Job Discussion Forums

[mfinna]

Greetings,

I am presently in Yangon, Myanmar interviewing and inquiring about housing. Have posted other topics regarding housing and language center work but will briefly recap: I'm trying to get information on reasonably priced housing and remuneration at language centers and business colleges.

* Housing : (had heard estimates of 500USD+)

Based on my informal inquiries with Burmese and foreigners while interviewing, this is what I have been able to ascertain thus far:

1. Like many countries there is a double pricing structure.

2. Estimates for basic, unfurnished, studio apartments range from 250-350USD/month. One foreigner I interviewed with said her room was 350USD, no furniture, no appliances, no hot water with an unfinished concrete floor and 6 month's rent required up front.

3. Paying one year's rent in advance is standard, although as in point #2 some people have been able to negotiate for six months in advance instead. However, one year up front is the safer assumption.

4. Many foreigners opt to stay at a guest house for 8-10USD/day, but I was told better rates can be negotiated for longer term stays.

5. In Yangon there are no restrictions on foreigners who wish to rent. Outside Yangon it may be a different case.

6. Using a broker has also been recommended. Brokers take the equivalent of one month's rent as their fee. Considering the state of the rental market, this option sounds promising as they will take you to numerous places, furnished and unfurnished and running the gamut in price range.

Lastly, due to things opening up here, it has been confirmed by everyone that I have spoken with that finding housing is in fact quite difficult. Unless accommodation is being offered by your employer, I have been advised to start off in a guesthouse and be patient and flexible while seeking something more permanent. Personally, should I decide to work in Myanmar, I will probably go the guesthouse route as coughing up one year's rent might be difficult.


* Interviews with language centers and business colleges:

I have detailed information on a number of language centers and one business college, but after giving it some thought, I don't want my revealing such specific details to have an adverse effect on securing employment should said institutes read this post (although I don't have and would not say anything negative). I will list some general information. Then, after I have secured a position, will post again with information specific to each institute such as salary and benefits.

- For part-time work at language centers teaching adults(my preference):

I have been offered 15-20 hours per week at 19-25USD/hour tax free. 25/hour was offered at what is considered the best paying institute in Yangon, and I would say 20USD/hour is probably closer to the norm. As with most language center work teaching adults, the hours are weekday evenings and weekends. No paid holidays and no reimbursement for the necessary trips out of the country every ten weeks (airfare, 50USD business visa and possibly accommodation if staying overnight).

- For full-time work at language centers and the one business college:

The pay is lower to that of the part-time hourly rate if you do the math based on a 40 hour work week, but almost all of them give you a travel, visa and accommodation allowance for the necessary trips outside the country every 10 weeks. 200USD per trip was quoted at more than one institute. But, not sure if that was inclusive of airfare, as I expect to be initially working multiple part-time jobs (my preference) and this would not apply to me. Again though, it seems to be standard for full-time jobs, even at language centers, that teachers are reimbursed adequately for these costs. Additionally, other benefits have been offered such as paid vacation (4 weeks at one language center) and paid sick days.

* Transportation in Yangon:

Most people seem to take taxis which run from 2.00-5.00USD within the city. There are also buses, but as is the case in many countries, they do not run on a fixed schedule; they wait until the bus is full, then they go. I got the impression most teachers take taxis.

* Visas:

You are required to have a business visa (50USD) that presumably is valid for ten weeks after which you are required to leave the country. However, after having three business visas, 6 month visas can be obtained, but you are still required to leave every ten weeks. The upside to this is that you don't have to shell out another 50USD for another visa as the 6 month visa would still be valid.

Also, depending what passport you hold, you can get a visa on arrival. I have been told that people with the right passport can fly out and fly back in the same day. A trip to Bangkok from Yangon is about an hour, and if you book far enough in advance with Air Asia, they have very reasonable rates. I didn't book in advance and paid a little under 200USD for a return ticket, but saw fares as low as 50USD one-way if booked far enough in advance.

* Currency:

This may be a no-brainer for some, but the banks and money changers only accept US dollars, Euros and Singapore dollars. Having come from Bangkok, I made the mistake of bringing Thai Baht and was forced to exchange my money on the black market in the street.

