- I am a Pakistani national and have been working in Saudi Arabia for the last 10 years.
- Now I have another job offer on a new visa.
The labor law does not require an NOC. But Saudi missions have security instructions from the Interior Ministry that they must get an NOC. You say there is a new circular from the Foreign Office regarding the NOC. Personally, I have not seen it. You can check with your embassy and let someone else check with the Saudi Consulate in Pakistan. Those are the only places that can tell you the fact. Show them the circular if you have it. That should help. After doing that, approach your employer, and ask for a transfer of your work permit if possible, or a final exit visa. After 10 years of service, you should be entitled to change your employer or get an adequate raise in your salary.
Almost every other Saturday, the column on Page Three replies to an ESB-related question. I wonder what page you are reading every time. Your allowances are clear except for the bonus, which needs some clarification. To be added as an allowance to the LMW, it must be stipulated in the contract or bylaw of the company, or be paid at least for the last three consequent years. If that is the case, then your LMW is: 9000+1600+250+(17000/12) (to get the monthly bonus average). Your ESB would be LMW*10 (for each year of service), plus a proportionate payment of any part of the year, as follows: LMW * 10 + (LMW / 365.25 * number of days worked in last year of service).
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Last week there was a mistake in the publication of the in rem (in kind) allowances to be added to the salary to form the LMW. In the last line, it said one-third for the three in rem allowances of housing, food and car, while what should have been published is 60 percent. Some explanation will be useful. In rem means in kind. For instance, if the employer provides the employee with accommodation and pays the rent to the house owner rather than pay the employee compensation in cash, this is an allowance in kind or in rem. Article 2/5, which I quoted in the item, stipulates that in ESB, two months’ salary per annum is considered for the in rem allowance to be added to the monthly salary to form LMW. That goes for food and transportation, as well. The correction in the last published line should then be 60 percent and not one-third as was published.

