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Post by kiwiwombat on Sept 15, 2011 18:18:05 GMT
I am in the same boat. I am a NZ'er with US GC and currently thinking of working at Aramco. I will be able to apply for citizenship in March 2012 (it's September 2011 now), so that's still some time away. Wondering if the hiring process will take long enough to allow me to get the US passport before I leave the country? Most immigration attorneys estimate about a year before you get your US passport...
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Post by vpainter on Sept 15, 2011 19:49:43 GMT
The process is different for everyone, once you're offered a job, you can delay a little bit, if the offer comes in before you're ready. But if you do not have your U.S. passport, I think, you would be unable to be hired onto the U.S. payroll, which you'd probably want. Your offer would come under the passport you hold.
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Post by kiwiwombat on Sept 20, 2011 7:30:02 GMT
Thanks vpainter. Do NZ'ers have different payscale than do the Americans? I'm interviewing next month as a health professional. Just curious? I have US and NZ/Australian professional licenses.
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Post by vpainter on Sept 20, 2011 17:36:08 GMT
Sorry, I don't know the differences in pay scales. You will be paid in the currency of your passport (which determines which payroll you're on), so I'm sure there are differences. There are definite differences in benefits example: health insurance.
With both licenses, you could try to get on the U.S. payroll. All they could say is no.
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stmayo11
Senior Member
ExPats Community Moderator
Posts: 159
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Post by stmayo11 on Sept 20, 2011 18:36:19 GMT
I'm thinking you'd probably be on US Dollar payroll if you have a US passport. I'm pretty sure: no passport, no USD payroll, regardless of where you have professional licenses. I'm thinking you'd probably be put on Pound/Sterling payroll...? This is not my area of specific knowledge, so if I'm wrong on this, I'm sure someone will correct me on this, but there are certainly big differences in teh various payrolls, so you'd most certainly want to try to get that blue passport before being hired. It's VERY difficult, I hear, to change payrolls once it is assigned to you at hiring.
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Post by kiwiwombat on Sept 21, 2011 7:32:15 GMT
I see. Thank you for your pointers. Do you personally know any dentists or dental specialists on this forum? If it is at all possible, I would like to get their point of view in terms of the work and life in Aramco. (Also if anyone knows what the difference is between US and non-US payroll is even more appreciated! Are US citizens more favored in KSA than any other Western nations?)
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Post by SugarLandTX on Sept 21, 2011 10:13:33 GMT
This post is addressed to kiwiwombat.
I am assuming that you are currently residing in USA and have a green card. In that case there is a good chance that you can request US dollar payroll. I know for a fact that in the past if someone had a green card, Aramco can apply for his/her Saudi work visa in USA. If the visa is stamped from USA then the person can get US dollar payroll. I don't know if this rule has been changed recently. Your relocation advisor should be able to answer this question. Goodluck.
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Post by Quanta on Sept 21, 2011 10:27:37 GMT
kiwiwombat,
As long as you have US green card, you will be automatically assigned to US payroll.
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Post by TheDude on Sept 25, 2011 6:19:46 GMT
But doesn't that negate the requirements for you to be classed as a expat status for TAX purposes where you have to show that you are NOT a US resident to qualify?
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Post by David_and_Nita on Sept 27, 2011 2:23:56 GMT
<grin> Excellent point. Fortunately for tax purposes you can be a US resident and not physically present in the US (or) you can be a non-resident with no limit on presence and meet the tax requirement either way.
If the employee is the green card holder that's kind of difficult.
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Post by ExpatPro on Apr 2, 2012 3:10:40 GMT
David_and_Nita, how is it difficult for a Green Card holder? From what IRS website says, it should be very doable, see link: www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199670,00.html For Green Card holder it says they can claim the exclusion as long as they are: "A U.S. citizen or resident alien who is physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during any period of 12 consecutive months." This can be done even if the Green Card holder makes trips to US every 6 months (within 180 days), twice a year, stay for a week or two, and still be physically present in the foreign country 330 full days. That way even the continuity of residence is maintained and exclusion can also be claimed, all legally. |
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Post by David_and_Nita on Apr 7, 2012 14:18:30 GMT
We have no need of the link and are familiar with the outs and ins of balancing taxes / immigration issues.
The IRS website is not the appropriate site for determination of what may or may not consues resident status. They could care less what your status is as long as you file and pay your taxes LOL. Your status is determined, on the spot, every single time you enter the US at a POA and it depends on the mood of the officer and what time of day it is as to what determination is made.
I submitted a link in an earlier post. On that forum, which is strictly immigration related, there are detailed descriptions of what has happened to specific individuals who have with the luck of the draw had their cards pulled at the airport after being sent to secondary due to their entry/exit records flagging attention at the immigration counter and subsequently after their green cards were pulled were issued hearing notices to appear before the immigration judge for a determination / ruling on their status.
That's well and good if the non-working spouse is the immigrant because it is easy for the status to be abandoned and for the employee to re-sponsor the immigrant for a replacement IR1 (or) for the spouse to stay behind and resolve the case. Not so good if the employee is the immigrant because it sets up a situation where you have to return to work before the scheduled hearing (leaving with no card and pending hearing effectively abandons status and you aren't coming back on VWR and you arent gonna get a B visa either - you arent coming back without a new peion and shiny new IR1 LOL) OR stay in the US until the case is resolved which effects your employment THEN triggers presence interest on your taxes.
It is otherwise quite easy for the working spouse (employee USC) to re-sponsor the non-working spouse to permanently return to the US but not easy at all for the non-working USC spouse to sponsor the working spouse on the permanent return. The IO doesnt care what the immigrant spouse can do, they only require that the USC sponsor be able to demonstrate that they can meet the sponsorship requirements.
Thanks for letting me clarify. We did both BTW. We pulled off the back and forth for awhile and finally surrendered the green card / got a shiny new one 1 1/2 years later.
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Post by ExpatPro on May 14, 2012 5:16:03 GMT
Getting back after a while, as it goes with the Saudi style...LOL. Quite a bit of clarification, but not sure what what you were trying to clarify. All that said, it still does not change the fact that green card holders CAN manage to work in Aramco AND claim tax exemption AND maintain their LPR status, like you already seem to have done yourself. It may not be "easy" but it is possible.
Could you say how many years you managed the entry in US with a green card and how often or how many re-entry permits (REP) you had to go through before you decided to surrender the green card? 2 yr + 2 yr + 1 yr i.e. three REPs?
It would be good it you can please post that link here. I couldn't find it without a good pointer. The cases where people had trouble at the port of entry were more likely people with no REPs or those staying out for more than 6 months (or a year).
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