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ITeachYorkshire
Joined: 22 Jun 2016
Posts: 12
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 Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 11:18 am Post subject: Working in Jeddah |
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Hi guys,
I've been offered a place working with the ELI dept for King Abdul-Aziz University in Jeddah. The offer is not bad, so I'm seriously considering leaving my UK teaching position for it:
16,350 SR monthly wage
500 SR monthly travel allowance
17,000 SR annual accommodation allowance
50% of accomodation allowance as one-off furnishing allowance
Use of their University hospital for health care
I'm pretty sure the housing allowance is meagre, but this may be as good an offer as I'm going to get. To make it worth my while, I need my wife to work as well, to make up the housing shortfall. Problem is she doesn't have a degree (never needed one in UK, has a CELTA and teaching qual).
I tried researching these forums and the British Council may be her best bet. But it says that they need an iqama already? She can come over as my spouse, but as far as I know, this doesn't allow her to work. Does anyone know how the British Council sort out the work visas? Or of any other degree-free teaching opportunities?
And please PM me if you have worked for the ELI in Jeddah, to let me know what its like? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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| ITeachYorkshire wrote: |
| I'm pretty sure the housing allowance is meagre, but this may be as good an offer as I'm going to get. To make it worth my while, I need my wife to work as well, to make up the housing shortfall. |
As I mentioned on your other thread, the housing allowance is not meager unless you have above-average tastes. Unfurnished one-bedroom apartments in Jeddah can be rented for 1200-1500 SAR per month. The cost of living is low.
I lived in Jeddah and had friends (females) who secured unfurnished, one bedroom apartments in new buildings in Al Naseem district near KAU. One paid 19,000 SAR/yr while the other's rent was 21,000 SAR in a different building. (The latter is a PhD holder and likely got a higher allowance.) Other friends, a married couple, lived in the same district in a very nice 3-bedroom flat with their two children. Their annual rent was 35,000 SAR; however, both worked. Another friend rented a one-bedroom in a different district for just under 15,000 SAR/yr.
If you're leery about dealing with a housing allowance, try Prince Sultan University and KFUPM to see if they still have openings. Both provide housing rather than an allowance.
| and ITeachYorkshire wrote: |
[My wife] doesn't have a degree (never needed one in UK, has a CELTA and teaching qual).
I tried researching these forums and the British Council may be her best bet. But it says that they need an iqama already? She can come over as my spouse, but as far as I know, this doesn't allow her to work. Does anyone know how the British Council sort out the work visas? Or of any other degree-free teaching opportunities? |
The British Council would view her as a local hire (already in country and with a muqeem ID/iqama). That equates to lukewarm pay and likely zero benefits. Anyway, you can't do anything until you get there and have your own resident card.
For a glimpse of Jeddah, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cbd4kIOJIo. (The choir music is odd, though.) Makes me miss the place.  |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: Working in Jeddah |
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| ITeachYorkshire wrote: |
| I'm pretty sure the housing allowance is meagre, but this may be as good an offer as I'm going to get. |
I don't want to discourage you from taking this job.....it actually sounds not bad given the downward trend in salaries Kingdom-wide.
But I do want to reiterate my strongly held opinion that not offering housing to employees is a total abdication of a KSA employer's responsibility vis a vis his employees.
A "housing allowance" is simply no substitute....not even close....to actual employer provided housing. Expecting a new western employee to run around a major city like Jeddah looking for a dwelling is a complete disregard for the employees well-being......newcomers have no idea what they're getting into.
Note that most housing on the market tends to be unfurnished. Do you know what that means? That means you're going to be spending countless hours furnishing it. It'll be a year before you and your wife are fully settled in, I wager. (One result of this is that most likely, you won't save a farthing your first year in KSA).
Many commentators here attempt to give the impression that there's nothing to finding and renting a place in the Kingdom. That it's just a LAA DEE DAA type of thing. I think it's a complete misrepresentation of what actually takes place. But bonne chance in any case. |
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ITeachYorkshire
Joined: 22 Jun 2016
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies guys, and thanks for the link nomad.
