Job Discussion Forums

[tpacapt]

I'm interested in working in Lebanon (probably Beirut), but I'm finding little information available on the web.

I have a B.A. (in History), a CELT and about a years teaching experience. I gather a lot of the Middle East requires closer to 2-4 years experience - is that true of Lebanon as well?

Also, I gather the visa process is hard/expensive for foreign teachers. Is that true? Will be very difficult to find someone to employ me?

[veiledsentiments]

We have had only a handful of teachers show up here with experience in Lebanon. That is mostly because there is a sufficient supply of Lebanese with the ability to teach English. There are a couple universities, AUB and LAU, that give expat contracts, but they both require an MA plus years of university teaching experience. I knew a couple of people who got hired there and they both had over 10 years of experience in the area.

With your minimal credentials and experience, your only option is probably to go there and knock on doors. It is highly unlikely that you would find anyone to give you a foreign hire contract. It will be language school pick-up classes for the most part... perhaps with a local school. It will be "live on the local economy" pay and Lebanon isn't known as being a cheap place to live. And few, if any, of them will bother to get you a legal work visa.

I assume that you have done a search here to see what has been said in the past.

VS

[tpacapt]

Thanks for your help! I did look through the posts, though most seemed to be about a specific school. I'm fine with "live on the local economy" pay, though I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to come knocking on doors and hope I get something, especially if it's expensive and unlikely

There doesn't seem to be that many language schools I can find information about in Lebanon, but I'll try my luck and see if anyone response.

Ethnically, I'm half Lebanese, though both my mother and my grandmother were born in the US, so I don't know if that'll help much for the work visa. I'm also a dual American-Irish national (ie passports for both), so maybe one will be cheaper to get a work visa on then the other.

[veiledsentiments]

I would suspect that a work visa costs the same for most passports. A Lebanese one would probably be the most useful for living there, but seems an unlikely option. If you have any contacts with family there, they may be your best source.

VS

[tpacapt]

Hmm. Thanks. I think I'll send my application to a couple schools, and if I don't get anything, I'll stay at my job in Russia for another year and build some more experience.

[veiledsentiments]

I'd say make a visit and scope out the possibilities in person. I wouldn't expect to get much from just sending off a CV... unless it is in response to an ad.

VS