A potential opportunity has come up at work to do a short project in Saudi, 3-4 months.

Sounds like an interesting thing to do to me, and there are significant financial benefits.

Just wondered if anyone had been/worked out there before, or anywhere similar?

Quote from: BigSoyA potential opportunity has come up at work to do a short project in Saudi, 3-4 months.

Sounds like an interesting thing to do to me, and there are significant financial benefits.

Just wondered if anyone had been/worked out there before, or anywhere similar?

do it.

i know a good few folk who have been out there and done similar things and have loved it.

I remember one guy I worked with years ago who had worked for a long time in Saudi and hed come to dislike the Arabs for habits like having a dump at the side of the road in any old location  :?

my dad worked there in the 80s for a short stint & got quite well paid for it

Saudi is a bit of a strict country too (they follow a f**ked up version of Islam)- there are western compaounds etc.. where all the western workers live but in the actual citys theyve got religious police etc...

I reckon as far as the middle east is concerned the best place to work if you have the choice would have to be Dubai - still any opportunity to go to the region for a short stint & get paid well for it shouldnt be frowned upon - If I were you Id go for it.

Quote from: CeathreamhnanI remember one guy I worked with years ago who had worked for a long time in Saudi and hed come to dislike the Arabs for habits like having a dump at the side of the road in any old location  :?

Sounds like Hull.

Quote from: Davemy dad worked there in the 80s for a short stint & got quite well paid for it

Saudi is a bit of a strict country too (they follow a f**ked up version of Islam)- there are western compaounds etc.. where all the western workers live but in the actual citys theyve got religious police etc...

I reckon as far as the middle east is concerned the best place to work if you have the choice would have to be Dubai - still any opportunity to go to the region for a short stint & get paid well for it shouldnt be frowned upon - If I were you Id go for it.

Yeah, itd be living in a compound I believe, which probably has its good and bad sides. No opporunities in Dubai unfortunately lol, or Bahrain would be cool too, believe they have a pretty relaxed lifestyle comparatively there (i.e. you can drink).

Reality is if I get offered a place to go, Ill probably do it, widen the horizons a bit etc, and get well-paid for it  

you can drink in saudi too - except it will be home brew & the arabs will bum you if you get caught

Quote from: Daveyou can drink in saudi too - except it will be home brew & the arabs will bum you if you get caught

Yeah Ill be aiming to give the beardy-bum-loving a miss if it all possible.

Quote from: Davemy dad worked there in the 80s for a short stint & got quite well paid for it

Saudi is a bit of a strict country too (they follow a f**ked up version of Islam)- there are western compaounds etc.. where all the western workers live but in the actual citys theyve got religious police etc...

I reckon as far as the middle east is concerned the best place to work if you have the choice would have to be Dubai - still any opportunity to go to the region for a short stint & get paid well for it shouldnt be frowned upon - If I were you Id go for it.

This is true, I know a British nurse out there, for women its nasty, although well paid.

Quote from: Daveyou can drink in saudi too - except it will be home brew & the arabs will bum you if you get caught

There are ways around this, and commercial alcohol is available. If you get caught though its a public flogging.

Quote from: BigSoyA potential opportunity has come up at work to do a short project in Saudi, 3-4 months.

Sounds like an interesting thing to do to me, and there are significant financial benefits.

Just wondered if anyone had been/worked out there before, or anywhere similar?

Yes.. Financially you will save load of money as you cant buy booze.

IIRC its tax free too.

dont think it is tax free unless he is there for more than 6 months

HM customs & revenue require you to pay tax on all your worldwide earning IIRC - so youd need to be officially residing abroad to avoid UK income tax.

Even if you do pay tax, HM RC will require you to pay the difference between their tax rate and our tax rate (if theirs is less) anyway.

The explanation Ive had so far is that I would continue to pay standard UK taxes etc on my current salary, but the extra earnt for working in Saudi would be tax-protected. Not entirely sure what tax-protected means however.

As far as I know, they dont pay taxes in Saudi.

It just means that your company will pay your tax bill.

If you are domiciled in the UK, your overseas income will always be taxed here if it is less than the prevailing rate here.

If youre a US citizen you pay taxes on your income even if you dont live there anymore! How stupid is that.