Job Discussion Forums

[wailing_imam]

HCT pays between 23,000 and 26,000 and this includes one's accommodation. If one lives in Dubai or Abu Dhabi then surely, with accommodation, this would disappear fast. Does it go so fast in Al Ain or RAK? Also, what is the main difference in the salary structure in the past to the current structure? Is it really much worse? Please can someone give some numbers to indicate a decrease or drop in salary other than the damage done by inflation.

Also, is there an annual increment? Bonus?

Education allowance. I think Nomad Soul said that the 60K a year offered for each child was not enough for schooling. Based on my research, it seems that for a primary school aged child, 60,000 is more than adequate to gain access to a decent international school. Am I wrong?

I have a Filipina maid to help out with chores and childcare. The 400USD minimum salary requirement for maids in the UAE is the same as it is where I live now. Has anyone brought their maid with them to the UAE? Red tap nightmare?

[nomad soul]

[wailing_imam]

Hi Nomad Soul,

You said this "Be aware you wouldn't have any choice as to which college they send you to. Also, don't expect any education/tuition allowance to fully cover your children."

This is what I am querying. 60,000 seems to be enough to cover decent schooling at primary level.

Why am I considering HCT? Well I am considering a few places in the UAE, and few, if any, seem to get glowing reviews. The UAE appeals because...
1) nearer UK
2) decent schooling for children
3) can afford a car
4) lots of UK citizens
5) fair standard of healthcare
6) significant amount of leave

Cheers for advice about maid.

[veiledsentiments]

I can't give any advise about maids as I never had one. I suspect it would take quite a bit of time and aggravation.

Raises and increments have pretty much disappeared the last few years as budgets have been cut. School fees at the better International Schools have gone up so much that most teachers have told me that what HCT pays will barely cover one child. (some have changed over to the Indian and Filipino schools for the cheaper fees...)

I don't know if it has been implemented completely as yet, but HCT is going to get out of providing housing and a generous settling in allowance. No one yet knows for sure what the new contracts will offer, but there is little optimism. Supposedly the switch will be to an allowance which will, if history is any guide, not cover the costs for the quality of housing that they have provided in the past - and not keep up with inflation.

Add to that the fact that the Foundations program is going to be removed from the colleges and universities in the next few years, if I had a family, I would not even consider moving my family there. I suspect - and this is a speculation shared by many past and current teachers - that the required foundations English classes (which we all know that they will still need) will be moved out to a cheapo program in separate teaching facilities doing single status contracts with low pay and benefits... and likely be hiring batches of newly minted CELTAs from Lebanon or Mumbai...

The HCT of the past is now well and truly dead as far as being an acceptable job.

VS

[Lonely Petunia]

Yes, got a whole 3% cost-of-living raise last year; first time in goodness knows how long. The increments come only at the end of each contract, not at the end of each year like most decent places.

What else? Settling in allowance- gone! HCT supplied housing - also gone. Changing housing contracts to the individual teacher = huge outlay! Landlords take the opportunity to really raise the rent, as it's a 'new' contract after all, so not held by the Dubai rent cap. We now have to pay security deposits, agents' fees (yes, for the same house we've been living in!) maintenance fees, DEWA deposits, etc, etc. however, we are constantly reassured by the fact that HCT tells us that this was not done to save them money, but to give us more choice of where to live. Doesn't that give you a nice warm glow?

The monthly allowance on top of the basic is also meant to cover flights, which we've heard are pegged at the 2000 level. This might be a vile slur on HCT, but with the complete lack of transparency regarding anything to do with salaries or allowances how do we know? What I do know is that I don't live in the lap of luxury; one bedroom apartment in Dubai which uses up my allowance completely, so yes, I'm paying for my own flights which is not the norm in this part of the world.

Will I stay at HCT when my contract finishes? Not a chance! All this together with the forced implementation of rules (what are we complaining about? They're not 'new' rules, they're just implementing them from now), the finger printing, the complete lack of professional courtesy, the time gestapo. The place is becoming a farce; the only thing that cheers me up is that they really don't seem to realise they are fast becoming a complete laughing stock, not just in the UAE but globally. Way to go, new VC!

[wailing_imam]

Solid feedback regarding rental fees and flights. Thanks

[nomad soul]

If you're really keen on getting a position in the UAE, consider attending TESOL Arabia's job fair in Dubai next year. It's pricey, but since you stated on another thread that you have 10 years of (post-MA degree?) experience, prospective employers will be interested in you.

