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AbeCross
Joined: 21 Jun 2012
Posts: 191
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 Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 12:40 pm Post subject: Teaching EFL in a changing country |
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In my workplace, there is growing unease with the current economic situation in the country. Some teachers have even spoken of relocating to another country.
Virtually all of them have been heavily affected by the tax on dependents. And there is unease about the VAT in 2018 and other-as yet unknown-steps the government may take as the economy continues to languish.
Have other teacher here seen similar trends? How have the changes affected recruitment, working conditions, salaries and morale at your workplaces? |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching EFL in a changing country |
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| AbeCross wrote: |
In my workplace, there is growing unease with the current economic situation in the country. Some teachers have even spoken of relocating to another country.
Virtually all of them have been heavily affected by the tax on dependents. And there is unease about the VAT in 2018 and other-as yet unknown-steps the government may take as the economy continues to languish.
Have other teacher here seen similar trends? How have the changes affected recruitment, working conditions, salaries and morale at your workplaces? |
Folks are buying less; they are postponing vacations. Even those who are leaving can barely give their household goods away. Nobody knows if there will be a job for them them next year. |
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In the heat of the moment
Joined: 22 May 2015
Posts: 393
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching EFL in a changing country |
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| Gulezar wrote: |
| Folks are buying less; they are postponing vacations. Even those who are leaving can barely give their household goods away. Nobody knows if there will be a job for them them next year. |
But if they have a job next year they're giving up vacations for what, exactly? |
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Makkah
Joined: 08 Oct 2014
Posts: 113
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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| "Growing unease". Totally lovin that. |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:36 am Post subject: Re: Teaching EFL in a changing country |
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| In the heat of the moment wrote: |
But if they have a job next year they're giving up vacations for what, exactly? |
Because their contracts are up for renewal, and the new contracts are getting more and more skimpy or they might not get renewed. When I said "postponing vacations", I meant holiday trips, so instead of doing that safari to Africa or diving in Sharm esh Sheikh, it might be a trip home to see family during one's free time. |
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In the heat of the moment
Joined: 22 May 2015
Posts: 393
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:01 am Post subject: Re: Teaching EFL in a changing country |
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| Gulezar wrote: |
| Because their contracts are up for renewal, and the new contracts are getting more and more skimpy or they might not get renewed. When I said "postponing vacations", I meant holiday trips, so instead of doing that safari to Africa or diving in Sharm esh Sheikh, it might be a trip home to see family during one's free time. |
So they're not being recklessly extravagant? Hardly a hardship, lots of people never go on African safaris or diving holidays. Even going home is too expensive for my tastes (and the weather sucks this time of year). I'd rather have a trip to a cheap country and a simple holiday. I'll leave the five star resorts and exotic locations for people who don't understand the tenuousness of this role, and I can always afford a budget airline to a developing country and cheap hotel - regardless of whether my contract is renewed or not. I might have a blowout once in a while, delaying gratification has its own reward, so I think "good for them" in not being profligate all of the time. I'll never be a member of the 500 Club, living here is difficult enough, but the rewards I 'deserve' are not living like a millionaire on a teacher's salary. Is the future me going to thank my present self for spending all of his spare cash, on something which results in a few good memories and photos? No, he'll want to kick me in the nuts. |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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To each his own. The forum started with this inquiry:
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| Have other teacher here seen similar trends? How have the changes affected recruitment, working conditions, salaries and morale at your workplaces? |
I would say that lifestyles have changed. People are spending less and generally are more frugal. This may very well include cutting back on holiday trips and frequency.
My "future self" has hit retirement age for the Gulf, and I agree with you. I'm glad that I made investments in profitable ventures rather than on junkets to five star resorts. Those assets can keep working for me in my golden years. I'm glad to have good memories of lovely exotic and off the beaten path destinations. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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| AbeCross wrote: |
In my workplace, there is growing unease with the current economic situation in the country. Some teachers have even spoken of relocating to another country.
Virtually all of them have been heavily affected by the tax on dependents. And there is unease about the VAT in 2018 and other-as yet unknown-steps the government may take as the economy continues to languish. |
Change is inevitable. A change in political climate, economic trends, and societal needs. This is a wake-up call to expats that they're guest workers and nothing more. TEFL is no longer a long-term career choice for foreigners without citizenship regardless of the country. Plus, working abroad has its limitations. For example, unlike living on home soil, you can't simply find work in another field in KSA. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:13 am Post subject: |
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You also lose decades and decades of accrued “benefits” such as social security, medicare/medicaid, possible pensions, 401Ks and so on by working overseas (for a non-US entity) as a career.
The eventual collapse of the SS system has been widely and wildly exaggerated by those 40 and under.
Nearly 80 years to the day when Ida May Fuller received her first and THE first SS check for $22.54 (January 31, 1940), the SS system remains the bedrock of “retirement” for tens of millions of the elderly in the US. It may need some adjustments, but it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
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If this sort of thing is important to you (and it should be), be aware that very few entities in KSA offer SS covered employment anymore. I believe Vinnell does as well as the other US military based jobs. But that's about it.
(Saudi Aramco doesn't, as far as I know, since it is not a US entity. Even if you're a "direct hire", you're getting hired by a KSA company, not a USA one.)
To get your wages covered by SS, you'd have to get hired by Aramco Services Company out of Houston (the original Aramco), and that is not going to happen, not to an ESL teacher. You might get INTERVIEWED in Houston for an ESL job in KSA as happened last year if you recall.....But Aramco-Houston was just providing the venue....the location for the interviews......you were not getting hired by the Houston company.....you were getting hired by a slew of KSA contractors...some of who made it quite clear they were not going to pay for your trip to Houston (red flag #1)
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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UK nationals and residents may have the option of paying National Insurance and thus accruing entitlement to Pension. I did that and am now living as a pensioner
I am not sure what options are open to Irish, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand citizens. can they continue to pay into their home country Social insurance when working in Arabee or elsewhre ? |
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