Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a good place to practice, just stay away from any form of crime.
Healthcare in Saudi Arabia is much better than what is obtainable in Nigeria.



INTRODUCTION:

This is documentation from the shared experience of doctors who travelled to work in Saudi Arabia. We understand that travelling, especially for the first time, comes with uncertainties and questions. I believe that this piece will help to answer some of your queries.

The preparatory process involved in immigrating from Nigeria to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be discussed under the following parts:



PLANNING, ITEMS GATHERING AND PACKING ARRANGEMENT:

After a successful job application, interview and job offer, and after the visa has been issued, the next worry will be to book for your flight. Around this time, many questions come to mind. Some of the important mind-boggling issues to deal with are:

TRAVELING BAGS – you need three separate bags, one for food and one for everything else. Each of the first two bags is to weigh 20 kg (maximum). You are also entitled to a hand-carry of 8 kg where you can pack items such as change-wears, toothpaste, body lotion, wallet, etc.

FOODSTUFFS – Do your best to sneak in red oil as this is not allowed in flights, not because it is illegal but to avoid spillage and damaging peoples luggage. Put it in small can water bottles, sealed with seal tape and freeze it to avoid detection at the Lagos airport. If detected, plead with them. Some of them do understand while some will just require tipping. About three (3) litters of red oil would be enough for a year. I don’t have a list of other foodstuff but some things u don’t need like salt, pepper, sugar, provision, groundnut oil e t c. What you do need are things that you can’t find in Saudi Arabia. Like Egusi, Ogbono, Pepper, Soup spices, Red oil( Not groundnut oil), Dried fish, Stockfish (Okporoko), Dried Okazi leaves, etc. Don’t grind your Egusi. You can grind the pepper. Dry Bitter leaf vegetables. Please buy a packet of Maggi (Knorr or Star as you prefer). Most people don’t like Maggi there. There are options available for swallows such as Wheat and Semo-versions but if you like Garri for occasional purposes especially for drinking, you can add 2 or 3 paints. Some even bring Abacha and it helps a lot with making local varieties.

CLOTHS – Just wear one sweater because inside of the flight will be very cold and in winter most parts of northern Arabia are very cold. You can always buy from cheap shops there when you settle down. Clothes are not really costly compared to Nigeria because they also buy from China and Turkey. Please, I repeat, food first before cloths. With that in mind, you can try to bring your old good cloths if you have space left. You need scrubs (Theatre gown). Like 5 pairs, make it yourself, quality ones any colour you like. They’ll give you some pairs of theirs too, but it may be too big or you may not like it. So better to bring yours. They will give you enough lab coat too.

DOCUMENTS AND DEVICES – You’ll need to put your credentials, Laptop, mobile phones, internet Modem (O’yes) and one change of cloth in your backpack. Please, you will need to do another verification called Dataflow and Mumaris. So bring the original of all your academic and practice certificates. Also, bring your evidence of house job (MDCN signed doctors copy is ok or you get a letter from your hospital) certificate.




On the day of your travel, at the Ikeja Airport:

Check-in everything else. You can check-in 2 bags, each about 20 kg. So try to pack your bags and weigh them at home to avoid many talks at the airport. Split the weight evenly. If it weighs a bit more, give them some tip so that you don’t leave your stuff in the airport. Arrive at least 3-4 hours before departure time to start your check-in in process.

Change all your money to dollars at Lagos airport. Keep like 5k you can use when you will return (because agalacha must come back one day). They have good bureau de change there. They change at 360(Dec. 2018) N per $. Rarely, you may be lucky to change Naira to Riyals at Ikeja Airport. But please be careful so that they won’t give you bad currency. If you are lucky you can get the cheapest conversion rate at 93N per SR, instead of 97N per SR they sell in Saudi Airport.

YELLOW CARD:- You will pay like 2-3k for yellow fever vaccination and the card. You can get it at any ministry of health (MOH) office within your state to avoid stories and delays.
But if u haven’t gotten yours as at the time at the airport, no problem. You can check at the MOH office inside the airport, get vaccinated and take the card (total maybe like 1500- 4000 naira and this is the next best option you have), but it takes a Lil-more time, that’s If you have the time, fine.
Anything outside this is illegal and you could be arrested. Please do not rely on sourcing fake yellow card at the airport, you can as well be deported if caught at any level of your journey.

