Job Discussion Forums

[SH_Panda]

Hi all. I recently posted on the General Middle East Forum to ask advice about which country in the Middle East I should aim to work in, based on my qualifications.

One poster suggested Oman, and since then I have been doing some research on living and working there. It definitely seems like a great place and I am really interested to find work there.

The trouble is, I just read that the rules have been changed on degree disciplines. Now you cannot get a working visa for Oman unless your BA degree discipline is related to English somehow. Is that correct?

If so I'm quite disappointed because I got all excited while reading about Oman and I really thought it could be the country for me

[veiledsentiments]

I'm not sure if it is in effect or if it is just a rumor - and there seems to be spotty enforcement at times. I suspect that they may have trouble if they try to enforce it because I would bet that less than 10% have a related BA. When I was at SQU, I was almost the only teacher in a very large department that had an education first degree. That was true all the years that I taught in the Gulf in every country.

VS

[lynnknows]

I had a few people I worked with at PNU in Saudi apply for jobs in Oman and they all got turned down. None of them had a related degree.

Now, This was early in the year. It was not crunch time when the schools are looking to fill a spot and may be more likely to overlook the rule, so I would still try it if I were you. It cant hurt anything to try. All they can say is yes or no.

good luck

[Turbster]

I can confirm that the degree relativity protocols have definitely become more restrictive. No names, no packdrill, but the ministry are being much harder to satisfy this year as they insist upon English language or Education degrees. I believe many good prospects have missed out on jobs as a result.

[Sydney2002]

I've just arrived in Muscat and they are pretty strict about qualifications here- which is good, in my opinion. I've even been told that many places will go understaffed before they will hire teachers with unrelated degrees... or with B.A.'s only. I'm sure that all depends on where you are though...

From what I hear of Saudi- the standards are much lower, unfortunately. I used to teach Saudi students in the U.S. and they used to always tell me that they had 'bad teachers' in their country coming over from the U.S. and Canada (and wherever else...)Again, I'm sure this completely depends on where one is working.

[tjteachin]

I qualified relatively easily because my degree is in Linguistics and I have years of experience. It seems to me that if you have a CELTA or other teaching certificate, they'll allow it. Is this true?

[nomad soul]

[Mister!]

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[watfordfan]

I still can't work out how studying Dickens or Chaucer qualifies you as a better teacher o