I'm just trying to get as much information as possible before I make a decision. I have a friend currently living in Jeddah, I did my CELTA with him and we taught together for 3 years subsequently.
His advice was that moving from the UK to KSA is a big change, especially for my wife who will be at home all day. He suggested that being in a busier/more central area is a good idea if we hope to make friends and have any kind of social life. To be in such an area in vicinity of the University, he suggested a budget of between 27,000-32,000 SR.
To be honest, these were considerations I hadn't fully taken as yet. I was totally focused on getting a decent salary. It's when he described his first year in Saudi: living on the edge of a city, in the middle of a desert, that it really hit home.
I trust that he's being honest and giving me solid info, but everyone has different experiences. Would you guys agree/disagree with his opinions? He's the only person I know that has lived in Jeddah, so any other opinions would be appreciated. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
Note that most housing on the market tends to be unfurnished. Do you know what that means? That means you're going to be spending countless hours furnishing it. It'll be a year before you and your wife are fully settled in, I wager. (One result of this is that most likely, you won't save a farthing your first year in KSA).
Many commentators here attempt to give the impression that there's nothing to finding and renting a place in the Kingdom. That it's just a LAA DEE DAA type of thing. I think it's a complete misrepresentation of what actually takes place. But bonne chance in any case. |
Do you teach at KAU-ELI, hash? If not, you might consider a disclaimer with your colorful posts given your biased responses. Also, read others' responses more carefully. You'll see I always suggest focusing on employers who provide housing if the thought of finding an apartment isn't appealing. This thread is no exception.
By the way, I went furniture shopping at IKEA with two ELI teachers -- both had received their furniture and housing allowances within 10 days of arriving in KSA and securing apartments. They were "settled in" to their furnished places about a week later. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree with Hash, although normally there is a state of Armed Neutrality between us. Non-provision of housing is a total abdication of responsibility. It is tantamount to telling a new arrival in New York with no English skills - "Just go and find an apartment." |
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scarlie
Joined: 28 Apr 2010
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 5:57 pm Post subject: Housing in Jeddah |
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| Housing in Jeddah is very expensive - 17,000 is not enough. Many teachers must share a place or subsidize the allowance. I pay 30,000 for an "okay" apartment. The furniture allowance is rather meager too especially considering one must buy a fridge, stove, washing machine and two or three A/Cs. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: Housing in Jeddah |
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| scarlie wrote: |
| Housing in Jeddah is very expensive - 17,000 is not enough. Many teachers must share a place or subsidize the allowance. I pay 30,000 for an "okay" apartment. The furniture allowance is rather meager too especially considering one must buy a fridge, stove, washing machine and two or three A/Cs. |
To Scarlie:
How about "bedding"? ( You know....beds, sheets, pillows, blankets, etc. Did you have to buy all that too? Pots and pans? Cleaning equipment? Sofas? Dining room chairs and table? How about "drapes"???) Can you imagine getting air conditioners only to find out they're the wrong size and won't fit into the wall ? Back they go and you got to haul new ones in.
For me, all this would be a nightmare. I'd probably do a "runner" by the end of the 3d week.
One more question, scarlie: Did it take you about "a week" to get all settled into your apt? If not, how long did it take you to get all settled in would you say?
Keep these "real-life" stories coming in, people. From what I'm hearing both on the board and privately, this "housing" debacle is worse than even I ever imagined.
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scarlie
Joined: 28 Apr 2010
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:07 pm Post subject: You Need to Buy Everything |
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People who complain about the housing situation are not exaggerating. KAU puts you up for three nights in a hotel. After that, you're on your own. If you speak no Arabic, this can be difficult. Other instructors are usually helpful though, and many give new teachers a couch to sleep on until they find something. The first month was tough, and I had worked in Saudi for several years prior to moving to Jeddah.
Yes, you must buy everything: bedding, towels, pots, pans, stove, ... everything! And you must have at least one A/C right from the get go: cost $150 US for used. You must buy second hand if you want to stay within the furniture allowance. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 11:47 pm Post subject: Re: Housing in Jeddah |
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| hash wrote: |
For me, all this would be a nightmare. I'd probably do a "runner" by the end of the 3d week.
