r/RiyadhExpats

I am a young woman in Saudi and I recently started a new job and I am dealing with bullying from coworkers which is making it very stressful for me to continue I cannot share too many details because I am worried they might recognize me but I really need advice from someone who understands the work environment here I would prefer advice from a woman if possible but I appreciate any helpful guidance especially since I have to deal with this situation tomorrow

He's also driving sometime but not under the influence of course.

Do police do random weed drug testing in Riyadh?

What's up, y'all. I'm 25M and I'm making a group of young professionals who just moved to Riyadh from Canada and the US. And an honorable mention to people from the UK as well.

Y'all, Riyadh has been tough. Had a good group of young American friends, but then they all left. We had a great community of expats.

I love my older expat friends, but I really can't relate to my friends that got kids and a wife.

I just moved from Toronto a couple years ago and trying my best to settle in.

I know there's probably not a lot of us, but if anybody here moved, male or female, from Canada , the UK or the US and wants to link up and create a little community, reply or send me a message.

Here I need suggestions regarding places to visit in Riyadh or outside Riyadh, 1,2 hrs drive?

Hey everyone,

I’m currently raising a pre-seed round for a MedTech startup in Riyadh. We’ve had a string of meetings with a few local investors/VCs, and we have hit a wall that I’m struggling to navigate.

We are now 3+ meetings deep with the same group. They’ve seen the deck, the business model, and the high-level roadmap and even our working model prototype. Now, they are digging into the granular IP - proprietary data models, technical architecture, and the "under the hood" mechanics that make our product clinical-grade.

The issue: They are flat-out refusing to sign an NDA.

I understand the global VC standard is "we don't sign NDAs because we see too many deals," but at the pre-seed stage, asking for a full technical deep-dive on verbal trust alone feels like a massive risk. We’ve told them that any further disclosure requires some form of legal protection, but they keep pushing for "full transparency" to move forward.

Questions for the community:

1. Is this a red flag or just "The Saudi Way"? Has anyone else in the KSA ecosystem had investors push this hard for IP details without a Term Sheet or NDA?
2. How do you draw the line? How do you prove you have the "secret sauce" without giving them the recipe before they've even committed a single Riyal?
3. The "Fishing" Concern: At what point does Due Diligence turn into "IP Fishing" (gathering info to give to a more established portfolio company)? which I have seen happened.

As a founder, I want to be a "bridge builder" and show I’m easy to work with, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being asked to hand over the keys to the kingdom for a chance at a follow-up.

Would love to hear from other founders-how did you handle the "Deep Dive" phase without an NDA?

Hi all,

I am selling my Mens UFC GYM membership. Includes access to all UFC gyms along with benefits like guest passes etc.

Membership is currently active and lasts until 5th December 2026. The gym provides the gym paperwork to complete the membership transfer.

Price: 3000 SAR (depending on start date)

It's a great deal if you want a top quality gym in Riyadh, and a cheaper than the official price. Message if interested :)

https://ufcgymksa.com/memberships/

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to visit an art exhibition with a small group, if anyone is interested lmk!

So i arrived here in Riyadh right before Ramadan, arguably the worst time for job seekers, and started applying right after Eid (supposedly best time) on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Bayt and others. (I do have a transferable iqama btw). But i have only either gotten rejections or been ghosted, even for an entry level job. Been seeing some posts about the only way to get jobs is through connections but how do i do that? Why would someone randomly connect with me on LinkedIn if they dont even know me. I have tried dm'ing Talent acquistioners or hr managers but 0 response. I need help. Someone who can suggest me any groups or networking methods to find a job. It would be really helpful.

فكرنا نفتح بزنس وكذا لكن فلوسنا ماتكفي خصوصا العيشه غاليه ف قلت خن نفكر ب وظيفه احسن تساعدنا نفتح بزنس ف قاعده افكر زوجي دارس امريكا وشهادته كويسه وجاء هنا يشتغل بشركة تبع pif ف رواتبهم كويسه لكن مو الي احنا نبي راتبه يمكن 12 تقريبا ، فكرنا انه نهاجر لان وظيفته بالغالب موجوده برا اكثر من عندنا مافي الا شركات تنعد بالاصابع مشغله لنفس وظيفته ، فكرة اول شى دول اوروبيه بعدين قلت ليه ابعد خن نقدم وظايف في الامارات لان عندهم شركات عالميه قوييه برواتب تبدء من 25 وهم طالبين اصلا وظايف ناس من برا يعني بيدفعون كم شى وبدلات لوظيفته بحيث نروح هناك نستقر سنه سنتين ثلاث ياخذ خبره وبعدين يرجع ل السعوديه لان الصراحة حقين التوظيف يموتون ب اي خبره خارج بلده

ف تحسون صح ولا نقعد هنا وبس يعني الواحذ يحاول يحسن معيشته باللي يقدر خصوصا ماعندنا أطفال ونحاول نكون افضل قبل نجيبهم

بدون تجريح الله يعافيكم احنا بس ودنا نكون افضل

Hi, we’re moving to Riyadh soon and looking for a good pediatric hematologist for follow-up care. Any recommendations for doctors or hospitals? I will be having good health insurance so expenses not a concern however availability of the doctor is the concern.

I’m new to Riyadh and don’t have many friends (all the people I know don’t have similar interests) so what can a person like me do to rap up and expand their social circle?

I recently got a job offer from a pre opening hotel which belongs to the PIF (public investment fund), however it has been a month since I signed the contract and sent them the required documents, I have been trying to reach out to them to get a follow up but after 1 month I don’t get any answer, not even to inform the status of my process, does anyone know what can be happening?, I just need to know if this is the usual or if my contract was cancelled but none told me.

In dammam or khobar ?

Hey guys,

I need an urgent help for not missing the opportunity.I’m a pharmacy graduate but early on I have made a shift to Data Analytics and it’s been 5 years since then. Now my company wants to issue an iqama for me in Saudi Arabia for a running project there, but they are not sure which title they should select when they are applying for the iqama and they are afraid to got rejected. Anyone with previous experience in such situation can help please

Thank you

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to get some honest insight from people familiar with the job market in Riyadh.

I’m a US citizen with Arabic background, fluent in both Arabic and English. I studied and built my career in the US, and I currently have a little over 6 years of experience as a data analyst, mainly in the healthcare sector. I’m currently working at a global pharma/CRO company.

I’ve been seriously considering relocating to Riyadh, especially with everything happening around Vision 2030 and the growth in tech and analytics, but I’m trying to understand how realistic that move is.

A few things I’m curious about:

- How strong is the demand for data analysts (or similar roles) in Riyadh right now?

- How much does US experience + bilingual ability actually help?

- How big of a factor is Saudization when it comes to hiring expats in analytics roles?

- Has anyone here (or someone you know) made a similar move from the US? How did it go?

- For those familiar with hiring practices in the region: do companies ever allow candidates to start remotely (from outside the country) for a short transition period before relocating, or is on-the-ground presence typically expected from day one? In case they don’t allow, what would be the max realistic notice period I could get considering it’s a big move?

I’m mainly looking to learn and get a realistic view of the market, but I’m also open to connecting with people in the space or hearing about relevant opportunities if there’s a fit.

I’m an expat with 2 years of experience as a teaching/assistant teacher. I’m currently looking for a Teaching Assistant role in Riyadh.

I’d really appreciate any advice on:

How to apply effectively

Which schools are best to try

What the hiring process is like

Thanks in advance!