About this information
Due to the vast array of employers, salaries and conditions, the information on this page regarding job offers in Saudi Arabia as a healthcare professional is of a general nature. There are also some initial considerations that are important for you to be aware of.
Job Offers and Remuneration
Saudi Arabia still offers attractive remuneration packages, but they are less generous than in the past. Additionally, the rising cost of living makes it more challenging to achieve the financial success that expatriate doctors enjoyed in the late twentieth century.
Worldwide Earnings Taxation
It’s important to note that some countries impose taxes on their citizens’ overseas earnings. While some countries, like the USA, offer a tax-free basic allowance, others do not. Potential tax obligations should be reviewed with an accountant in advance.
Public versus Private Hospitals
Public and private sector hospitals typically structure remuneration packages differently. Understanding these differences is crucial, as they impact the overall value of a contract and the features of both types of offers and the key considerations for evaluating job opportunities.
Employment Offers (Terms and Conditions)
While the following information is more relevant to physicians, it should be a consideration for all healthcare professionals that are interested in seeking employment opportunities. Generous verbal or written assurances given during the recruitment process, including at interviews, should be relied upon if they are not included in the terms of the job offer and the employment contract. This is crucial. Do not believe promises of substantial fee revenues and generous revenue or profit shares. Unless these details are explicitly stated in a policy and detailed in your job offer and employment contract, you will have no right to claim them, and it will be at the employer’s discretion to award them or not. More often than not, you will not receive them.
It is also important to note that some salary structures offered may impact on the overall remuneration value at the end of the contract.
Not everybody’s goals are the same however rest assured that the team at Carter Wellington can help you navigate through to making the decision that is right for you.
Job Offers and Salaries
Most job offers in Saudi Arabia specify salary as a monthly rate, paid in 12 installments per year.
The salary is typically presented as a single figure called the “basic salary.” For consultant positions, this ranges from 45,000 to 90,000 Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR) per month, depending on the physician’s specialty, level of seniority, and the employer.
The basic salary is crucial because it serves as the basis for calculating other benefits, particularly the end-of-contract award mandated by Saudi Labour Laws. This award amounts to 2-4 weeks’ salary for each year of completed contract.
Some private hospitals divide the basic monthly salary into two components: “basic salary” and “specialty or professional allowance.” In such cases, the basic salary often falls significantly below the national average, at just SAR 30,000 – 35,000 per month. Although the total monthly salary remains the same, many doctors may not realise the potential negative implications this division has on the overall value of their employment contract, especially if the employment contract offers an “end of service” payment calculated on the “basic” salary. This payment can be considerable eroded over a two or three year contract.
Benefits
Employee benefits are non-cash provisions within the reward package, including paid holidays and cost of living subsidies such as accommodation allowances, transport, and healthcare insurance and are important when considering any job offer you may receive.
The education allowance, offered by some (but not all) employers in Saudi Arabia, is generally paid directly to accredited schools within the Kingdom as a contribution to tuition fees. This allowance is typically limited to 2-3 children between the ages of 6 and 18.
ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS
Contract Status: family or single status
Authorised Dependents: Spouse and 2-3 children under the age of 18 (non married partners, parents and extended family members are not authorised). Additional children may live in Saudi Arabia but are not eligible for benefits such as travel, healthcare and education)
Working Hours: 40-48 per week (5 or 6 days)
PAID LEAVE
Annual Vacation: 21-40 calendar days
Annual Public Holiday: 10-14 calendar days
Professional Leave: 7-14 days but may be eligible for this only after completion of probation or a specified length of service.
ACCOMMODATION
Housing: Furnished family accommodation with all basic necessities and home appliances or an allowance to cover rent.
TRANSPORT (LOCAL)
Transportation: employee travel from home to work
HEALTHCARE
Health Care: provided to Employee and authorised dependents
TRAVEL
Designated Airport: Point of Hire – Economy or business class tickets (depending on employer HR policy) at start and end of contract.
Leave Air Travel: the employer will normally provide economy / business class round trip air tickets, for the employee and authorised dependents, from the employee’s assigned port in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Designated Airport (point of hire). Eligibility is subject to completion of probation and in some cases after a defined period of service, often 12 months. In some cases there are clawbacks should you not complete the following period of employment.
CHILD EDUCATION ALLOWANCE
Child Education Assistance: a sum of SAR 16,000 – 20,000 paid per annum per authorised child between 6-18 years of age. This is often capped at between 2-3 children and often not negotiable, so if you have a large family requiring “western” education, you should consider how this may impact you situation.
Next Steps
The most important step is to locate the employment opportunity that appeals to you. You should search and submit an application, or register your details so that we may start the process of securing interviews.
Once you have accepted a role and your contract has been issued, Carter Wellington will then assist you through the entire onboarding process, including obtaining professional license with the Saudi Commission for Healthcare Specialties (SCFHS) followed by the issuing of your work visa and visas for family members if applicable. More information about these processes is available here.