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Thats £50k tax free so equivelant of roughly £70K in uk.
I've been offered 2 jobs in Saudi in the last 6 months. Both were over £100k with all of the benefits of flights home, etc. No package to move the family over, and no way would I want to even if there was. Both were long, open ended contracts.
My boys are 17 and 12. Not a chance I'd leave them just for money. However much it was.
So no, no, no.
who was that with bigblackshed
What others have said, it'd be industry dependant but even TEFL must be on that in Saudi?
Most Middle east contacts I've been offered/seen are on a married basis, so they pay very well (1.5 to 2x UK pay before tax, and there's obviously no tax) plus bonuses, and everything (accommodation, food, car) is expensed and your family comes with you and lives in the compound.
I don't know how much is putting on a brave face, but I'd not say people hate it, they do it for the money, but it's usually 50-60hr weeks so the reality is they don't have time to get miffed with the weather or go outside anyway. Most do it to save big deposit very quickly, others get n+1 on their buy-to-let portfolio so pretty much sort their pension by doing 1 year in 10 somewhere rubbish.
Dubai - maybe, there is mountainbiking on the Oman border
Oman - see above, there are mountains and it is cool enough in places/times to go out for a ride.
Abu Dhabi - maybe, allegedly a bit more culture than Dubai which is just shopping malls and big money.
Saudi - it'd be for the money, it'd be 12months and 2 days, and it would cover a tax year.
Anything in engineering with more than 10-15 years experience. It's pretty much take the UK salary and double it and add expenses. Also depends on the contract, going on an assignment with a company you work for as staff will be a lot less than finding a contract yourself.What trades are people doing out there to earn £200k a year??
who was that with bigblackshed
Sounds like you've made your mind up.
Good luck.
For that money, BAE are still humping you.
If you are leaving, get properly working on your resettlement and make the most of it. Don't be a typical resettler and gaff it off then end up outside the camp gates, blinking and wondering what to do next.
What trades are people doing out there to earn £200k a year??
he is a senior process engineer
TooTall ..... Im not leaving yet, got 5 years to my 22 point.
Ive not made my mind up but am swaying more to the no side.
Oh yes there is!
😆
That's got to be up there with that Sherwood vid.
Then you'd be insane to leave before your 22 and all that entails. You need to start on your 5 year exit plan now.
know a mine engineer who was tossing up middle east and a few others I think market rate was about £800/day plus everything paid for
Petro-chemical companies, in the plastics sector, hands on polymer R&D.
I would only get to come home for 2-3 weeks every 12 weeks
That seemed pretty generous to me but then I saw you have kids.
You know those ****y things you see on Facebook about love, children, partners etc? They usually have a photo of a candle and you ignore them straight away as it is just some soppy person sharing guff. I saw one the other day which said the best thing you can do for your kids is spend half the amount of money on them but spend twice as much time with them instead.
That makes sense to me and I think you would, in the future, regret spending too much time away from your kids.
50k? To go there? You're off your head.
Add a 1 or 2 in front of it, and perhaps it's worth considering.
Renton. If you ever find a bloke who can honestly say he spent too much time with his kids growing up, let me know. I've not met one yet, and I've met an awful lot who would wish they hadn't been away quite so much.
@renton did you read the other threads on Saudi ? I posted there a bit as I've visited the place for work over the past 25 years including at some stressed times. Some good friends of mine where in the compound attacked by suicide bombers, they hid under the stairs as other guys came in shot up the apartments. They left as soon as they could. I've also attended a talk by Frank Gardner of the BBC who was shot and paralysed whilst getting money out of the ATM. The security situation there is worse than it's ever been.
Offering £50k is an insult
TooTall its a 3 year secondment so I would come back to the raf for my last two years !
My kids are the biggest holdback for me !!
I asked a [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-worked-in-saudi-arabia ]similar question[/url] a while back.
£50k seems low for SA.
The package I had floating around was five times that.
It [i]still[/i] hasn't been filled, so that may tell you something.
as many others have said, 50k seems low. Presuming this isn't a massive hike from your current salary, what you're actually talking about is doing it for the tax.
That means that vs a job on similar money at home with your kids, you're looking at an extra 9 and a bit grand a year (plus the difference in salary)i.e. presuming you are on 50k here, a total for the three years of 28/30k minus whatever extra cost you have. Trust me, as someone who tours for a job, no matter how much it is claimed that your expenses are covered, you will have to spend money on stuff that you wouldn't have to at home.
Cant say it would be enough to convince me. It would have to be an income that would change our lives as a family to convince me to change our family life (if that makes sense.
My take home pay here after paying for my married quarter etc is £1800 a month.
out there I would be taking home £3500 a month plus any overtime I get.
My take home pay here after paying for my married quarter etc is £1800 a month.out there I would be taking home £3500 a month plus any overtime I get.
Yep, that is great and your wife and kids will have more money, but they won't have you!
We have some older friends who are currently selling [url= http://goo.gl/H7AzI5 ]their US winter home[/url] which was effectively paid for by a Saudi military contract.
Granted they're very good with their money but I think that that was tops, a couple of year's worth of work.
Being military it sounds like you're used to limited home comforts but £50K still sounds like their pulling your trousers down.
Really, don't do it.
You'll never get that time with your children back.
I've worked in the middle east a few times over the past 3 years for short stints, a week or so at a time (though not in Saudi).
I'd not go for 3 months, let alone 3 years.
