|
|
Post by ckrajr on Apr 19, 2015 16:39:56 GMT
Hi,
We also received the call from our relocation agent on Friday. Now that the shock is over, we need to get some answers to our questions and see if this is going to be a fit for us.
Here are my questions:
SCHOOL:
-Now that my daughter will no longer be able to attend the Aramco school (grade 9), I'm looking at Dhahran High School. I have contacted them and I'm waiting on their availability. If you child is attending that school, can you tell me the good and the bad (every school is not perfect!)
What about the social life of teenagers going to that school? Are there a lot of after school activities and do the kids get involved?
-How do the kids go visit their school friends from camp to camp if not Aramco camp?
-Are there any North Americans with grade 9 kids at boarding school? What school and your review? Must be either American or Canadian curriculum.
I have to admit that one thing that surprised me is that if my child goes to Dhahran High School, the in Kingdom allowance does not cover the whole cost.
OUT OF CAMP HOUSING:
-Does anyone live outside Saudi Aramco camps? If so, where do you live and how is it? Please include if possible: overview of house, facilities, transportation to shopping and school, social life on camp etc?
-From what I understand if you live out of camp, you will be also responsible for utility bills (electrical, water etc). Can someone tell me how much per month can I expect to pay, so that I can budget with the allowance? Can you include does on your allowance, meaning are they expendable expenses?
-If you live out of camp, how easy is it to go to Aramco main camp for activities?
-If you live near a Saudi rental camp, can you just hop on the bus?
One worry I have about the out of camp accommodation is that from my understanding you have to lease for a year. What if something goes wrong (I'm thinking worse case scenario), that would mean that you be liable for 1 year rent?
GETTING AROUND FROM OUTSIDE CAMP:
I understand that you cannot buy a car until you get your Iqama. For the month that you are waiting for it, how to you get to work? Can you rent a car with your home driver's license?
Again thank you for all your help.
|
|
|
|
Post by turnervs on Apr 22, 2015 21:38:07 GMT
Dear New Families Soon to Arrive in Saudi Arabia,
Housing has always been the number one concern of employees and their families in Saudi Arabia. I arrived in Arabia in 1975 during a "boom" period with little outside housing available (we were housed in trailers that were not water-proof in the winter), lousy road conditions and a lot of discontent from new employees. You are now in one of these boom periods and Aramco management does try to forecast for these peaks and provide housing and facilities for all of their employees. This is a challenging time for everyone.
I recently spoke with Aramco Services Company regarding the housing situation since it is a "hot" topic on the forum. They told me the following:
Candidates should speak directly with their recruiters for information regarding their individual relocation circumstances.
Due to Saudi Aramco’s continued growth and expansion, the supply of Saudi Aramco family housing will be limited for the foreseeable future. Many family-status new hires are provided the option of Rental Assistance Allowance to live off camp. This will continue until more company-provided housing becomes available.
Company-provided single/bachelor housing is still available, so single/bachelor new hires are not being affected.
Saudi Aramco schools are under similar growth pressures and at this time can only accommodate those families that live on Saudi Aramco camps. Family-status employees living off-camp with school-aged children will continue to be offered Saudi Aramco’s Education Assistance Plan.
After living in Arabia and seeing the country and Aramco grow, I can tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel and housing, schooling and other facilities get better. I was planning on staying two years (for my tax break) as the rain and/or dust was coming through the cracks in my trailer and I was hanging baby clothes on the clothes line as I had no dryer. I stayed 25 years and loved it!
Vicci Turner
Aramco ExPats
|
|
|
|
Post by Crawchie on Apr 23, 2015 12:25:18 GMT
ckrajr,
some of the information you are looking for is eslewhere in the forum but I will offer what I can here.
If you live off camp you can use the Aramco provided bus service at the local compounds such as Radium and Dhahran towers. The priority will be with residents if space is an issue. I have no idea how that is enforced. Some trips use smaller buses that can fill up at times.
In terms of driving, Aramco state during orientation that you should not drive outside of Aramco premises until you have your Saudi license. Some local car hire firms will rent you are car on your home country license, which may be dependant on where you are from.
Without a car most would rely on private drivers. Company approved taxi services are good but you normally need to book well in advance. Using local taxis I think is a personal preference...they could take you into camp but as far as I know you could not call one to enter main camp to pick you up.
From the perspective of the lessor, I believe that rental monies would not be refunded after paying for 6 months or a year in advance. In terms of the rental assistance allowance (RAA) provided by Aramco, you would not be required to return the monies if the separation from the company was out of your control (eg. dismissal).
