Most expats ‘feel safe in KSA’

JEDDAH: Most expatriates feel safe in the Kingdom and have been able to save, buy homes, pay for education and travel abroad, according to a survey conducted by Western Union. The company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, surveyed people who were aged 30 on average, according to a report in a local online publication. Most of the respondents said they felt safe, satisfied and happy in the host country, with many considering it in the same light as their home countries, the report stated. Forty-one percent said they felt a sense of belonging and were integrated in the Kingdom, with 41 percent indicating that their levels of comfort and friendship with others were the same as in their home countries. More than 34 percent said they felt as if they were living at home. In addition, 54.6 percent said they had managed to save money, 38 percent had improved their lifestyle, 37.5 percent could purchase homes, and 32 percent were able to pay their education expenses. A fourth of the respondents said their work in the Kingdom had enabled them to travel to new places. Eighty-five percent of the respondents were men and 15 percent women, with 67 percent having worked for five years in the Kingdom, 20 percent for 10 years, 8 percent for 15 years, and 3 percent for 20 years.   Arab News