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Post by boban on Mar 26, 2014 11:50:19 GMT
Hi, looks like something is cooking, and that visa block will be released soon. I've got the email today regarding the same thing as Ritzkool.  Going to do my medical tomorrow. Cheers! |
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Post by JeffSteiner on Mar 26, 2014 12:21:03 GMT
While also cautiously optimistic about the imminent release of a substantial visa block, I suspect that the sudden rush to renew visa medicals is indicative of the rarity of the delays experienced. Perhaps some 'veteran expats' can comment, but I doubt that it has happened often in the past that such a large number of visas were all in limbo at the same time. ASC has been following their established protocol in arranging initial medical reviews to ensure that they were ready to proceed to the visa application stage with all candidates. And, for those of us who 'passed' all was proceeding as expected. The unique delay in releasing the block has resulted in all of this flurry and -- I am speculating here -- it may have been overlooked by our RAs at the outset. Now, they are scrambling as much as we are not to be caught out by the release that is surely coming.
I don't want to throw a wet (and very cold) blanket on proceedings, but inflating hopes at this point where many of us have been waiting for months, only makes the fall all the more difficult to stomach.
These are my opinions and I endorse this message...
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Post by erdna_oaoj on Mar 26, 2014 13:54:15 GMT
Hi,
I understand that most of us are anxious to get the visa blocks and the passports stamped.
I'm on that same boat, most of us are not familiar with the process and the time that it takes, but from what I've seen in others timelines its normal to wait for the visa blocks from 2 up to 5 months.
My visa block was requested in January so my timeline its perfectly normal, for those who are waiting since October its understandable more difficult.
But we need to keep our spirits up and handle this with moderate optimism, because I also have the feeling, from what has been said, that those blocks are arriving any time soon.
Cheers.
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Hero55
Advanced Member
Posts: 90
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Post by Hero55 on Mar 26, 2014 16:10:19 GMT
o Visa block folks, I received an email early this week from relocation advisor asking to renew my visa medical for the 2nd time. My first one was done on Oct 2013 and redone in Jan 2014 and will expire on Apr 2014. She told me that she will go for her yearly vacation for 1 month. I am really wondering why is that stress for medical checkup as it took only 1 day her in Kuala Lumpur so even if visa block show up suddenly I can do checkup and get the results in next day maximum I have another concern here regarding the package which look outdated since I got it last Summer. I am expecting to get an offer from another company. Also my current salary has been increased as I got promoted. Do I still have a room to negotiate even after the visa block show up !!!  best regards |
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Post by Parker Means on Mar 26, 2014 16:32:26 GMT
o all, Want to chime in and reiterated what JeffSteiner posted, re: redo of medicals so we don't all get our hopes up. This morning, I just spoke to Houston and as we all know, they are just as frustrated with this wait as all of us are. And, NO NEW NEWS by the way. (as of 8 am, Pacific Standard Time, Seattle, WA - 26 March 2014) So to recap my saga... 1. my first contact with my external recruiter for a position at Saudi Aramco was 4 years ago! (yes, 4 years!) 2. He submitted my resume last February 2013 3. Was interviewed in Houston with 2 members of the Saudi Aramco team (my soon-to-be supervisor and manager who were in the US for a month) May 2013 4. Initial offer Aug 2013 5. Counter offer accepted Sept 2013 (5 week long wait due to Ramadan) 6. Orientation and full medicals in Houston Oct 2013 7. My Visa le was officially requested Nov 2013 (originally my relo advisor told me it was requested in Sept, but that was incorrect. She is no longer my relo advisor, btw) 8. Did not receive my Visa le in the last block received Dec 2013 9. Re-did medicals (san Xrays) March 2014 (since it's been 90 days) via a local LabCorp company here in Seattle. (When I asked why some folks are being flown back to Houston to redo their medical screening tests versus getting them completed at a LabCorp facility (or something similar) in their local area like I did, she said it has to do with which facilities in various cities are considered "approved" and known to be acceptable by the Consulate. They'd rather be "safe" and fly candidates back to Houston to be sure they'll be approved.) 10. IF this wait for the Visa Block goes another month or so (April-May 2014), I'll need to redo my Xrays for the TB screening, since it will have been 6 months. (I hate getting unnecessary X rays)  I received an email this Monday from my supervisors in DH wanting to know "What is the status of my Visa le and when I'm coming?" as "the team is awaiting my arrival and talents..." And I them. Also spoke to Houston about clarification on my eligibility for being fully vested in Aramco's retirement plans, since I turn 55 next week. When I started this process last year, I had NO IDEA I wouldn't get there before this milestone. Since I won't be working in a "critical business unit" (I'll be in HR) it's unlikely (though not impossible) that my manager will be able to extend my employment passed 60 years of age (assuming I stay for the fully allowed time) but I will be eligible to access whatever benefits I have accrued up to that point. So, just so you know, there are some of us who have been waiting a VERY LONG time for this this NEW block of Visa les. And with regard to Hero55's question about re-negotiating your salary package given all the time that has passed, I would speak to your original ASC recruiter on this question; not your relo advisor who won't be able to answer that question. (Wearing my HR hat...) I've actually considered this as well, but dreaded the further delay it would cause getting the required signatures for approval. But I'd love to hear from VPainter and other moderators on this specific question. "Parker Means" Seattle, Wa (with dual Canadian/US citizenship) |
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Post by Washingtonian on Mar 27, 2014 0:48:30 GMT
So, same here, still waiting but full of hope. Visa medical is expiring next week. Relo agent won't send me instructions for renewal until they'officially' expire. Odd.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 28, 2014 12:25:41 GMT
Hero55, as per your question about having received an increase. I would definitely write a letter and submit your pay stubs for proof asking Aramco to match the increase. From those who have done this on the forum over the years, Aramco has matched the increase the majority of the times I have been told about it.
