Uae

With its gleaming skyscrapers, glitzy malls, shimmering deserts, and miles of tantalizing white sand beaches, the United Arab Emirates is a country that never ceases to amaze. Located along the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, the United Arab Emirates, or the UAE for short, consists of seven emirates: Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujairah, Ajman, Ra’s al-Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The latter three are the largest emirates, and home to the bulk of the UAE’s population. While each emirate is governed by its own monarch, the country is united under one president and system of civil and Sharia laws. Oil and natural gas dominate the UAE’s economy, mobilizing it as the second largest economy in the Arab world. The UAE’s Ministry of Education initiated a major educational overhaul in 2008, standardizing public and private school curriculum across the seven emirates and devoting significant funding to English language education. That, coupled with a thriving global finance sector and open, international economy, make the UAE a ripe, lucrative market for qualified English teachers. A Little History While the UAE became a country relatively recently in 1971, the history of the area dates much further back to as early as 6000 BC when the first inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were thought to have settled. The Trucial States form the foundation of the modern UAE we know today — these were a group of tribal configurations united together as a British protectorate. When Britain p…

Each country has its own unique requirements and qualifications when it comes to teaching. Some require a bachelor’s degree in any field. In others, you’ll qualify with only a high school diploma and your TEFL certificate. Some countries have strict visa requirements that may disqualify you based on your citizenship or criminal background. Let’s take a look at the qualifications needed for teaching English in the United Arab Emirates. Education A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required to teach English in the UAE, and a master’s degree (in any field) or teaching license is highly preferred. Many schools will seek out candidates who have 2+ years of previous classroom teaching experience (typically at the K-12 public school level) and/or a teaching license from a country like the United States or the United Kingdom. Citizenship There is no citizenship requirement to teach English in the UAE. Teachers with an Israeli stamp in their passports will want to connect with their hiring school to make sure this won’t present an issue with their visa issuance. However, schools strongly prefer to hire native English speakers who are citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa, but there are occasional exceptions, depending on the teacher’s teaching experience and credentials. English Fluency If you are not a citizen of one of the above countries, you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a near-native level…

The UAE presents a lucrative and extremely competitive market for foreign English teachers. The country’s relatively small population size, coupled with the generous benefits its schools provide hired English teachers, allow Emirati employers the opportunity to be picky with which educators they choose to bring on board. Nonetheless, the demand to learn English is high in the UAE, thanks in large part to the country’s globalized economy, open trade regime, and critical role in the international oil supply. Qualified English teachers in the UAE will have their fair share of school types to choose between — from preschools and kindergartens to international schools, private language schools, public schools, and even universities, the educational world is your oyster in the UAE! Each of these job types comes with its own specific set of advantages, so you’ll want to understand the basic differences between them before you begin applying. Teaching contracts in the UAE, regardless of the type of school you work for, are typically 12 months in length. Private Language Schools Private language schools are privately-run and typically for-profit language training centers that can cater to students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Many school-aged students will attend private language schools to supplement their public or private school language education, and adults will often attend private language schools to develop their foreign language competency and thereby advance thei…

Now that you’ve acquainted yourself with some of the most popular job types of the UAE, it’s time to start the application process. There are several steps to take to start the application process for the UAE. Heads up! The timelines for your job application process and for gathering documents for your visa will overlap. You’ll want to be working on both processes at roughly the same time. Be sure to check out our Teaching in the UAE Timeline, as well as the Applying for the Visa section for more information and to make sure you are staying on track with your documents while applying for teaching positions. Step 1: Prepare Your Initial Application Materials Resume & Cover Letter Your resume and cover letter are the keys to connecting with schools and beginning the application process. International employers look for specific elements in a resume that may differ from what you’re used to seeing domestically. Photos As part of the application process, the school may request photos from you. A headshot photo is typical, which you can send with your application or attach to your resume. Don’t send any additional photos unless requested. Wear business casual clothing in your photos, in front of a neutral background. Do your best to take higher-quality photos, with a digital camera or a high-quality cell phone camera. Demo Lesson Plan A common component of the application process for many schools in the UAE is the demo lesson. A demo is simply a short lesson in which you show your …

Congratulations on your job offer(s)! If you’ve been offered a position from a school in the UAE and you’ve followed our previous advice, you’re already off to a great start. But what’s next? Determining whether or not the offer is right for you. To help make this decision, follow the recommendations below by reviewing the basics. Whether you have one offer or several, the key elements you’ll want to take note of are: salary, working hours, vacation days, sick days, housing, airfare, insurance, and bonuses. Let’s take a closer look at what to expect with each of these elements. Review the Basics Salary The average starting salary for a first-year English teacher in the UAE is 6,700 to 18,500 AED per month — it’s a sizable range, and largely dependent on a teacher’s experience and the location of the school. Anything significantly lower or higher than this salary range should make you ask a few questions. If the reason for the pay difference is obvious, like a rural location with a low cost of living or longer than average working hours, you may find that you’re okay with it. But don’t accept a contract that is paying you less for doing the same amount of work the average English teacher does, or one that doesn’t fit into your work-life-travel balance. Working Hours Teaching English in the UAE is a full-time gig and teaching contracts are typically 12-months long. However, there’s more than just the total number of working hours per week (typically 35 to 40) to consider. Will …

