Job Discussion Forums

[PJ44]

Thank you in advance. Is it possible to enter Saudis Arabia on a Tourist Visa and begin a TEFL job search in person? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully,
PJ

[Mia Xanthi]

No, no, no...there are no "tourist visas" to Saudi Arabia. You have to be sponsored by an employer to come in. It's not the kind of place that really would attract any tourists, in any case.

I'm trying very hard to keep a straight face while answering this, but it is so hard!

[johnslat]

Dear Mia Xanthi,

No tourist visas?

http://www.saudiembassy.or.jp/En/Visa/TouristVisa.htm

and

"Yes, tourist visas do now exist. The conditions are quite complicated and lengthy, so I'm going to quote from the book - it should give you all the information you need:

"Over the last six years, the Saudi authorities have started tentatively to issue tourist visas, but only for those willing to travel as part of a group (minimum four people) organised by a recognised tour company (including dive companies).

Issued under the sponsorship of Saudia airlines (under its �Discover Saudi Arabia� program), you can find the list of approved international and local Saudi tour companies who can arrange the visas at: www.saudiairlines.com/tours/discover saudiarabia.jsp. It takes 14 days from the date of request to issue a tourist visa.

Note also that passports must be valid for a minimum of six months, and women under 30 years old must be accompanied by their husband or brother (who must also arrive and leave Saudi Arabia at the same time).

Men and women are only allowed to travel together (and granted a visa to do so) if they are a) married (with an official marriage licence) or b) form part of a group.

It is not permitted for an unmarried couple to travel alone together in Saudi Arabia (and doing so runs the risk of apprehension). Regarding the tourist visa, two couples could in effect travel together, but only if they came as `individuals in a group'.

One local tour company that can offer advice and has an excellent reputation locally is Sadd Al-Samallaghi Est based in Jeddah (www.samallaghi.com)."

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:Sg2LVQdmC2oJ:www.lonelyplanet.com/blogs/travel_blog/2007/02/saudi-arabia-intrigued.html+tourist+visa+to+Saudi+Arabia&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

There's probably no place in the world, no matter how unaccommodating,
that would not attract some people.

[PJ44]

Thank you for your replies.

So all foreign teachers in Saudis Arabia have secured their jobs in advance through on-line applications and correspondence?

Are the schools willing to provide the contacts of exisitng teachers so that one can do some due diligence?

Respecfully,
PJ

[johnslat]

Dear PJ44,

"So all foreign teachers in Saudis Arabia have secured their jobs in advance through on-line applications and correspondence?"

Generally speaking - yes; the only exceptions that I'm aware of are the "local hires", that is, spouses (usually wives) of teachers (and perhaps some other professionals) who had "secured their jobs in advance, etc."
Local hires are, to the best of my knowledge, not given the same benefits as those hired out-of-country.

"Are the schools willing to provide the contacts of exisitng teachers so that one can do some due diligence?"

I can't give an all-encompassing answer to this. Based on my experience, however, I'd say that while some may, probably many/most would not.

(That, in fact, is one of the things that makes fora such as this so helpful.)

Regards,
John

[PJ44]

I really appreciate the candidness.

So proper due diligence would include asking forum members if anyone has worked at a particular institute and then trying to make an informed decision (?). I must admit, it's a little unnerving to sign away a year of one's life without personally seeing the workplace, accomodation, and meeting one's immediate supervisor. Has most everyone just accepted this leap of faith and taken the risk in working in the Middle East?

But, if applying on-line is the protocol, where's a good place to start?

Thank You
PJ

[johnslat]

Dear PJ44,

If you're stating from "ground zero" (not knowing anyone personally whom you trust who's worked in the Kingdom), then I'd say most in that position (I was one) took the "blind leap of faith" (I didn't even know about Dave's back in 1980 - hmm, was it even in existence, then?)

Looked it up - nope:

"The Cafe started in the fall of 1995, but it almost never happened. After I earned my M.A., I went to Thailand for the summer of 1995 to visit friends and family, and I was almost killed in a motorcycle accident. I hit a pot-hole hidden by a puddle and landed on my head, breaking several bones in my face. My helmet saved my life. When I came back to the States after a summer in the hospital, I was in the mood to do something more with my life."

http://www.eslcafe.com/articles/eslmag_article.html


"But, if applying on-line is the protocol, where's a good place to start?"

Well, to begin to answer that, we'd need to know some specifics about YOU, such details as age, sex (no prurient interest here - such matters matter in Saudi), qualifications, experience.
Where would you want to apply?

Regards,
John

[Bebsi]

Mia Xanthi, you must check your facts a bit more. You can indeed, as Johnslat says, visit Saudi on a tourist visa.

[sheikh radlinrol]

[bje]

[johnslat]

Dear bje,

Ah, you beat me to it. Much as I like the Sheik, I think he was being a tad harsh with Mia.

Perhaps he feels his territory (mocking, especially scot47) is being encroached upon.

Hey, Baba Looie - I'll do the mockin' around here. (Quick Draw McGraw)

Regards,
John

[PJ44]

Thanks to all and I'm not so thin skinned or sensitive to be bothered by the odd negative reply...no problem. I don't have a lot of TEFL experience, but I'm not a backpacker either.

40 year old male
MBA USA
Business Degree Canada
TEFL certificate Thailand
2 years TEFL experience - Hotel, Hospital, Corporate
8 years Business experience - owner and GM Semi-Pro sports

Why TEFL? Middle East? Burned out on business and politics in U.S.

Respecfully,
PJ

[trapezius]

If you have an MBA and 8 years business experience, why don't you apply for managerial jobs in KSA? They will surely pay *beep* more than a TEFL job.

With a TEFL job, the most you can hope to get is about SR. 14,000 a month (unless you teach the military). As a manager with white skin in a MNC, you can easily get SR. 30,000-50,000/month.

If you really want to teach, you can apply to teach real university courses in various universities (in business, accounting, marketing, etc).

But if you really want to teach EFL, you have come to the right place to get advice. Search this forum for various institutions to see what people are saying about them. Search the jobs forum, and search other popular sites for TEFL jobs as well....

[PJ44]

Thank you.

Are there really a lot of Management opportunities in KSA? I didn't really understand the white skin comment. Please elaborate.

From my experience, the best jobs are never advertised. And the consensus seems to be that you can't travel to KSA and then find a job, then have most people accepted a mediocre opportunity at first and then jumped at a better opportunity once established in KSA?

Respectfully,
PJ

[Mia Xanthi]

First of all, let me apologize to PJ44. It was insensitive of me, although I didn't intend for it to be read as mocking. It was just that the idea of someone, anyone, coming here to look around for a job struck me as hilarious at the time. Even though I'm ok with this place on most days, I do have days when the whole country seems like a giant prison...and the idea of anyone coming here as a tourist seemed ludicrous at the moment.

PJ44, you seem like a sincere and well-meaning person, and I hope you didn't take offense. Thanks for being "thick-skinned" about it. That's an especially good quality to have if you're planning a stay in KSA.