Finding the Right Job Abroad

Once a worker has taken a job in the Gulf, they will find it is not as easy to change as it would be in their home country.  Employers will have had to sponsor their employee and as far as the authorities are concerned, are officially responsible for them, so workers are not really in a position to just leave for another job whenever they feel like it.

Employers will have met the costs of relocation, some accommodation costs and the fees for work permits, so they are unlikely to want to the let the worker go before the agreed contract reaches an end.  When taking Gulf jobs, the worker is considered to have an obligation to the employer.

In the past some workers came to the end of their contract and then found a new employer whilst still in the country.  The new employer in effect found an experienced worker and had not had to pay out some of the fees that the first employer did, such as relocation costs.  Today, changes have been made to contracts to prevent this from happening.

Contracts are worded differently to protect employers.  Rather than fixed-term contracts they are more likely to opt for open-ended contracts.  Workers also have to agree to a six month gap after the employment comes to an end before they are able to apply for new work visas for Gulf jobs.

Workers can transfer to new employment if they have a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from their present employer, but workers will still be subject to rigorous checks and questioning.  For most, the simplest way to change jobs is to leave the country at the end of the contract and return under a new agreement.