Expat women seek more work choices
Young, educated, career-oriented, expatriate women in the Kingdom are eager to work in suitable jobs. Despite the fact that Saudi labor laws make it difficult for these women to work legally, they take positions at different institutions, particularly schools, in order to gain financial independence and explore new opportunities.
“Most expatriate women in the Kingdom are either working as medical staff, teachers or in all-women organizations, such as, women’s branches of banks and women’s retail stores.
There are very few professions open for legally working expatriate women,” Basha Nawaz Khan, an international legal expert, told Saudi Gazette, adding that expat working women in the Kingdom who live without their families are a rarity.
“The only exception to this are nurses,” he added.
Most workplaces refuse to sponsor an expat female employee, requiring her to be on her husband’s Iqama. “Generally, the husband will also be working in the same city as his wife. Very rarely is the wife sponsored by her company, as usually, her husband is her sponsor. As such, all of the expat female employee’s expenses, such as, visa, airfare, Iqama renewal, etc., are borne by her husband. She must, therefore, keep this in mind and negotiate well with her employer,” said Khan.
School jobs are usually preferred by expat women as a school is considered to be a secure place with a safe environment. “There are fewer encounters with males, and the teaching profession is respected and is a culturally accepted job,” said Sana Obaid, a Pakistani teacher working in a private school in Makkah.
However, a common issue in private schools that employ young women is their (the women’s) marital status. “Before a teacher is appointed in a school, she is asked during the interview if she is married, and if she is or is getting married in the near future she is rejected for some ambiguous reason even if she is highly qualified,” said Obaid. Most private schools prefer unmarried women considering that they are able to work for longer hours and with better concentration.
Chaman Rahim, a sociologist and assistant professor in Dar-ul-Hekma College in Jeddah, agrees.
“An unmarried girl concentrates well on her job as she does not have the responsibilities of her husband and in-laws. When she is married, she becomes distracted as she starts planning her new life,” said Rahim.
In defense of the recruitment policy of schools, Majida Rauf, a recruiter in a private school, says: “It is a must that we ask unmarried women about their marriage plans and married women about their family plans.
This is because when they take a leave or abandon their jobs for family reasons, it becomes difficult for us to find a replacement in a short time and for the students to adjust to a new teacher.”
Sadaf Waris, an Indian student, believes that girls should not be questioned about their marriage as such affairs are decided by their parents. Waris views the trend of unmarried working women as necessary so that the women are able to “break social and cultural taboos and answer people who point fingers at them because they are unmarried.”
Espousing the notion of young working women, Rahim said: “Girls like to work, have their own identity and be independent. Making new contacts helps their confidence, and the money that comes in is like the icing on the cake.”
She said that nowadays, many girls choose to work in companies and other institutions rather than schools. “Moreover,” Rahim said, “men prefer to marry working women as they can help to financially support the family and increase its standard of living.”
“Most expatriate women in the Kingdom are either working as medical staff, teachers or in all-women organizations, such as, women’s branches of banks and women’s retail stores.
There are very few professions open for legally working expatriate women,” Basha Nawaz Khan, an international legal expert, told Saudi Gazette, adding that expat working women in the Kingdom who live without their families are a rarity.
“The only exception to this are nurses,” he added.
Most workplaces refuse to sponsor an expat female employee, requiring her to be on her husband’s Iqama. “Generally, the husband will also be working in the same city as his wife. Very rarely is the wife sponsored by her company, as usually, her husband is her sponsor. As such, all of the expat female employee’s expenses, such as, visa, airfare, Iqama renewal, etc., are borne by her husband. She must, therefore, keep this in mind and negotiate well with her employer,” said Khan.
School jobs are usually preferred by expat women as a school is considered to be a secure place with a safe environment. “There are fewer encounters with males, and the teaching profession is respected and is a culturally accepted job,” said Sana Obaid, a Pakistani teacher working in a private school in Makkah.
However, a common issue in private schools that employ young women is their (the women’s) marital status. “Before a teacher is appointed in a school, she is asked during the interview if she is married, and if she is or is getting married in the near future she is rejected for some ambiguous reason even if she is highly qualified,” said Obaid. Most private schools prefer unmarried women considering that they are able to work for longer hours and with better concentration.
Chaman Rahim, a sociologist and assistant professor in Dar-ul-Hekma College in Jeddah, agrees.
“An unmarried girl concentrates well on her job as she does not have the responsibilities of her husband and in-laws. When she is married, she becomes distracted as she starts planning her new life,” said Rahim.
In defense of the recruitment policy of schools, Majida Rauf, a recruiter in a private school, says: “It is a must that we ask unmarried women about their marriage plans and married women about their family plans.
This is because when they take a leave or abandon their jobs for family reasons, it becomes difficult for us to find a replacement in a short time and for the students to adjust to a new teacher.”
Sadaf Waris, an Indian student, believes that girls should not be questioned about their marriage as such affairs are decided by their parents. Waris views the trend of unmarried working women as necessary so that the women are able to “break social and cultural taboos and answer people who point fingers at them because they are unmarried.”
Espousing the notion of young working women, Rahim said: “Girls like to work, have their own identity and be independent. Making new contacts helps their confidence, and the money that comes in is like the icing on the cake.”
She said that nowadays, many girls choose to work in companies and other institutions rather than schools. “Moreover,” Rahim said, “men prefer to marry working women as they can help to financially support the family and increase its standard of living.”