The word “visa” tends to provoke daunting images of endless red tape and paperwork but we’re here to ease your anxiety and hopefully have you zipping through this process like a pro. While the visa process in the UAE can be lengthy and involved at times, the good news is that the procedures are handled almost entirely by your employer. In general, foreign teachers enter the UAE on an entry permit for employment purposes, and once there, their school or employer works on obtaining their residence visa for living and working in the UAE long-term. Per UAE law, your employer is required to foot the bill for all entry permit and residence visa costs, so aside from providing the proper documentation when asked for, there isn’t much left to worry about on your end! Take it from ITA graduate Carmen O., who taught in Al Ain, “I turned in many papers and had to get approval from the Educational Council here in Abu Dhabi first. Once that was completed, the process moved more quickly, but there were many different steps that had to be completed in order to finally have the visa and my Emirates ID. ” Sounds straightforward enough, right? Let’s get started! Visa Types Entry Permit What is it? An entry permit, often referred to as a work permit as it permits you to apply for your residence visa which will officially allow you to work in the UAE, is a document issued by the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship that allows you to enter and stay in the UAE for a certain period …

In the days, weeks, and months leading up to your move abroad, it’s more important than ever to stay organized and ask yourself: What are the logistics I have to consider and the loose ends I have to tie up in order to thrive in my new home? Do I have to worry about taxes? What about health insurance? And what the heck do I do about a cell phone? Fear not, TEFL teacher. In this section, you’ll find the tips, resources, and wisdom to tackle these questions and more! Review the Basics Health Insurance Although in a perfect world an apple a day would keep the doctor away, in reality, even teachers get sick. Cue health insurance. Regardless of the country you end up in, you should always inquire about health insurance before accepting a position. If health insurance is indeed provided by your employer, it’s imperative that the relevant details are outlined clearly in any contract you sign. More often than not in the UAE, health insurance is provided by the employer as part of your compensation package. Check out the Accepting the Right Offer section to learn more! Savings & Banking In the UAE, it may take anywhere from four to six weeks before you receive your first paycheck. Therefore, you’ll want to plan accordingly! We recommend having anywhere between 5,500 and 9,200 AED in your bank account to tide you over until you get paid. Once you’ve started receiving paychecks from your school, you may want to look into having a bank account where that hard-earned salary will go! Read …

You have finally made it to the end of the UAE section, no small feat! Here is all of that wonderful information from the previous section laid out step-by-step and month-by-month before your intended departure date for the UAE. This timeline is not only for the planners and check-list lovers (although you will love this too). It is strongly encouraged for anyone planning a move to UAE to help keep you on track and organized as you make your way through the process. Finding a Job in Advance While there is no peak hiring season in the UAE and jobs there can be found year-round, many schools and universities begin their terms in August-September, so spring and summer tend to be excellent times to look for jobs in the UAE. Take your desired start date and subtract from there. While it may be possible to move some parts of the process along quicker, follow this timeline as closely as possible. 6 months before departure: Begin your research ___ Decide to work with recruiters, apply directly, or both! ___ List out your preferences and priorities. ___ Chat with ITA alumni and read about alumni experiences. ___ Read through ITA’s resources, attend a Student Affairs webinar. ___ Network with ITA alumni and watch Instagram takeovers, etc. ___ Read about the UAE and Emirati culture, etc. ___ Ensure your passport will be valid six months past your anticipated return date or order a new passport. ___ Start saving up so you have enough money in your bank for start-up costs. It’s recommende…

When I accepted a position teaching English in Ras al Khaimah, at an ib school (an IB offers an education for students from age 3 to 19, comprising of programs that focus on teaching students to think critically and independently, and how to inquire with care and logic), I was fully prepared to go completely ib and all of the work that the program implies. Essentially, all English subjects are taught within a unit - and it is to be largely student led, not teacher lectured. This means a lot of planning and prep work. I had to adjust my expectations when I came to the school; there were a few months where I felt like I wasn’t even teaching. Katie A. Ras al Khaimah, UAE UAE is a very interesting country, and there is so much to see and do here! In my city, Al Ain, it is slightly more conservative, but in Dubai, things are much more lively, and there is always something to do! The culture here is very different than what I grew up with. Women and men should dress appropriately (cover knees and shoulders, nothing too tight). Public displays of affection are not allowed here as well. Even though it is more conservative than the US, I have found that the UAE is still a very open society, and the people are very kind and willing to invite you in and help you learn about their culture. Carmen O. Al Ain, UAE I work six days a week, with an average of five teaching hours a day. I find this to be quite a lot, especially since I'm still a newbie and I need time to prepare my lessons. But…