Job Discussion Forums

[It's Scary!]

[gelynch52ph]

[expat68]

Colleagues

I worked for this company for a bit back in 2011/2012, but had to leave for a genuine family emergency. It was not my first ME teaching position, but anyone who is completely honest with themselves can tell you, when you move countries--even within the same region--be prepared for feeling new no matter how much experience you may have. Having said that I can honestly say that INTERLINK is rife with problems and would not recommend it.

1. Iqamma
Only two people on our staff were working legally. The rest, like me, were brought over on visit visas, were paid in cash, and were given a myriad of hoops to jump through regarding the procurement of a legal work permit. The legwork was all ours in getting the necessary documents together, planning flights back to respective countries, etc...(In the end, nothing came of this because they sent our staff to Bahrain for another visit visa) A medical in country was also asked for, and staff had to bring in their own plastic bags of stool. As far as I know, a couple more iqammas were issued, but staff are in the last leg of the year contract. Most, I imagine, are lying about their return to KSA and INTERLINK to avoid fallout.

2. No curriculum
For me, this was interesting because I had been teaching ESL for a long time and it was a good change. For the newer teachers, it was a nightmare. INTERLINK is grouped with EGA and a local technical college. Don't expect any one of these three entities to be on the same page as far as methodology. Unfortunately, it was a circus despite INTERLINK making it clear in the original contract how it wanted its teachers to conduct classes in a holistic, learner-centered manner.

3. Housing
Adequate, but like so many other places in the ME, it was impossible to get anything fixed in a timely manner.

4. Teaching facility
Downright disgusting and filthy. Nothing that had been described in the original correspondences was in place, ie. computers and labs, smart boards, this thing called CAROLINE. For a school that boasted technology, there was none for the students to use except their own. The administration couldn't even perform the simplest of tasks like providing a class list for teachers, and the method of attendance taking was archaic to nauseatingly pedantic. Imagine a list of 50 Arab names on a screen, but only 15 students in your class and having to document the absences with check marks and you get an idea of how wasteful our days became with administrative tasks.

5. Passport
They kept them, misplaced them, annoyed the staff with constant renewing procedures every 30 days.

Good luck to anyone who decides to work for them. It wasn't a complete nightmare, but it wasn't a pleasant place either. Of the original 9 who worked there, two quit, and one had to leave for family reasons. Of the staff who wanted to bring their families, none have been granted this option.

[clyde]

Take my experience for what it is worth. I have been here since Sept. with Interlink. It has been great. I have a nice big comfortable apartment. The job is fantastic, meaning there are no "managers" with less English than me telling me how I should teach. There is no micromanaging of any kind in fact. We have had no runners yet this year. I was paid my full salary at all times, and I just got a big check for my flights home and back in September. I keep either my Iqama or my passport, whichever I choose. They give me my passport any time I ask for it. All in all its been a very pleasant experience and I can see myself staying here for quite a while.

[babur]

In KSA, by law all Iqama holders are required to have the thing on them all the time whilst in country. The law also states that it is illegal to take your iqama outside the country.

[RobertinOman]

Today�s update from Interlink/EGA
25% of teachers have been fired. 60% are leaving.
Visas are set up to terminate on the last day of work and thus, it is impossible to avoid overstay fines or lose daily salary. Immigration overstay fines generally start at 5,000 SAR and are the sole responsibility of the teacher. Igama holders must have the company sign off on the departure prior to airport exit or be held back and automatically become liable for overstay fines.
Company is now charging for electricity in apartments.
The rent subsidy for non provided company apartments has further been cut by approximately 25% thus, making it impossible to rent one's own apartment.
Site directors� office goons can march into an apartment for inspection at any time making for a constant atmosphere of personal degrading pressure against all.
Employees must apply for departure tickets by May 15. This is before the renewal offers and termination notices will be issued.

[Wrinkles]

I'm here in KSA working for EGA-INTERLINK. Notice was given today that the EGA central office staff needs about 35 teachers from different locations in the Kingdom to send in the original copies of their contracts. Unfortanately, the individuals that I spoke with already sent in their contracts months and months ago when they first came here to work. Most of us are convinced that the central office staff--at one point in time--had the contracts in their possession, yet they have somehow managed to lose them.

It's a very strange and intriguing matter. It is my understanding (and I could be wrong) that one needs an original contract stamped by a Saudi Chamber of Commerce in order to renew his/her Visitor Visa to KSA. Many of the individuals listed in the request need to renew their Visitor Visas relatively soon; how can they manage to do so without having in their possession their original contracts stamped by the COC ?

[sigh] This is such a strange company to work for...I'm afraid that I will never understand their reasoning.