-- end report part 1 --

If anyone has any questions or if I've left out any obvious, pertinent information, please let me know. If I don't have an answer, I can try to ask around while I am still here.

-Fin

[drandreasbrown]

Please keep writing these reports if you have time. I'm finished in Indonesia at the end of 2013, and have no idea where to go next, but have been curious about Burma, so any information would be useful. I also like the no nonsense reporting style you have.

[mfinna]

Greetings,

Sorting out the transition with a few part-time jobs starting early in January. Will have more to report once I've arrived, found some kind of temporary housing and started working.

Decided against listing specific hourly rates and benefits by organization. Doesn't really increase the value of the information much and there's not much differentiation at the part-time level anyhow. Will be trying to put together enough to live on initially with different part-time jobs, but there are full-time language center jobs there. This is just my preference.

Part-time language center work:

Part-time language center work pays about 20USD/hour tax-free, no benefits, until someone tells me I've been low-balled and it's actually much higher. These places offer anywhere from 15-20 hours/week (pretty universal for part-time anywhere). 3 of the 4 language centers offered 19-20USD/hour. The 25USD/hour was offered by ILBC for their Unified Education Program aimed at adults. Don't suspect ILBC cares that I'm advertising for them that they pay well. Had heard this anyhow.

For a huge list of international schools and language centers with contact info and more, see the "Myanmar school list - here it is finally" message on this General Asia forum. Lots of remuneration information on international schools, but not on language centers, which I've noted was half my interest in starting this topic.

[Mr. English]

What about private tutoring? Have you looked into it? What are the rates? If you do this exclusively does this affect the visa situation?

[mfinna]

Can't say much about private tutoring at this point. I've yet to start working there. Was encouraged by one center offering part-time work that picking up privates here and there was not difficult. Will be there (tentatively) first of Jan. Should be able to find out the going hourly rate easy enough, and will report back.

As far as teaching privates exclusively, would reckon you would have a visa problem as a tourist visa is only good for 28 days . A business visa does not sound like a complicated process but does require company sponsorship, and it's good for ten weeks.

[Monkey king]

Thanks for this info.
I've been considering Myanmar because I heard the pay was comparable to Thailand.

Keep the reports coming.

[mfinna]

Greetings,

Just wanted to do a follow up as it would seem to be the thing to do with respect to any changes from initial details prior to starting work here.

Have been here working now for 3.5 months.

Work:

As stated, my preference is teaching adults at language centers. Have found enough such work to live, with a few privates thrown in. 20USD/hour is the confirmed going rate.

Number of hours that you can expect to get is variable depending on the popularity of the center. Unlike Bangkok and some other larger cities and countries where adults often study as late as 9:00 pm, adult students in Yangon are not interested in classes after 6:30 or 7:00 pm. This means that you can only expect a single two-hour class weekday evenings. Perhaps not a surprise to some but was to me. The rest of your hours come from weekend work and privates.

Work visas:

Although I have not acquired one yet, have found on the internet that the cost for a 6 or possibly 12-month, multiple entry business visa is between 8-10 thousand Thai baht or 300+USD. And, you still have to leave the country every 70 days. The only benefits: save pages in passport and no need to go to an embassy. Total paid in visa fees would be just about the same. Single entry business visa good for 70 days is 50USD.

Accommodation:

Have managed to find accommodation for 210USD/month in what appears to be a standard, Yangon type of apartment - price a bit lower than first stated. See other post, "Teacher Accommodation Yangon (conclusion)," for more information on apartments in this price range.


Other topics seem to have been addressed by others already here in Yangon or recently arrived, but happy to try and answer any questions based on my short time here thus far.

[Astian]

Thanks for the info! One question I forgot to put in my PM: is it true that bicycles are not allowed in Yangon? This seems to be what's on the books according to some sites, but then some travel pages say they recommend touring Yangon by bike, so I'm unsure...

[mfinna]

Bicycles have just recently been made legal again. Seeing more and more of them everyday, happy days!