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With an employment visa, how would you do that? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:30 am Post subject: Re: Housing in Jeddah |
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| Quote: |
| Housing in Jeddah is very expensive - 17,000 is not enough. Many teachers must share a place or subsidize the allowance. I pay 30,000 for an "okay" apartment. |
Apparently, rents went up when the oil prices slumped. 
| ITeachYorkshire wrote: |
To be honest, these were considerations I hadn't fully taken as yet. I was totally focused on getting a decent salary. It's when he described his first year in Saudi: living on the edge of a city, in the middle of a desert, that it really hit home.
I trust that he's being honest and giving me solid info, but everyone has different experiences. Would you guys agree/disagree with his opinions? He's the only person I know that has lived in Jeddah, so any other opinions would be appreciated. |
Focusing only on salary is generally never advisable for any job; you need to consider work/life balance as well. Others' opinions on KSA will widely vary. But if your friend's experience in KSA isn't very helpful in making this decision with your wife, it's doubtful strangers on this forum will be useful, especially since we don't know your personality, likes/dislikes, etc.
If you're currently teaching in the UK and your wife is able to work as well, it might be best to stay put. However, if you're itching to head abroad, look at Hong Kong or China for potential opportunities. But... If KSA is still on your radar... again, try KFUPM for openings. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:35 am Post subject: |
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| ITeachYorkshire wrote: |
| ......especially for my wife who will be at home all day. |
One thing you might consider - and a lot of husbands do this - is to leave the wife back home, especially at the beginning of a contract and particularly if she's working. This would not be permanent, of course. Perhaps for 3-6 months, maybe a year, until you're fully integrated into life in KSA and have everything set up and have decided that you'll be staying on for more than a year.
This might be completely out of the question for you, of course. All I'm saying is it's not in the least bit unusual for this to happen - it's a wise step for any couple in my estimation.
Remember, you're bringing the marriage into a totally alien and hostile environment......if you believe it's not going to have an impact on your relationship, I'm here to disabuse you of that notion. The impact will be intense, unexpected and manifest itself in ways you can't begin to perceive at this point.
, |
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ITeachYorkshire
Joined: 22 Jun 2016
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
One thing you might consider - and a lot of husbands do this - is to leave the wife back home, especially at the beginning of a contract and particularly if she's working. This would not be permanent, of course. Perhaps for 3-6 months, maybe a year, until you're fully integrated into life in KSA and have everything set up and have decided that you'll be staying on for more than a year.
, |
As I understand it, it takes a while to sort out a spouse on a visa anyway? I probably wouldn't plan on doing 3-6 months without my wife. My friend in Jeddah did do so, but it wasn't something I was planning on.
[/quote] |
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ITeachYorkshire
Joined: 22 Jun 2016
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:47 pm Post subject: Re: Housing in Jeddah |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
If you're currently teaching in the UK and your wife is able to work as well, it might be best to stay put. However, if you're itching to head abroad, look at Hong Kong or China for potential opportunities. But... If KSA is still on your radar... again, try KFUPM for openings. |
My wife and I both have decent jobs in the UK, but we're in our early 30's and have both been working since our teens. I was hoping KSA would be a nice change of pace from the doom & gloom in the UK, but it seems financial hardship has spread over there too. It was a cross between adventure and easier going llifestyle we were lookin for.
On another note, we are both muslim and I haven't ever been to Saudi or performed my hajj pilgrimage. Being an hour away in Jeddah seemed ideal, the cost savings for hajj alone would have offset the seemingly low housing allowance.
Alas, I may have just been searching for someone to tell me it would be fine and that I shoukd just go. I appreciate everyone's honesty and frankness on the matter. Maybe I just need to find a better job at home! |
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currentaffairs
Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that the housing allowance as indicated is quite low considering the price of renting now.. The other parts of the package are quite good.
Isn't there a temporary visit visa for relatives that is quite easy to get and is fairly long? One of my colleagues applied for one and brought has wife over and it was for x amount of months, I think.. Perhaps this could be used while applying for a more permanent, spousal visa?
If you want a change and some adventure then do it..! |
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