WRAP YOUR LUGGAGE OOOOOOh!!!:- Furthermore, like I said before, check-in your bags on time. Pay 1k to wrap each bag with a seal tape (So that nobody can put anything inside or remove your stuff while in transit). This is very important. Watch until your bags are checked-in to avoid stories that touch the �.
And never you collect anybody's bag or allow someone to hand over his or her items to you no matter how brief as you are not sure if they are drug traffickers or not !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....Then,

Proceed to get your boarding ticket, and have your passport with you at all times. It’s your most precious document at this time. And please do not misplace it because your journey will just stop there.




At Addis Ababa, Casablanca, Egypt or Dubai Airport as the case may be:

Most flights go through Ethiopia. In Addis Ababa (just like others), you don’t need to get your luggage, they will transfer them into the next boarding flight.
Here you can surf the net with WiFi available. There are free WiFis at the airport terminals. Use this to send detail to your loved ones for them to know how your journey is moving (especially those ladies praying for your success – your mum and her), and try to connect with your friends over there in Saudi if you have any.
Remember to travel with a durable PowerBank. Although you may be lucky to find numerous public charging points at these airports. Although unlike Nigeria that commonly has 3 pin rectangular sockets you may see only 2 pin round socket here. So, ensure you buy 2 pin adapter in 9ja (it may not be common but look for it).


At the Saudi Int. Airports – Jeddah, Riyadh, Markka, etc.

This is the time to be on alert. You have just an hour or two to achieve so many things.


Clearing Immigration.

You’ll get your bags at the international airport in Saudi (eg Jeddah).
As you land, on your way past the airport terminal they’ll give you 1 tab or drop of Ciprofloxacin to drink. (It’s for meningitis prophylaxis or so). Drink am and match-on, no shaking.


After clearing immigration, quickly rush to carry out the following crucial steps:

*Confirm the new time zone and set your watch accordingly. Or simply set it at two hours faster while still in Nigeria.
Get your bags from the old flight and check-in on the next flight. This is very important as it helps to reduce delayed or missing luggage upon arrival at your last airport.
*Find a bureau de change there in the airport at Jeddah and Change your dollars to Riyals. This is your best and only chance to do so, using a passport.
*Use your Riyals currency to procure a new SIM card and load it with enough Data. This is also your only chance to do so, to avoid being messed-up communication-wise for the next 2 to 3 months of your initial stay. You can subscribe for a three-month data of 100gig at 365SR (N35, 000). Don’t worry about recharging credit. You can always do that later. With 20SR airtime, you can make local calls at work and that’s enough. You enquire from your friend staying in the same city where you are posted about the best network available. The very common ones are STC, Zain and Mobily.
*Lastly, then check-in and wait for your last flight to your local city.


Note:

Sometimes, depending on your flight schedule, you may not have enough time at the international airport in Saudi between landing and takeoff to your local city, so you need to be sharp or prioritize. Check the time gap for your next flight and use it appropriately.

There’s usually along layover at Addis Ababa and other airports too. Like 3-10 hours. Use that time to rest because you’ll be busy at the Saudi international airport. But please don’t over rest sha so that you don’t miss your next flights. If you are travelling alone, try to set your alarm for every flight. But if you are lucky to travel with friends you may go in a group/batch. Also, you find those going to the same place with you and exchange telephone/WhatsApp numbers, stick together.




I hope this has helped you.

Copied from Dr. Martinsblog

https://drmartinsblogs./2019/07/26/preparatory-steps-for-nigerian-medical-experts-travelling-to-work-in-saudi-arabia/

thanks and very informative

Hello, any doctor working in Saudi Arabia presently?

It will be helpful if you also tell us how to get these jobs in the first place

Beautiful

NewBea:
It will be helpful if you also tell us how to get these jobs in the first place

Well, there are about 3 agencies that organise interviews and written exams for Doctors that want to practice in the Middle East country.

These exams are fairly easy to pass if you know your basics.

Ro2sheeda:
Hello, any doctor working in Saudi Arabia presently?

Over 100 specialists and so many Resident Doctors are currently working there.

Uncleodi:


Well, there are about 3 agencies that organise interviews and written exams for Doctors that want to practice in the Middle East country.

They exams are fairly easy to pass if you know your basics.

Can you kindly shed more light on this? Or drop your details so that i can contact you please

Please any verified link to these?

Uncleodi:


Well, there are about 3 agencies that organise interviews and written exams for Doctors that want to practice in the Middle East country.

They exams are fairly easy to pass if you know your basics.

More please ooo.....this thread needs to continue
Also as per pathway to Saudi of a medical officer
am interested ooo

Chiefs
We are following the discourse abeg

How much do doctors earn monthly in Saudi Arabia

Thanks Op..Please try to entertain some of the questions asked..
Let's make this thread active..