Working In Saudi Arabia
A Profile On What To Expect When Working In Saudi Arabia
The following information may be of help in deciding whether you would be interested in a quantity surveying or construction job based in Saudi Arabia.
Currency
The currency in Saudi Arabia is the Riyal.
The latest exchange rates and currency conversions can be obtained by clicking here.
Political/ Economic Climate
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we know it today was created in 1932, after the unification of the central part of the Arabian peninsula. It has a population of around 23.37 million, of whom 6.03 million are expatriates. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer and the economy is dominated by oil. The kingdom’s control over one tenth of world oil production and one quarter of its reserves gives it an unparalleled position in global politics. The country also has the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at 261,800 million barrels, which at current levels would be sufficient for a further 90 years of extraction. However the government is committed to economic diversification, and oil revenue has been used to develop sectors such as iron and steel, construction materials, engineering, and chemicals. In the latest economic plan a key aim was the exploitation of the kingdom’s mineral wealth in order to diversify.
Lifestyle
Thursday and Friday make up the weekend. Ramadan, which takes place at a different time each year on the Western calendar, is strictly adhered to throughout the country. This means that eating, drinking or smoking in public from sunrise to sunset is frowned upon except in premises run by expatriates. Saudi Arabian culture revolves almost entirely around Islam - two of Islam's holiest sites are in the country, and it considers itself the birthplace of the religion. Islamic law forbids eating pig and drinking alcohol, and this law is followed pretty strictly throughout Saudi Arabia.
Maxim Recruitment can not offer any type of financial, taxation or immigration/visa advice to current or intending jobseekers, however we are aware of some organisations that are specialists in offering expatriates such advice.
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