| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
|
 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 12:22 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| It's definitely dodgy. With so many generic job postings for KSA for teachers with minimal qualifications, job seekers are very likely pass on this one. No one will be interested in paying money to LoveTEFL or lousy EdEx to secure employment when so many other companies don't require a 'deposit.' Pretty stupid tactic for EdEx. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 2:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm one of the teachers with minimal qualifications who paid the £500 to Education Experts. I was extremely skeptical about it for the reasons Nomad Soul mentioned, and so I interrogated two of the recruitment staff when I attended the Open Day at their London office. I was told that the £500 "visa fee" payment was put in place because quite a few candidates had signed contracts, got their medical, visa and flight paid for, then withdrew their interest, essentially losing the company a lot of money and time. Now if candidates withdraw at the last minute, the company still loses money and time, but the candidates also stand to lose something: the £500. That was more or less what I was told.
While it does somewhat appear to be a valid strategy to get candidates to follow-through, I'm appalled by numerous reports of persons who have paid the £500 and withdrawn their interest soon afterwards, yet have to basically fight EdEx to get their money back. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| MENA_chica wrote: |
I interrogated two of the recruitment staff when I attended the Open Day at their London office. I was told that the £500 "visa fee" payment was put in place because quite a few candidates had signed contracts, got their medical, visa and flight paid for, then withdrew their interest, essentially losing the company a lot of money and time. Now if candidates withdraw at the last minute, the company still loses money and time, but the candidates also stand to lose something: the £500. That was more or less what I was told.
While it does somewhat appear to be a valid strategy to get candidates to follow-through, I'm appalled by numerous reports of persons who have paid the £500 and withdrawn their interest soon afterwards, yet have to basically fight EdEx to get their money back. |
Are the terms and conditions of this supposed refundable visa deposit included in the contract? Or are job candidates blindly handing over their money with great trust in EdEx and their verbal promises? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Nomad Soul, is that a rhetorical question?  There is no mention of the refundable visa fee in the contract. A receipt is given, and candidates are told to present it to the Saudi office to be refunded with their first month's salary. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
The Fifth Column
Joined: 11 Jun 2014
Posts: 331
Location: His habitude with lexical items protrudes not unlike a damaged pollex!!!
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| A receipt is given, and candidates are told to present it to the Saudi office to be refunded with their first month's salary. |
Those others who inexplicably pulled out of the process after paying the £500 probably peered down the track and saw that the "refund" train was an express and would just pass their station...
Cutting one's losses with Sowdy contractors is a virtue... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coder
Joined: 12 Jun 2014
Posts: 94
Location: USA
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
delete
Last edited by coder on Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:13 am; edited 3 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 5:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Coder, you made some very valid, noteworthy points. I'm not about to defend the indefensible or make any presumptions - what I will say is that I did my research, signed a contract with EdEx and paid the £500 while I was wide awake. The little experience that I have, has shown me that all the "what ifs" and "how comes" are better placed before signing on the dotted line.
| coder wrote: |
(Can you imagine paying 500 BP to 10 different "recruiters"?? And often, an applicant is applying to 20 different places. Paying ANYTHING to any recruiter up front at the start of the application is totally preposterous). |
Just to clarify, the £500 was required after signing the contract. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coder
Joined: 12 Jun 2014
Posts: 94
Location: USA
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 5:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
delete
Last edited by coder on Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 5:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| coder wrote: |
Ok, but that still doesn't clarify who paid for the med tests? You or them? |
The medical tests are paid for by EdEx. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coder
Joined: 12 Jun 2014
Posts: 94
Location: USA
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 5:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
delete
Last edited by coder on Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| coder wrote: |
Your comment that people had trouble getting that BP 500 returned even when they fulfilled their part of the bargain and showed up in KSA to do the job has to do with my "legal" commentary. |
I think there's been a slight misunderstanding. What I meant was that there have been reports of candidates paying the £500, then withdrawing their interest in working for Education Experts before undertaking the medical, yet they haven't been able to get a prompt refund, as promised. On another forum, a number of teachers have shared their experience and vented their frustrations on this matter. It's this aspect that has really left a bitter taste in my mouth about the payment of the £500. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
|
| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
"(If you do not currently hold a TEFL Qualification we would recommend that you book onto our 140 hour course)
Package!
• £ 1700-3000/month tax free"
Why pay recruiters anything at all? They are already paid... by their clients. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sheik Yerbuti
Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Posts: 105
Location: the promised land
|
| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I don't have much sympathy for those greenhorns who get caught
up in paying and potentially losing a deposit. I know the "teachers"
are always right, and the recruiters always evil and self-serving. But the
bar is low now for entry, and many who apply have lower ethics than
even the recruiters who are staffing the employers. If you accept an offer,
you should follow through and keep the commitment. Any potential hire
who has not at least (properly) finished a one year contract (commitment)
in Saudi Arabia deserves to be scrutinized to some degree. I am sure
the recruiting side could share some views here that support their actions
in this matter. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
|
| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Dear Sheik Yerbuti
" . . . many who apply have lower ethics than even the recruiters who are staffing the employers"
Wondering how you collected the information to support that claim .
Regards,
John |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
