Job Discussion Forums

bullish · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Korea

I was offered roughly 15,000AED per month with housing, but there is a furniture allowance which is a bit confusing---a "one time cash payment", but it seems like a loan (amortization).

Benefits include airfare and a gym membership.

This is for a K-12 school. I have an MA +11 years of teaching experience

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

At the better schools they include airfare, housing, and an educational allowance.

For most schools there is "settling in" /housing decorating allowance. It is usually given as a 3 year loan, where if you leave before you complete your contract you owe back a % of the allowance. But at the end of your first contract it is forgiven and nothing is owed.

makeajoyfulnoyes · Joined: 13 Dec 2011 Posts: 10 Location: Abu Dhabi

It's on the low side if housing is "provided." But it is adequate for a first year teacher. The housing which is given as a dirham amount attached to salary is actually better as you can rent a place and when the rent is paid off you would receive the remainder of your rent as part of your salary. Some folks have found very reasonable 30,000Dhs/month housing in Khalifa City A and Khalifa B and can bank the rest of the allowance...prices in Abu Dhabi City are coming down, as well. 65,000dhs is the expectation rather than the exception, now. (If a housing allowance is generous, up to 110000 that makes for nice bank.)
If your housing is "included" as it sounds here, find out if that is just the first year or for the duration of the contract. Are you allowed to choose your own housing or do they assign it?
Good luck.

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

make sure to clarify if the allowance for housing is yours to spend as you wish - and that you can pocket any excess. Some employers will cut the check for you, but not give you any excess even if the rent is cheaper than your allowance.

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

As for housing... you should take care.

If your employer offers you housing (with a choice of one of their units or getting your own) you might want to take the company housing for your first year until you know the area. While the idea of pocketing 30 to 50K from the housing allowance sounds nice, often it isn't that easy. You need to be on the ground and able to go looking for places.

The other thing to keep in mind is the length of your housing lease/arrangement. Just a few years ago the housing was about 30 to 40K a year MORE, and housing prices may go up again. For many employers, when you decide to take the cash, then you cannot get back into their housing programs. So if the cost goes above your housing allowance, well too bad for you. So pay attention to what is being offered and make informed decisions.