What You Need to Know to Teach English in Dubai
Dubai can be a great place to Teach English
While the ongoing conflict in the Middle East might make the region less attractive to teach English abroad, Dubai is still a popular destination for English teachers. The chance to live and work in a Muslim culture is one that you will never forget.
There are plenty of English teaching jobs in Dubai. You can find employment with large companies, private schools, language schools or be hired as a private tutor for kids of the extremely rich population in Dubai. But before thinking of teaching English in Dubai, make sure you understand what you are getting into. Living and working in Middle Eastern countries can be a great experience to see a completely different culture but there are also numerous restrictions. It a serious crime to be homosexual in Dubai. Women are expected to stay at home and take care of children. Even with the rising number of female expatriates, this hasn’t changed much.
Finding a job in Dubai is not that easy, especially for women. The first thing you need to do is find a sponsor in Dubai. Host schools or agencies are often biased towards hiring men to avoid hassles in the application process. Employers or host schools will act as your sponsor. They are responsible for all of your paperwork and visa processing. You also need to go through a government-controlled medical examination before you can obtain a “work residence visa”.
Teaching English in Dubai Salaries
A typical work week in Dubai is between 40-48 hours, depending on your host school. Weekends are Thursdays and Fridays with Friday, as the Muslim rest day. Average monthly salary is about US$4,000 with a variance of plus or minus $1000 depending on where you teach. It is important to note that this teaching salary is free from taxes. It is quite possible to live comfortably and save money with this income. It is possible to teach private lessons for extra money, although this would require formal consent.
You’ll probably need to sign up for a 2 or 3-year contract in order find a teaching position in Dubai. This will also come with an extra 1 or 2 months salary as a bonus for completing your contract.
Most host schools offer free accommodation and flight reimbursements. Holidays, however, are not covered by most contracts. Employment contracts must contain in detail your salary, working condition, title, duties, termination conditions, responsibilities and work hours. It is advised to research potential employers and clarify contract details.
With huge investments in architecture, theme parks, universities and shopping malls, Dubai certainly is an exciting place the visit. The amount of money in country is truly staggering. Expect the first few months in the UAE to be a total culture shock but who knows.. you might want to pursue your career in this part of the world.
Cost of Living in Dubai
It is quite expensive to live in Dubai however, the pay is more than adequate for a comfortable lifestyle. Starting salaries are generally about AED 6600-7300 (US$1800-2000) per month. More experienced and trained teachers can likely earn slightly more.
Many schools offer free accommodation but if you are required to pay for your own apartment expect to pay upwards from AED 2500 (US$700) plus utilities that would cost an average of AED 460 (US$125) per month. … Read More
English Teacher Requirements in Dubai
The application process for visas in Dubai is quite strict and controlled. If your application for a visa is denied, appeals are very difficult, if not impossible.
Most of the companies that hire foreigners have “fixers”. These people are responsible for assisting you throughout the entire visa application. Whenever your presence is needed in any department in Dubai, your “fixer” should always be with you. Expect the visa application process to take 1-3 months.
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Videos on Teaching English in Dubai
Questions answered in the above video.
“How did you get into teaching there?” 1:23
“Do you know of any reliable agents, especially for ESL positions?” 4:37
“A friend of mine is going out there to teach. What advice would you give her?” 4:56
“In the future, do you want to be a teach in Dubai again?” 7:48
“Was teaching stressful as it is in UK (paper work, rude behaviour from pupils)” 8:35
“If I only have a TEFL certificate what are my chances of working there?” 16:42
“When are you coming back?” 18:11
“Teaching English in the United Arab Emirates can be an incredible job. While most people think of the UAE as only Abu Dhabi and Dubai, there are actually many other places that hire teachers with skills in teaching ESL. In this video, I go into detail about teaching English in the UAE and what I think of it as someone who taught abroad for over 15 years and has spent a lot of time in the Gulf.”
How to get a job teaching in Dubai.
More Links
TEFL English Teaching Jobs in Dubai
View our TEFL job listings in Dubai.
More Information
Dubai (Official Website)
Dubai (Tourism)
GulfNews.com (News site)
Dubai News (News site)
Dubai Informer (News site)
Khaleej Times
Dubai Classifieds (Jobs)
Khaleej Times (News site with classified listings)
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