[gelynch52ph]

Today is Saturday. May 19 and there was another runner over the weekend from the Khamis Mushait site. I'll just bet what Mr. Sphinx Face Brandon has to say today? The visa situation is a disaster as is the whole company. My e-mail to INTERLINK that I sent today in response to an ad for site directors is pasted below.

If you were actually in the USA you would be sued out of existence for the false ads you run. You promised me, and many others valid work visas but you have obtained none for people who arrived on illegal Business and Government visas. I was fired for complaining (admittedly much too loudly on my part) when I never received a reply to numerous messages that if visit visas could no longer be extended, then someone needed to be diligent in processing a work visa for me due to my age and my birthday being imminent

Now you are faced with at least 5 people that I know of from only a single job site simply running off, likely the day after payday. How can you possibly justify writing the absolute lies you post for job positions in KSA? You are an embarrassment to all educators and companies from the west in your behavior in KSA. It is no wonder Saudis are so lazy and ignorant when they see how poorly you operate for them.

That site to which I refer has the best facilities but the housing is certainly sub-standard. The director of that site is personally arrogant and plays mind games with both teachers and students. In my time there I had many students complain about the "Sphinx like" (my description) face they were given when the proper thing to have done was give some kind of response. The director there initially portrayed himself as being personable but it did not take long to discover his true nature and that he is simply a rude b*st*rd with no concept of how to treat his fellow human being, let alone students and staff under his direction.

[clyde]

Here is an alternative perspective for those of you wanting to work at Interlink. I have a friend working over at one of the TVTC branches. He tells me that yes there are some wrinkles still being ironed as it is a new endeavour. He also tells me that some of the employees show up in wrinkled Hawaiian shirts and pante with holes in them. Appearance is very important in Saudi Arabia, so if you are the typical ESL drifter, this place might not be for you. My friend on the other hand shows up in a pressed suit every day, and even though he has no Master's degree, the management is already talking about promoting him. Just throwing this out there.

[gelynch52ph]

[dfe1]

in agreement with much of the negative. i worked at Dammam for Interlink in 2012 and met with appalling lack of business acumen, management (if it can be called that) which plumbed new depths (i have been working for 30 plus years and rarely seen worse), and callous disregard for students, curriculum or clients. Additional problem is that the 'country director' is based in the USA, so timezone and different day-weekend issues abound if you need to take anything higher (as i did). Visa issues confused and a general vibe from the management of not knowing or caring what they do so long as the money keeps rolling in. I was fired for "insubordination", for which read "he highlighted some problem areas and constructively suggested ways they could be improved for the good of staff and students but it would have meant management spending less time smoking and actually doing some work", and i was fired by email at 6am one day. I had to chase repeatedly and threaten legal action to get my holiday pay too. Oh yes, they advertise 45 days summer break, its actually a maximum of 32, a simple lie, of which there are several in the contract you will get .... Your mileage may vary (Interlink have numerous sites around the kingdom) but you can do better than this is Saudi, as a colleague at a different site had some very similar experiences. For some reason the manager, accountant and one of the main admin folk have subsequently all been trying to friend me on LinkedIn and Google+. I don't think so gentlemen..... I'd advise anyone thinking of working for Interlink to avoid them and find a better company in the country. Thankyou for reading. Dave

[tacomaboywa]

If you are working on any kind of "Visit Visa" AKA Business Visa / Government Visa etc. then you are working illegally and the company is employing you illegally.

ARAB NEWS reported yesterday (September 10, 2012) that a new law has been passed and they are going to get more strict with Illegal Workers. The company is responsible for all costs for deportation of illegal workers.

http://www.arabnews.com/visa-violators-face-punitive-action

[geoboz]

I worked for Interlink in America, so any insights that I have to offer are limited to this perspective. Generally speaking, the program does a good job at acclimating international students to academic and social American university life. Teachers play an active role in both aspects of this development. However, the program director where I worked severely limited resources, including simple stationery items. The supplies room was an extremely small bedroom-sized closet that was filled with broken computer parts and other completely useless things. When I asked our program director about needed supplies, he told me to go to Walmart and buy what I needed, but he imposed a ridiculous $10 budget for anything I needed for the whole semester. The second issue is related to this financial blightedness. I am not adverse to spending my own money on work-related supplies that I prefer to use, but the salary that they paid was substandard and forced me to borrow money and household items from family and friends. All told, Interact's service to students is quite good; the problems, from my limited perspective, are financially based. If you take a job with Interact, be sure to ask about fundamental budgeting for office supplies and salary ranges.

[Middle East Beast]

[veiledsentiments]

MEB... did you notice that you are responding to a post from 2011? This OP never returned after this post...

VS