Its not 12 months away before you can go tax free, its a full April to April tax year so if you go out now you'd have to do almost two full years away to qualify. You can actually get NT straight away but if you don't stick it out you'll be landed with a tax bill when you come home. You can stop paying NI after 52 weeks away if you want to. Weigh up how long you'll be working for in the UK as you only need 25 years contributions I think it is for your pension so no point paying it if you can avoid it as you can't opt out when you are in the UK.
I did nearly three years in Afghanistan which wasn't a drama as I have no kids! Everything was paid for us (flights, food, accommodation, uniform etc).
renton - MemberMy take home pay here after paying for my married quarter etc is £1800 a month.
out there I would be taking home £3500 a month plus any overtime I get.
Will they get to stay in quarters when you're working for a civvie outfit?
as flaps says, your family might have more spending money, but it's not the kind of money that will give you opportunities when your 3yrs is over.
After 3 yrs you want the kind of stash that allows you to pay off the mortgage and take a couple of years off/part time work for you, your family & your soul to recover. Or sort out an early retirement income stream etc.
I was over there with BAE and they treat staff like shit. A lot of the positions are being handed over to the Saudi's so wouldn't be surprised if you ended up doing less than the three years.
Id say no,
My dad worked for BAE in Saudi for roughly 16 years. My mum went with him which left myself and 2 brothers here. One at college 2 in forces. Id say as a whole we are not the closest family due to everyone having to be so independent due to only seeing each other 3-4 times a year. I think the money incentives will never outweigh negatives of lost time with the kids.
I would only get to come home for 2-3 weeks every 12 weeks
With that amount of time in the UK how would you manage to avoid paying income tax?
Besides, as everyone is saying, it's a shithole. £50k a year for Saudi is nonsense.
I would assume a skilled fitter working for BAE in UK civi street could earn that easily?
I would assume a skilled fitter working for BAE in UK civi street could earn that easily?
You'd be miles off the mark
EDIT: unless they're ploughing in some serious OT or shift-work
You'd be miles off the mark
Really!
So what's is their ballpark?
Glassdoor says 25K
http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salary/BAE-Systems-UK-Fitter-Salaries-E3102_D_KO15,21.htm
Saudi rate should be 100K as most jobs seem to be 4x salary. Absolutely no way I would do it, life's too short.
I know a few people who have worked over there and they all hate Saudi's now as they are arrogant ****s
Really!So what's is their ballpark?
Well yeah, the salary Renton quoted for himself is pretty much where they get to (bit more in the South East I'd imagine/hope).
Engineers aren't getting £50k in this industry
I know nothing about Saudi etc.
However you are contemplating leaving your wife & kids for 3 years to get yourself an additional £1700 per month ??
Madness.
An increase in £1700 per month doesnt actually get you that much in life, maybe a slightly nicer car, shop at Waitrose, etc.
Not if extra to pay off the mortgage.
Whats the real reason you want to go for, because it almost sounds like you are desparate to get away from the family
91 days a year in the UK is the limit (averaged over three years I think it is).
He's in the RAF and there is a standard system of secondment from the UK military to the likes of Saudi, so most of the advice re tax etc means nothing to him. It's a different system.
He's looking at it because it is common for his Trade and a regular thing rather than this being a job in itself, so that's why he is thinking about it.
I have friends out there now and friends who have been out there before. Most all of them gritted their teeth and did the time, but most all had their kids in boarding school anyway.
Yes I read something about that, UK service types can't claim NT status for some reason.
With that amount of time in the UK how would you manage to avoid paying income tax?
You have holidays abroad, luckily for the kids they'll get lots of holidays abroad too. Don't know how much of the extra income is eaten by doing this, but it's probably the only solution.
"Glassdoor says 25K
http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salary/BAE-Systems-UK-Fitter-Salaries-E3102_D_KO15,21.ht m"
Na its more than that. Over £30k for the majority I'd say. And with the right shifts and overtime patterns there'll be some guys pulling in £50-60k a year. More than their supervisors.
I've also looked at going to Saudi with work and having spoken to the guys that have been they've all said the same or very similar. If you've got no ties and nothing holding you back for a few years then go for it. As others have said, you come home with a sizeable deposit. They said it takes a certain type of person to stay out there for 5-10yrs. (I read that as loners/wierdos).
One of the managers in our team has just had a kid (after working in Saudi for a while) and they were trying to get him and his family to move back. He told the Director over there than he'd have to offer him a million quid a year before he'd even consider it. And this is someone who seemed to enjoy his time there!
Someone I know rather well has just gone out there - money would be nearer £150K at a conservative guess, his kids are grown up and he wants to get away from his wife! 😆 Didn't take much consideration!
£50K and young kids? No, absolutely not.
STWers all agreeing on something!
I think I'd take the hint.
zippykona - Member
I think I'd take the hint.
but you have noticed who's asking the question?
With that amount of time in the UK how would you manage to avoid paying income tax?
You're allowed 90 days a year in the UK, 3 weeks in the UK every 15 (12 weeks working + 3 holiday) is 73 days per anum, also as above take holidays with kids etc outside the UK. Not difficult at all.
You can't buy love and memories with your kids with any amount of money, time is invaluable!
My best words of wisdom today.....
I come from a broken family and am quite aware of my Dad not being aorund at the same sort of age my eldest is at now.
The extra money would pay for us to renovate the house we bought as a repossesion rather than spending all my lump sum on it when I leave the RAF.
I agree that it will likely be very very shit, having done 9 months out of 2 years in afgan a while back I know how crap it can be.
I think Im going to give it amiss though to be honest, I want to see my kids grow up unlike my father did.