Moving to Jeddah need a nanny

[AmyMcLean]

Hello there,

Could anyone help offer some advice on hiring a nanny in Jeddah? My partner and I are moving next year and I need some help with the children. Ideally a nanny that speak Arabic. My ideal situation would be to meet a nanny in London and have them fly over with us so my children can get used to them before the big move. Would love to hear of experiences and advice.

Many thanks.

Hey Amy,

It sounds like an exciting move but what your looking for is quite specific. Have you thought of going to an agency who specialise in bilingual nannies? I think this would be your most reliable option, not to mention the easiest. A friend just hired a Spanish nanny to take back to Spain with her from Little Ones London, but there are plenty bi-lingual agency out there. I wish you all the best with you move!

Please thoroughly check if taking a nanny with you is possible. It will depend on you/your husband's job title (very, very few expats would qualify) and every expat's residence visa must be sponsored.

You also talk of your "partner". I might be incorrectly assuming you are not married. Unless you are each coming over to work independently of each other (ie. he will not sponsor your visa) you will need to be married.

Once in Jeddah, a married male accompanied by his wife will be able to sponsor a "maid" sourced through a local agency.

Of course, all these rules and regulations can be bypassed depending on you/your husband's job title or if the company employing you/him are willing to sponsor the nanny for you.

Bizarrely I've just opened your thread about looking for a Russian nanny. If Jeddah is still on the cards, I think you'll struggle to take your choice of Nanny with you.
Also, I don't know how easy getting an Arabic speaking nanny would be. Many that I have seen are Filipino.
You can certanily get around with limited Arabic in the early days.

The safest option is to hire a nanny locally through an agency. I'm sure your relocation agent will be able to recommend one.
An unmarried arabic speaking woman ( assuming a middle eastern/north african) hired from London would never be given a visa. The only case that could possibly work is if you could justify special needs/care with a certain level of dependancy
I do not think you will find a local or arab woman there either. Donestic helpers come from the usual south east Asian countries and some ( philippinas mainly) have a good level of education ( pre school qualification/nursing/midwifery etc...)as well as a very decent command of english + some basic arabic if they have been there long enough.
An arabic speaking driver will be much more useful.
Or do you need someone to soeak arabic to the children?

Or maybe if you job is with the foreign service.