Job Discussion Forums

esampang · Joined: 20 Jul 2013 Posts: 3 Location: New Zealand

Hi,

I've just signed a contract with QEHC. The person that interviewed me says that I will be teaching at PNU in Riyadh. I'm just wondering if there are any teachers in this forum that is currently working for them? I'm looking to connect/network whilst I wait for my visa to come through.

I've been reading through all the posts about the different agencies and their pros and cons since I was offered a contract by EdEx and SBC but decided to bite the bullet and accept the contract with QEHC since they offered me a higher rate than the other two...

Grendal · Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:41 am Post subject: Re: Anyone working for QEHC?

bretzlz86 · Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 5

Hi esampang,

I am currently waiting on the my visa to come through for QEHC. Where are you in the process?

the princess bride · Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 28

I haven't signed yet, but how long does the visa process take? They mentioned something about going through Bahrain. Is this normal?

bretzlz86 · Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 5

I signed about mid July, and I sent the visa agency all my paperwork beginning of August. I'm still waiting on my visa and think I should have it any day now. I haven't heard anything about Bahrain from them.

They had a holiday week early August, so that delayed the process a bit, so it's been about a 3 week processing time so far since they received all my paperwork.

If you are considering signing, the HIV/Std tests took the longest to wait for, for me. So I would get those done right away.

Hope this helps Smile

the princess bride · Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 28

Is it normal for them to disappear? The haven't answered a question, so I don't want to sign till I speak with them again. Oh boo.

DLIguy · Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:47 pm Post subject:

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

the princess bride · Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 28

I wanted to know what the pay scale was like, as I felt that my experience and qualifications were being undervalued. I counter-offered a salary and she never addressed this.

Also, I had asked several times to have the email of a teacher who has worked with them for more than a year, this was in fact mentioned in the interview and never addressed again. **Red flag**

And I wanted to see pictures of the flat they were proposing. Having read some horror stories about teacher accommodation, I wanted to see what was in store (also what to bring, do I need kitchen stuff, plus, I am allergic to certain things and need to know that the flat they are giving me isn't carpeted, it is a small detail for most, but huge for me).

I wanted her to explain further my visa being through Bahrain, rather than Saudi, as I don't want to arrive and not be able to send money home. No explanation *another red flag*

In the end, I felt that they were low-balling me money wise and not being honest with me, so I learned a long time ago, when going somewhere tough, if you start out being unhappy or unsure, it will only get worse.

So I learned: to negotiate when they start talking money, right away.

I am not new the teaching abroad gig, but I am to the middle east, so this has been a learning experience. If anyone has any feedback, I would be happy to hear it. Smile

rollingk · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 212

Many folks, both direct hire and recruitment contractors may view your questions as indicators of future trouble, and may even choose not to hire you for this. And unfortunately, too many teachers in the kingdom are shamelessly eager to agree with them. Let these teachers take these crappy jobs and make the necessary professional accommodations and personal adjustments such jobs require.

I don't see anything amiss in your questions. The environment here is not one in which you want to start bowing and scraping, believe me. If you do, there'll be no end to it and you'll end up beneath a heap of crap.

teachr11 · Joined: 23 Aug 2012 Posts: 39

the princess bride · Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 28

pumpy · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 2

I thought I would write about my experience with QEHC; perhaps it will speak to the concerns of other posters here. Please feel free to comment.

I accepted a job with QEHC in mid August - I was happy to be going to Saudi Arabia and was looking forward to it. I signed every page of a 7 page contract and sent it back. I started learning the Arabic alphabet.

I sent some e-mails asking for further information and received an e-mail every Saturday afternoon (my time, I'm in Canada) not answering the specific questions, but saying - the visa process is ongoing - you should be hearing from an agent this week or next week - I will find out where you are in the visa process. At no time was I told that there would be, or could be, a problem with the visa.

Last Thursday I sent an e-mail asking: surely I'm not the only person who is nervous because I'm not getting any updates regarding the visa process? When can I expect to arrive in Saudi Arabia? I didn't get an e-mail on the next Saturday, so on Monday I called the number of Jasmin Khan which was on QEHC's e-mails. I wasn't expecting to get in touch with her, because it was the middle of the night in Saudi Arabia - I only wanted to see if I was dialling correctly (I got the area code from the internet) but she answered.

She said: "I remember you. You were one of the 15 Canadian teachers who didn't get visas because you don't have a degree in English literature. Didn't you get my e-mail saying that you should be looking for another job?" I was a bit stunned and said, "I'm supposed to be looking for another job?" She said something and I said, "I should be looking for another job?"

I'm not commenting on this further because I don't know anything about Saudi Arabia, but when I hear "Didn't you get the e-mail?" and I didn't, I don't tend to trust what the person is saying. The recruiter knew I didn't have an English literature degree.

You're welcome to comment on this - was I silly to rely on the contract until I received the final word about the visa?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

pumpy · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 2

Hi Nomad Soul, thanks for your reply. I had never even applied for an English teaching position in Saudi Arabia, because I didn't think I was qualified, but you're right - it's a learning experience.

In any event, I just wanted to correct my post to say it was Asma Khan I had been dealing with at QEHC, not Jasmin Khan. I wrote to her today asking for a confirming e-mail, but I'm beginning to think that perhaps the Saudi Arabia government is concerned for some reason about teachers coming from Canada. I have encountered many students who want to study "English from England" (with the posh accent) so maybe that's what's behind this.