Job Discussion Forums

[waltgomez]

I have a Ukrainian (citizen) friend, a lady in her 20ies. She is a polyglot and has an MA in English. However, that MA is from a Ukrainian university. She lives in Ukraine, too.

I would like to inquire on her behalf if she has any chance of working as an ESL teacher in Arab countries ( both oil- and non-oil ones) as a Ukrainian national with a degree from Ukraine.

Lower-than-native salary would not be a problem because the Ukraine grivna is now 22 to the dollar, and an average teacher makes $80-150 a month.

I understand that the non-native topic has been covered ad infinitum, but it is usually some German, Dutch or a Scandinavian teacher that manages to overcome the non-native barrier-- which is kind-of-sort-of a nearby country (to England). And then, it is Arab teachers from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, etc- or Subcontinentals.

I have never heard anything about a Ukrainian or other E. Euro doing that (yet). Has anyone?

I have seen a Romanian teacher teaching ESL in Kuwait once, but she was a UK national- i.e. British to all intents and purposes. This lady is a Ukrainian Ukrainian. Nothing else.

In case you can recommend a path for her ( or give some advice) it would be most appreciated.

[nomad soul]

See the related thread:

"EU citizen facing struggle to secure ESL job. Help?"
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=110722

[scot47]

Rare in KSA because of visa rules. Relatively common in Kuwait,Qatar, UAE and Oman. Well, not hundreds but handfuls !

In KSA a job is assigned as being available to foreigners of a specified nationality. That means in effect that EFL jobs are often restricted to UKes and USers. Magnanimous offers may stretch to Canadians, Australians, NZers and even South Africans. Eastern Europeans are not really on the radar unless they have dual nationality.

[MuscatGary]

I've met Poles and Romanian's teaching in Oman at the CAS Colleges.