to the HRD but to the business line.  HRD only approached me when it came to the employment contract signing. They signed it too and sent it to me two months ago. Two weeks later they provided me with several forms that I filled it and sent back.  The business line tells me that their HRD did its best to push the file.  According to them SAMA asked them to wait now and told them that it is useless to chase them.  If I had not a contract duly signed I would imagine that th KSA bank changed up its mind.  But they do not tell me that.  On the contrary. So I suppose that I have to be patient for another two months since I cannot approach SAMA myself ...

blue indigo wrote:

Yes I did mention that to the business line at the KSA bank.  I never talked directly to the HRD but to the business line.  HRD only approached me when it came to the employment contract signing. They signed it too and sent it to me two months ago. Two weeks later they provided me with several forms that I filled it and sent back.  The business line tells me that their HRD did its best to push the file.  According to them SAMA asked them to wait now and told them that it is useless to chase them.  If I had not a contract duly signed I would imagine that th KSA bank changed up its mind.  But they do not tell me that.  On the contrary. So I suppose that I have to be patient for another two months since I cannot approach SAMA myself ...

Yeah, just wait for two weeks and then follow up and see what is the response. Things are going to get delayed even more since Ramadan is going to start very soon.

Thanks for your advices.  Quite helpful !
I informed my local regulator as well that they might receive questions from SAMA and I asked them to answer SAMA 's questions since anyway I have nothing to hide.  I cannot do much more.  I did not approach SAMA yet but I am not too sure that would be a good idea. Maybe they do not want to communicate with private individuals.