From geology.com
Here's the information for Saudi Arabia for The Best TEFL Jobs in the World. You might also want to look at The Best TEFL Jobs With Worldwide Employers.If you know of any other good ones, please let me know by emailing me at [email protected]
Being a Direct Hire is the Way to Go!
Try to get a direct hire position rather than one with a recruiter. Some benefits that you can expect to get are:
- Free airfare (at least once a year, sometimes more)
- Decent accommodation
- Health insurance
- Transport allowance
- End of contract gratuity (1 month salary for each year worked)
- Paid overtime
- Potential to teach evening contract work
- Own private / semi private university office with computer and internet
- Decent university facilities: gym, swimming pool, cafeteria, etc.
- Decent working hours (average is 22 contact hours)
- Decent classrooms with good technology (computers, overhead projector, internet, smart boards, etc.)
Remember, that often the stated salary doesn't include allowances. Paul in Saudi states that you'll get about an addition two thirds (65%) in allowances, such as housing and transport. If the job only advertises a salary of $4,000 a month, you'll probably earn about $7,000 total per month. Salaries are dependent upon education and legitimate (meaning that you can prove it) work experience. There are no taxes in Saudi, but you will be living in the Magic Kingdom. Here's a sample contract from Vinnell Arabia.
Finding a Good Employer
Do your research to make sure you find a reliable, reasonable, responsible employer that will pay on time, give you an igama (work visa), allow you to bring your spouse and kids, and pay for their education, as well as get you the proper exit and re-entry visas. Check out employers with the best reputations and positions that pay $100K and up.
Where to Find Jobs
Spring is the higher season, so plan accordingly. Go directly to university websites to find their job offers and application. Applications can be a pain to fill out and it's not uncommon for employers to take a long, long time to get back to you. I had a friend get a job offer a year after she applied.
TESOL Arabia is one of the best conferences to attend. TESOL in the US and IATEFL in the UK are also good. There's also TESOL.org, the Chronicle, HigherEd Jobs, Jobs.ac.uk, and IATEFL.
Advice for Women
Check out Comparing uni job offers - advice for the ladies! If you want to bring your family, be aware that it's not common for women to sponsor their husbands. You can bring your children, however, you will need permission from their father. Usually you need to have a document that is less than 3 months old that gives you permission to travel with your children. Remember that unmarried girls are their father's property.
The Best Jobs in Saudi Arabia
- Al Hoty Co. Ltd: $6,000-$9,000 a month with 3 vacations per year. You'll need to be a male with at least a BA. Here's an example of their adverts.
- Advanced Learning Schools (ALS)
- Al-Faisal University
- Aramco: Ah, the famous Aramco. It's hard to get a direct hire position with them, but they seem to be one of the best employers to work for. However, they usually hire males with bachelor status, meaning that you can't bring your family with you. Here's info about teaching at their schools.
- B3H (men only): Expect about a salary package around $90,000, which would include base pay, bonus, 401K matching contributions, airfare, cell phone allowance, insurance, paid vacation, training and certification by the US Department of Defense, Defense Language Institute. This is a US goverment contract teaching Royal Saudi Air Force personnel. You must be an American and have a US bank account. Part of Booz Allen.
- Boeing
- Booz Allen Hamilton: Pay with benefits is $6,000-$7,000 per month.
- British Aerospace / BAe Systems
- Contracts Consultancy Limited (CCL)
- Dallah
- Dar Al Uloom University: The University Preparatory Program (UPP) needs teachers to teach up to 20 hours per week (18 is the norm). You'll get $2,600 - $5,300 inclusive of housing and transport allowance. 45 paid vacation with airfare. Masters or PhD required. TEFL certificate or diploma preferred. 8am-4pm, with 2 office hours per day. May have to work 6 days per week.
- General Dynamics: Pay with benefits is $6,000-$7,000 per month.
- Institute of Public Administration (IPA): (Men and Women) Here's a past advert. You'll get about $3,000-$4,000 a month, free housing, paid summer vacation (60 days) with flights, holidays, subsidy for children's education at international schools, private office with computer and internet. You'll teach 22 hours and need at least an MA.
- Institute of Banking and Finance
- Jubail Industrial College
- HAK group: You can find their adverts at Saudi Jobs.
- King Faisal University
- King Abdulaziz University
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST): Fantastic, but extremely difficult to get a job at.
- King Saud University (KSU)
- King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM): (Men only) Decent pay with great overtime opportunities. On-campus housing is provided and all utilities are covered. Students are good and there's a sane work schedule. Great vacations 917-18 weeks per year). No visa issues and most of the time you get what you're promised, which is rare is Saudi.
- Lockheed Martin
- Northrop Grumman (Men only): Must be an American. Follows Vinnell ELTB admin regulations.
- Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University (PNU): (for women)
- Prince Sultan University: (for women)
- Saudi companies which are subcontractors to Aramco
- Raytheon: Pay very well, around $80,000, but the students are difficult.
- Saudi British Centre (SBC): MA preferred but BA and experience also accepted. Minimum of 2 years teaching experience. $2,300-$4,800 plus furnished accommodations or allowance, transport or allowance, igama, visa expenses reimbursed, exit and re-entry visas, scheduled trips, cash advance upon arrival, year-end bonus, 30 days paid vacation and airfare.
- Saudi Electric Company
- Teach Away: They sometimes have good jobs. They were recently advertising for an academic director for a women's uni in Riyadh. Salary was $10,000 plus airfare, and 30 days vacation. You needed at least an MA, plus a TEFL certificate or diploma, and at least 5 years teaching experience. You also needed experience in strategic planning, development, evaluation, and delivery of programs. Management experience, data analysis skills, and project management abilities.