Service charge fees vary at compounds and these ususally cover municipality and water charges. Some may cover electricty. Costs I have seen are between 5K and 10K SAR annually for this. I know of compounds that also required a one-time non refundable deposit up to 10% of the annual rental fees to cover restoration of accommodation after you leave.
These have been my experiences and I wish you all the best.
|
|
|
|
Post by CanadianBacon on May 1, 2015 17:13:45 GMT
I thought I would share that we just received our housing assignment yesterday (April 30), and have been assigned Aramco housing.
I thought I would share this for the benefit of others who are far into the hiring process, but who have not yet received housing. There may still be hope for some!
|
|
|
|
Post by omega on May 4, 2015 19:53:07 GMT
CanadianBacon,
Thanks for sharing. Were you told initially (i.e. a few weeks ago when the bad new) that you wouldn't receive and end up receiving, or were you anyhow (and all along) reassured of getting Armaco housing (which you did in the end)?
|
|
|
|
Post by CanadianBacon on May 6, 2015 6:12:33 GMT
Omega - Once news broke of the new policy, I touched base with my Relo Advisor and received reassurance of company housing, as you mentioned. The Company was good on its word in this case, and a few weeks later we got our assignment. I'll admit we were nervous during those few weeks...
|
|
|
|
Post by omega on May 6, 2015 20:38:49 GMT
Thanks for the clarification. I can imagine the relief. Enjoy the new beginning!
|
|
|
|
Post by Phoenix on May 10, 2015 12:06:56 GMT
As yet I've not heard anything from my relocation adviser about withdrawal of accommodation. I am on single status, signed my DTEA last week, and it still stipulated provision of housing.
Many thanks to vpainter for her efforts in collecting, correlating and supplying details for private housing.
|
|
|
|
Post by bamaster on May 13, 2015 5:46:59 GMT
Phoenix,
This new policy, as I was told, does not apply to single/bachelor status. Only family.
|
|
|
|
Post by omega on May 13, 2015 11:21:53 GMT
bamaster,
As I understand it applies to all but it's very much dependent on the quany/type of housing that is actually available at the time of mobilization. For now, it just happens that there are single/bachelor units still available so Aramco assigns them to newcomers. This may change in the future. Again that's my interpretation - not totally sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by CalWorPar on Jun 4, 2015 17:21:32 GMT
Per new housing policy on global payrole: Does ARMACO allow new hires to add to the waitlist for getting in to ARAMCO housing/Camp?
Just trying to understand if there is any possibility to get in to camps in future.
Thanks
CalWorPar
|
|
|
|
Post by detfans on Jun 6, 2015 17:15:43 GMT
You will be able to enter the bidding list after two years of employment, to opt for Aramco owned housing. Please notice that what you get is inclusion in the bidding list, not housing, after two years, bidding system is based in points that you earn based in GC, family size and years in the company, several years can pass after you are eligible for bidding to get a house. If you are US passport holder is a totally different history, search the forum
|
|
|
|
Post by Phoenix on Jun 8, 2015 10:47:55 GMT
Thanks for the information bamaster.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shammal on Jun 10, 2015 17:25:27 GMT
detfans,
Hopefully the bid will be based on first in/first out as it is for US expats today. Otherwise young expats with 2 years time off camp would regularly be bypassed by new arrivals with higher grade codes. You're time effectively wouldn't start counting until your first or second promotion.
The question is, once the first 500 homes are finished in two years or so, and the longtime Dhahran residents move into them based on accumulated points, how long will it take to renovate 500 dilapidated homes while building crews continue to build the next set of 500 new homes?
A renovation today takes Aramco 2-3 months and they may be actively working on 15 homes at any given time. The remaining 500 homes will likely be finished and filled with longtime employees by that time and 500 new homes will go up for renovation.
Could they do it differently at that time? Sure, but this is how its done now and I don't know that housing will be any more urgent an issue than it is today.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shammal on Jun 10, 2015 18:02:44 GMT
Vicci,
My understanding of life on North camp back in the 70's was that nobody enjoyed it.
Dhahran did cater to the expats, and monster sized checks from the king would show up in your mailbox at random.
The housing off camp is lightyears better than the desert trailers of Northcamp, but so is the standard of living that most are coming from 40 years later and your kindergartner wasn't catching a bus across Khobar at 6:30 am and coming home at 4 pm.
Benefits continue to be reduced. The days of kingly bonuses appear to be behind us as of this year.
The compound is far more local centric and Aramco is no where near as concerned about taking care of expats as they were back then. Not remotely close.
The housing situation is not on track to improve in the foreseeable future. Not even to meet demand.
Fortunately they pay well, vacation benefits are still great, teachers are world class, work is generally less stressful and the expat community still tends to take care of each other.
|
|
