New hire bachelor then Family status next year

MissingSki
Member

Posts: 49

New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 29, 2014 1:53:00 GMT

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Post by MissingSki on Apr 29, 2014 1:53:00 GMT

Hi everybody,

I just FedEX-ed my BI and visa application forms two weeks ago, waiting for response. I will start to work in Dhahran this Summer or later depending on how the process leads me. My wife and little one will join me in 2015 when the big teen go to university. So I will be bachelor first then transfer to family status in 2015.

My questions:
As a GC15 in reservoir engineering from Canada, where will be most likely my residence area as a bachelor?
When my wife and little one join me next year, if I were in Dhahran as a bachelor, will our family house be in Dhahran? If I were in a camp other than the main, where will our family house be next year? I heard you can only bid house in the area already reside in.
Will my family be counted as the first time residence or I have to enter the bidding system since I would have been there already for one year as bachelor?
Comparing with the case of the whole family joining kSA together and be allocated to a family house, does my reality of being bachelor in the first year then family status reduce the chance of my family get into the main camp family house?

I would appreciate your inputs,
MS

azraeil Guest	New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 29, 2014 7:47:19 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by azraeil on Apr 29, 2014 7:47:19 GMT Most likely you will be transferred out to Rakah once you convert to Family status. A GC15+ does not guarantee accomodation in the Dhahran compound at the moment as the compound is considered full.

GroveWanderer
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Posts: 731

New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 29, 2014 8:18:42 GMT

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Post by GroveWanderer on Apr 29, 2014 8:18:42 GMT

I heard you can only bid house in the area already reside in.

No, that is not the case. As per the current Housing Policy:

Employees can only bid for housing in their permanent work location. However, employees on the ‘C’ list, with a Dhahran work location, can also bid on housing in Abqaiq and Ras Tanura.

MissingSki
Member

Posts: 49

New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 29, 2014 15:39:41 GMT

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Post by MissingSki on Apr 29, 2014 15:39:41 GMT

Thanks Guys for the quick reply.
While I understood that likely we will be transferred out to Rakah in the best scenario when my family join me next year, I still have an option of arrival as family status in the first place. After all, from the postings at the thread "Visa Block" where people have been waiting for the visa stamp for more than half a year, I might possible be there at the end of the year or beginning of next year, if my family arrive within three months after my arrival, we are still family status. That would save the moving hassles for me, if not increase the chance of better location for family comparing with the case of first bachelor then family status. If the visa process takes very long, I should have applied for family status instead of bachelor.
GroveWanderer, you mentioned "Employees can only bid for housing in their permanent work location", does that mean I can only bid the house at the main camp since I will work in Dhahran, or Rakah at most but definitely not RT or ABQ which is too far away. if available, I definitely like to stay in the main camp, then Rakah.

infquery
Member

Posts: 46

New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 29, 2014 18:23:58 GMT

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Post by infquery on Apr 29, 2014 18:23:58 GMT

If you come as bachelor you will receive bachelor housing, which might be in main camp if available (you GC will help), then when you apply for family you will "bid" for a house that meets your family size IN ANY CAMP. As GroveWanderer said, if no houses available in main camp or Rakkah that meet your needs, or you dont get enough points out front to get one in those locations, you might be offered a family house in Abqaiq or Ras Tanura if available there

Why do I know all these? Well, my original offer stated family status, I was coming with wife and 3-y/o boy. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, who knows, wife took a gooood look of the info here in the forum, and because of her very limited employment options (she has a lot of preparation in the O&G industry, and that will go to waste in the country with more oil in the world, so funny) and we being allocated in Abqaiq (blame my not so high GC (just 13) and us not being american) she decided to stay (actually she filed for divorce and I'm talking her out of it super extra hard), so I discussed my new situation with relo advisor and she told me I will be change to bachelor, still housed in Abqaiq commuting to Dhahran, and if my family situation chages in the upcoming months (or years) when family comes I will be assigned family housing where available and my points allowed me to go, which in my understanding is almost sure Abqaiq again

This is my knowledge regarding my situation, I understand that each case can be different, but considering I have the kindest relo advisor someone can ask for, I try to share her wisdom, good luck and hope your situation ended being 100% better than mine

MissingSki
Member

Posts: 49

New hire bachelor then Family status next year Apr 30, 2014 2:52:18 GMT

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Post by MissingSki on Apr 30, 2014 2:52:18 GMT

infquery wrote
If you come as bachelor you will receive bachelor housing, which might be in main camp if available (you GC will help), then when you apply for family you will "bid" for a house that meets your family size IN ANY CAMP.

I appreciated you shared your experience, Infquery. I guess moving to KSA is so huge that the perception from each family member could be totally different, sometimes it involves changes in family situation. For me to give up a nice job and career in Canada is not easy. However I made the decision with my family and we are going to move forward. Thanks for the good words. I wish you and everybody here the best. In KSA we will be close to each other just like living in a small town in Canada.

New hire bachelor then Family status next year

Post by MissingSki on Apr 29, 2014 1:53:00 GMT

Post by azraeil on Apr 29, 2014 7:47:19 GMT

Post by GroveWanderer on Apr 29, 2014 8:18:42 GMT

Post by MissingSki on Apr 29, 2014 15:39:41 GMT

Post by infquery on Apr 29, 2014 18:23:58 GMT

Post by MissingSki on Apr 30, 2014 2:52:18 GMT