The Middle East is well known as the place to find jobs offering tax-free salaries, comprehensive employment packages, warm sunny weather and hundreds of schools waiting for teachers. And it’s not wrong!
Learn About Teaching and Living in the Middle East
The Middle East is the region between North Africa and Europe, and includes countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and more.
Most schools use a combination of one of the following curricula: US common core, UK (English National Curriculum or Cambridge), International Baccalaureate, Australian and Bilingual. In all schools the curriculum is adapted to local law and culture.
Salaries and packages range widely depending on the school ownership, school fees, and location. We’ve given you some examples of how salary and packages compare in the Middle East for US/Canadian teachers, UK/Irish teachers and Aus/NZ teachers.
Salaries and Packages for Teaching Jobs in the Middle East
International schools in the Middle East know that hiring good teachers is the key to their success and to maintaining an excellent reputation. Schools in this region hire thousands of teachers each year.
How Long Are Contracts in the Middle East?
Contracts for teaching jobs are typically 2 years long, with the exception of some schools in Kuwait and Oman which may sometimes offer 1 year contracts. Teachers who find teaching jobs in the Middle East must be aware that breaking a contract before the agreed completion date may result in financial penalties as well as country-wide work bans which can last from 6 months to 2 years.
What is typically included in a Middle East Employment Package?
Contracts almost always include return flights. Housing is often provided for you, and if it is not, make sure you understand the cost of suitable housing and the timing of rent payments so you can make an informed decision. Housing can be quite expensive, so many schools that hire less experienced teachers may only provide shared accommodation. Less experienced teachers often find the benefits of sharing an apartment with your own bedroom helps to create an immediate social circle especially for those who are starting their first jobs abroad so we recommend it be considered for those regions. Due to local regulations and customs, you will always be sharing with someone of your own gender.
Medical insurance will be provided by the school but it is often for the employee only, so if you have a spouse or dependants, make sure you factor this in to your financial calculations as it’s normally a condition of getting a valid visa for them. Insurance policies vary widely- many only provide coverage in the country or region of the job, so if you require coverage when you are home, you may need to take out extra insurance.
How Much Will I Get Paid Teaching in the Middle East?
Salaries are often tax free, but teachers must be aware that this only means you do not pay taxes to your country of work in the Middle East. Depending on your home country’s policy on Foreign Earned Income, you might need to pay tax back home. It is important to find out before you go so that you file the right paperwork and are not surprised by a big tax bill upon your return.
There is no set salary scale for teachers in the Middle East, and your salary will depend on many factors such as the country in which you are working, the fee structure of the school, the length and quality of experience and training you have in the curriculum of the school, and more. Many schools have a set transparent scale for salaries and will not negotiate.
When comparing job packages, remember to account for the cost of living, the cost of housing if not provided, transport to/from school and any additional benefits provided by the school.
When Edvectus matches you to a job, we will send you the full job information including the salary range and package so you can make an informed decision about whether to apply.
Education and Experience Requirements for Teachers in the Middle East
In most countries as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, the Ministries of Education specify the educational and training requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for a work visa to teach at an international school. This might mean that your undergraduate degree must be relevant to the subject you teach, and that your training and certification is appropriate to your subject and level, regardless of your number of years of experience. In most countries, you need to have at least a Bachelors degree and teacher training; Diplomas of Education are generally not viewed as equivalent to a Bachelors. Many countries in the Middle East require you have a bachelors degree in your teaching subject. These rules change over time, so it’s always best to check with your Edvectus consultant for guidance.
English Language Learners in the Middle East
Teachers with some experience and training of teaching children for whom English is not the first language are in high demand, and teachers who have English as their first language are often preferred. Because modelling the language and communicating with children who are acquiring English is so important regardless of the subject being taught, many schools can be sensitive to strong regional accents of any kind, whether or not English is the mother tongue.
Teachers who have international experience as TEFL teachers, teaching only English as a foreign language at a language school, may find that their experience, while valued to an extent, may not be viewed as equivalent to working in a school offering compulsory education by both the Ministries as well as employers. This is because the educational requirements, pedagogical training, licensing and educational environment is not equivalent.
Newly Qualified and less experienced Teachers
Newly qualified teachers or those with less than 2 years post qualification experience at the time of departure will find that their options are more limited due to school preferences and ministry and/or visa regulations. Those with less experience will find that their salaries and benefits packages are on the lower end of the scale, though usually still lucrative enough to allow you to save a substantial percentage of your salary each year. As a general rule, the more popular a place is, the lower on average are the salaries for comparable schools which means that schools in Dubai will probably pay 10 to 30% less than similar schools in Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.