[Fatboy]

Housing in Dubai is between 12,000 to 14,000 per month which does not leave a lot out of 23,000 and 26,000. Apparently, if you want to bring a maid you need to do it through her embassy; assuming that your maid is a she

[dragonpiwo]

Flats aren't that bad as long as you don't want the pool and expat compound. I live in Abu Dhabi, which is cheaper than Dubai and you can get places easily for 10,000/month. I'm getting a 1 bed for 6 or 7. How many kids have you got? re flights you'll find it difficult to find cheap flights around the Eids. I've just paid 3,500 for a round trip to Europe for a flight in July.

Food, petrol, smokes and clothes are ok pricewise. However, I've heard schooling is extortionate.

[Fatboy]

60,000 covers almost every school in Dubai at least to middle school age (under 12 years old). I've heard of some senior schools being over that.

[wailing_imam]

The schooling allowance of 60,000AED per child is definitely sufficient for a child under 12 in the UAE.

I have seen places (houses) online in Al Ain for 90,000AED a year that are gargantuan (though the decor looks a tad garish in that middle eastern way). It seems the key to a decent lifestyle is to not live in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Al Ain sounds like the best alternative place to live in the UAE.

Flights are part of the monthly salary package?? That sounds a bit weird and somewhat challenging to calculate. When I lived in Saudi, the company just refunded us the amount (up to a certain amount) for each ticket back home.

Going through the embassy might make for an interesting experience RE maid. However, it might be preferable to going through the whole irritating process of hiring a new maid and getting her settled in and conditioned to us etc.

[peripatetic_soul]

Re maids--you will responsible for all fees involved in obtaining her visa in addition to providing her a separate living area in your home. I've heard many horror stories. When family is out, some maids have used your washer/dryer to provide laundry service to customers--or friends--and that colleague's electric bill was outrageous or some have taken salary and provided mobile phone and disappeared in the night, sometimes with a stash of stolen jewelry, electronics, etc.
I never wasted money on a maid either and had lived in a palatial 8 room villa (in former days on the yellow brick road).
Who knows what else will be shaved from the package. Lacking transparency--leaves prospective teachers vulnerable and anxious.
The contract isn't legally binding.
I've known colleagues in Rak who had to move to more modest accommodations due to the annual decrease in housing allowance. Airfare is not adjusted to any hikes in prices.

With all the new, ludicrous rules, it's not a decent tradeoff. I don't know where 80, 000 USD was confirmed as current salary. Educational allowance only applied to maximum of 3 children and amount has decreased each year but who can know what will be included in subsequent years.

Relocation allowance was paid in monthly increments to avoid huge loss by the college with runners but that too is subject to change. Gone are the golden years.

PS

[wailing_imam]

Your concerns about maids are shared by many. Our maid is excellent and has proved to be a welcome addition to our household.

I hear people complaining about salaries and benefits decreasing but what I actually want is a set of numbers to show me what has decreased and by how much and offset this against inflation and changes in the housing market that have profoundly affected Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the last decade.

So, from what I understand, at HCT one earns 23-26k, schooling of 60k per child, 40 plus days leave, settling in allowance, health insurance, 1 or 2 flights for family members per year (can't remember which). Please can someone indicate how this has changed from the good old days?'

[Lonely Petunia]

The golden years are indeed gone, and even more so after our brand new, all-singing, all-dancing academic calendar has started to circulate.

From next year the new VC, in his further desire to treat us all like peons, has decided that we will ALL work summer school, and our summer vacation will therefore drop to 5 weeks from its already pathetic 6.6 weeks.

So, two 16 week semesters, and then a 5 week and 2 day summer school. Next, as he did at IAT so the word goes, we will no doubt be expected to work more and more Saturdays.

What is the unstated reason, one wonders: get rid of the expensive Westerners to replace them with cheaper options? Free up spaces for Emirati teachers when people leave in disgust? Let's all watch, please god from afar, and see how long it takes for HCT to go down the pan when all of that happens.

It will be really interesting to see how many people leave in January - giving notice soon means that gratuities will be protected. However, has HCT thought through what they're going to do with the people who are still on the old contracts and leave half way through a housing contract? Actually, silly me! They'll of course take the remaining months' rent out of the gratuity!

If anybody is considering applying to HCT, be very aware what you are getting yourself into. Everybody I've spoken to today can't wait to get out, and is actively thinking through exit strategies.

[Lonely Petunia]