Transferring a Work Visit Visa to an Iqama

You should post that at www.eslcafe.com which is a dedicated website for all things TESL for people around the world.  Go to the International Job Forums and navigate to the Saudi board.  Chances are, there is an active discussion on that subject already, or just search for it using the search function using different keywords.  If nothing, make a new topic, and you should get several replies within a day or two.

Work visit visas aren't changed to iqamahs.

It sounds more like they don't have the Iqama approval or they want to wait and test you out before wasting an Igama on you. But generally, there are no issues with granting Iqamas to Irish people.
You could also give the Irish embassy in Riyadh a call and ask their opinion, +966-11-488-2300
As you said, no iqama = no bank account, but it also will give you problems with family visas, renting and even your telephone.

As rareshine says, and as far as I'm aware, the visa you've been offered cannot be converted to an Iqama. You would be workng illegally.

You say you cannot organise an Iqama prior to travel, but nobody gets the Iqama before arriving there. You should get a proper Employment Visa in your own country, which then can be converted to an Iqama after arrival. Without the proper Employment Visa (what you are actually being refused) you will never get an Iqama.

Al Hussan has taken over the KSU contract after a company called EdEx were booted out. Sending people out on temp visas with the promise of an Iqama (that never materialises) was what EdEx used to do as well.

I know you posted about the work visit visa to an iqama over a year ago but I was curious if you ever were able to switch to iqama or if you decided to pass up the job as a result.  I am in a similar situation and don't know what to do.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Kierstien (female from USA)

From my experience and i am nowhere nearly related to your line of profession. I know that a work visit visa can be turned into iqama (with waasta). This might not be achievable in Ramadan.

A work visit visa does indeed have limitations. Further, to go from a work visit visa to Iqama, the work visit visa need first to be canceled at any Saudi Embassy outside Saudi with a cancelation letter from the sponsor. For an Iqama, the sponsor need to send you an electronic invitation for a WORK visa, which will be converted in Saudi to Iqama.