Parker Means, if you have not received an increase in your current salary or you do not have pay stub proof, I do not know if you could renegotiate salary. I do think it would delay you, because if the visa came through and you had not agreed on a salary, you would probably lose your chance at the visa. It would just depend on if you minded waiting longer.
As always on this forum, this is my opinion, not anything official.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 28, 2014 12:29:55 GMT
This visa block thing by the KSA government is something that was not in place when we came years ago. It has been nothing but problematic, hopefully one day, they will quit doing visas this way. Things change all the time, hopefully this will be one of the things that change, sooner rather than later.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 28, 2014 12:46:41 GMT
I know many of you wonder why your relocation agent does not know what information you feel you need.
Let's say you work in an office that deals with the government of the country you are coming from. You have sent all the paperwork required to a government office, and now you are waiting. Unfortunately, you would not know why that government office is sitting on your paperwork. You try to check on it and the person you talk to in the office keeps saying tomorrow or next week Insh! And that is the response every time you call. What would you be able to tell the person who is asking you the question on why is it being delayed?
Your relocation agents are in your home country. They are not in KSA and even if they were, they would not be able to get the reason why for a delay in the government. Every once in a while, we go to renew visas or iqamas and we get caught in this no man's land of why is it taking so long.
There is no rhyme or reason to why it takes so long. It just does, it is the way it is done here. And it is extremely frustrating for those who are waiting. And even more frustrating when you have been waiting a long time and someone else turns in paperwork and gets theirs back in a timely manner.
We have been on the timely side and occasionally on the where is it? And the Why is it? side of the government process.
Best wishes to you all for receiving your visas soon! Whatever the definition of soon is according to the KSA government. Insh!
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Post by David_and_Nita on Mar 29, 2014 0:54:21 GMT
True - there is no way for the relocation agents to know so why give them a hard time.
This is a little bit excessive though. Maybe residual backlog from the visa le audits last year?
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Hero55
Advanced Member
Posts: 90
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Post by Hero55 on Mar 29, 2014 4:30:00 GMT
VP & MB,
Thanks very much for your advice.
I had already requested 3 things since Sep 2013 and was sent to original recruiter who disappeared since:
1-salary increase
2- point of origin change as I am not usually travelling to my country and want to make point of origin to where I work now at which I plan to buy a house here in Malaysia
3- accommodation change from apq to dha or rakkah.
I don't know if that email still exist somewhere on someone inbox or not?
There was an other negotiations email sent on june 2013 right after I got the offer but recruiter suggested to sign the offer to start the long process and will still have time to negotiate latee
now I have changed my mind about salary so that I can retain my GBP contract. I just want to know if I still have chances to get points 2 and 3 above especially when my core department can't really wait longer as per the call with my direct supervisor 2 months ago. The urgently want to relocate me.
please advise
thanks
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Post by vpainter on Mar 29, 2014 6:08:06 GMT
They maybe able to do point 1 and 2 for you. But point 3 is hardly ever negotiated. In over 10+ years, I have only heard of one person being successful and that was prior to the current housing shortage.
To everyone, I am curious what everyone has done:
When I say put it in writing, I am not meaning emails, if at all possible, send them a hardcopy letter making your requests. That is easier said than done for some, in that case an email will have to do. Your offer comes by email originally, does everyone receive a hard copy of their offer later?
I would like to hear from those who have negotiated, I very well could be mistaken and outdated on how it should be done. Coming from the U.S. we did everything by overnight mail, but that was years ago. Those who have negotiated, were payment stubs and written letters submitted by scan and email?
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Post by David_and_Nita on Mar 29, 2014 13:37:12 GMT
They do still follow up with a hardcopy but in our case we accepted by sign, scan, and email.
Never tried a re-negotiation. Can't imagine the delay that might cause LOL. I would assume it would work the same way.
As far as assigned housing the only thing mentioned in the offer letter was work location. We can't even "fish" for housing location the standard answer is "housing is assigned the week of departure".
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Post by erdna_oaoj on Mar 29, 2014 15:32:26 GMT
The same here, only work location assigned as Dammam.
I don't even bother speculating about the housing, the only thing that was clear is that whatever community I'll go there is a school for my daughter.
School clearance indeed came from Dhahran, although this can mean Dhahran community or Ar-Rakkah or maybe not even one of those two. Confirmation only after departure date is assigned (pending on visa block release).
And really that doesn't really worries me or bother at all, the only thing that's making me loose my sleep are those visa blocks that still not arrived.
And I totally understand that your Relo are doing they're best with the info that they have, but with all this delays I think they're not saying much because they don't want to fail us with inaccurate estimations.
At least we have the forum to discuss between us and release some of the stress.
Regards to you all.
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Hero55
Advanced Member
Posts: 90
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Post by Hero55 on Mar 29, 2014 16:58:12 GMT
I think for our US folks housing is not a big deal as it is Dha by default or rakkah in worst case. But for me and many people under GBP payroll; housing is abq and working is dha which is not making me sleeping as here I walk only 5min to reach my office . So housing is really significant for me and I will accept even if they decrease my salary to place me in dha or rakkah.
with the regrade of visa block, I am not worry as it will come sooner or later. What makes me worry is housing and also family as I may have to travel alone first and who knows how long I will stay single there or end up resigning in case if it goes to months??!!!
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