Job Discussion Forums

[mokal]

I am coming to Oman for an interview to work at SQU and before I go for the interview I would like you to let me know about the following to have an idea so I can discuss with them:
1- The basic salary (I have PhD and have work experience of 14 years); means a salary of assistant or asso. prof.
2- Any other allowances.
3- Children education allowance, how much? how many kids will be offered the allowance? and how much is the kids education fees at international schools or government school?
4- Home allowance?
5- Provided accommodation? Is the accommodation going to be provided since arrival of at 1st will stay in a hotel? and how long it takes to move from a hotel to the house?
6- Is there a bounce of one month basic salary each year?
7- Is it better to discuss with them to have a free housing or housing allowance?
8- How much is the gratuity (how many % from the basic salary)?.
9- Living expenses in general i.e. food, cars, petrol, .... etc?
10- Any other information you may tell me about as it seems from your profile that you have been in Oman for a long time.

Your help is highly appreciated.

[Opti]

Hi - Where are you applying to teach - The Language Centre or one of the Colleges? They are on different salary scales.

[mokal]

Hi Opti,

Thanks for your message. I am coming for an interview in the faculty of science so I want to know those things in my former message before I go for the interview to be ready to discuss with them.

Thanks

Mokal

[veiledsentiments]

Since this is an EFL board, the teachers are mostly MA or below and we rarely know what the pay and benefits are for the professors. I can try to answer some of them.

Last I heard the EFL teachers get tuition allowance for 2 children and it may not cover everything. I have no idea what a "home allowance" is. There is no furniture allowance as they provide furnished housing. In most cases, the housing is acceptable. Because there is a housing shortage in the Muscat ares, I would take what they offer rather than an allowance. I'm not sure if they offer the option of an allowance. There is an allowance for utilities and transportation.

In the past, I was put directly into my housing the night I arrived. This is something to ask after you are hired or at the interview perhaps.

"Bounce of one month's salary"?? Does that mean that you get a one month's pay raise every year? I suspect that will never happen. Sounds like a question for the interview. Way back when I was first there and the salary was 500 OR a month, the annual rise was 30 OR. So, that is less than 10% a year.

The gratuity is set by law at one half of one month's basic pay I believe, but the employer can pay more.

The living expenses in the Gulf are what you make them with your life style. Unless you have more than two kids, you should be able to save plenty of your salary... the EFL teachers do and they surely make much less than a professor with 14 years teaching.

Hopefully someone with more current information about professorial level will show up.

VS

[Opti]

My experience was with the Language Centre, not the Colleges, so I don't know much about what you could be offered.

The last pay range I know about for general College Profs was Assistant Prof., from 830 to 1330 OR per month, with annual increments of 50 OR. For Associate Prof. the range was 1330-1750, with annual increments of 60 OR. Maybe the pay has increased since then, but I don't know. A lot depends on how much teaching & research you've done since you got your Ph.D. I don't know about allowances, etc., for College profs., but you would get some money each month for utilities and, if you live off-campus, transportation. You get nearly free medical care at government clinics and hospitals, but no insurance for private ones.

You would get a furnished 3-bedroom apt., prob. off-campus, and subsidy for school fees for 2 kids (usually not enough for top private schools). As VS said, they'd probably drop you off directly at your housing after you arrive.

You'll have to ask your interviewers your other questions.

Good luck!

[mokal]

Hi All,

Thanks so so much for your time and the provided information. You know this is my 1st time to get an interview in a Gulf area so I have no idea about what is going in there and I want to know some information before I go to the interview so I can discuss with them.

As I said the position will be either assis. or assoc. prof. in SQU Faculty of Science. So that is why I wanna know the basic salary so I can decide from now to go to the interview or not because the work I have now I earn about 5000 USA a month and have one extra 5000 (one month salary) every year, and have housing free, 25% of the basic salary for each served month after finishing my contract, free kids eduction, .....etc. I know what I am in maybe is better than what is in Oman but I wanna try my luck.

Will someone get more paied if supervise master or PhD studnets? Is it poissble to do consultant work and get paied of that or you have to pay some money to the university a syou do some privet work? what about tax? is it tax free? What about the new salaries? someone emailed me and said that they incresesd the salary and this is the 1st since 20 years.

Can anyone tell me what are those things should be discussed in the interview? I mean those things which can be discussed and will not have an impact on accepting you or not because some places they have fix regulations and you can not arrive with them to a solution.

Yours

MK

[Opti]

Hi again - I told you all I know about old monthly salaries. If there was a raise, I don't know what it was. The salary is tax-free. I have never heard of any professors on campus getting an annual one month bonus salary - you only get the annual increment, which is quite low. Language Centre teachers get one month's basic salary (your monthly pay is your basic salary + allowances) per year served - but you must complete at least two years of service. Maybe that is the same for college professors. I don't know about extra pay for supervising grad. students. I don't know about consultant work, except that in the Language Centre, private work was officially prohibited and some teachers got into trouble when they were found out a couple of years ago. Sounds like you are making more money in the US, but maybe not, after taxes. If you have more than 2 kids, then you will definitely feel the bite of school fees.

I've told you all I know, so I suggest you go to the SQU website, find the email addresses of some current professors in your field, and email them with your questions. [/b]

[veiledsentiments]

From your description, it is obvious that you are not teaching in the US (because of the benefits described). As I said, I doubt that anyone will be here who has any idea what your offer would be, nor how much you may be able to negotiate. Your current salary is about 1950 OR and with the perks you described, I would say that you would need an offer of over 2000 OR to make it worthwhile... unless, of course, you really want to leave your current job. Plus if you have more than 2 kids, the fees are very high.

It appears that you now get two gratuities... in Oman, you get only your annual 12 mo pay and the gratuity when you leave.

I think that really all you can do is wait for the interview and see what they will offer. Once they offer, you compare it to your current situation... try to negotiate it up a bit... and then decide if you want to accept.

VS

[007]

[tiptronic]

Has anybody got the information about the assist. prof. salaries at qaboos?
Thank you.

[tiptronic]

Updated infor for future candidates:
Their offer is 56000 USD plus perks.