Contractor employment

One good thing coming as a contractor, you may get to bring your boys. Coming to work for Aramco Direct, men are not usually given family status without a wife. Be sure you are receiving family status from your services company.

If you live in the local community, you will not be allowed to use the Aramco residential facilities without an Aramco ID.

Some local compounds have pools and a few amenities but others do not.

You would need to be prepared to pay for your sons' school tuition and fees, if your company does not cover it. You may want to look at the International Schools Group, Dhahran Website if you live near Dhahran.

Rental in the local community is usually paid up front for the year, if you have to find your own housing. So be sure your company helps with that or if they have their own compound as some service companies do.

I should point out that when vpainter refers to an Aramco ID, it means an ID card for a direct hire Aramco employee. As a contractor, you will get an ID card issued to you by Aramco and which is sometimes referred to as your "Aramco ID card." But this is a contractor ID card which will not get you access to the family camp compound or its facilities.

Nor is living off camp the only difference. In my experience, having worked as a contractor for several years, there are some other significant differences, including leave enlement, air-fare payments, educational assistance (usually none), working hours (most contractors work a 6-day week) etc. Also the general level of care and support given by contractor companies is much less than you would get in Aramco.

But perhaps the main difference (at least for me) is that while Aramco hires people on an indefinite term employment agreement (ITEA) implying a fair degree of stability and longevity of employment, contractors are on a one-year, renewable contract. So every year, you face the worry of whether your contract will be renewed, with no guarantee that it will be.

Thank you for your advice. I just received the offer and it is very different from what I was expecting (based on the fact that I had previously thought it would be as a direct Aramco employee), it is on single status with the comment that I can bring my family at my own expense.
Can anyone give me an idea of how much it is to rent a villa on a good (with facilities) compound close to the British Grammar School.
I also wonder how much of my "allowance" will be left after school fees and rent (probably none as I have two boys 13 and 14) -flights, furniture, visas for family etc. are all at my own cost.
Thanks in advance for any comments.