Job Discussion Forums

[greentea]

Rather impulsively, I applied for a position in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I have never been there but have visited India a few times and loved it. (Also, there was a thread somewhere in these forums in which a few people said they'd nominate Sri Lanka as most desirable place to live. That must have lingered in the back of my mind.)

Anyway, the company has replied and asked about my required salary/package. Does anyone have any idea of standard EFL teacher salary/packages there ? Any advice welcomed.

[Stephen Jones]

There are very few EFL teachers here outside of the British Council. Most teaching salaries are very much on the low side. The only place I know that paid a lot was the American University which paid $2000 a month.

Local teachers salaries are in the region of $150-$200. The British School pays more but still the salary is fairly low (when I applied a few years back they just wrote and said that the salary was so low I wouldn't be interested).

Presuming the job is in Colombo I would ask for whatever you think you need. An apartement in Colombo can be rented for around $200 a month, unless you absolutely insist on living in Colombo 7. You'll need some money for holidays as Colombo is a fairly noisy polluted city, and you won't want to travel too far by public transport so factor in the cost of a motorbike ($800 + new) or a hire car and driver ocassionally (expensive at maybe $30 a day).

I'm in Negombo for another five weeks supervising the laying of foundations for my house so feel free to ask me any questions.

[greentea]

Stephen,

Thank you very much for this information. Hope you won't mind if I send you a PM with a few more personal details.

[greentea]

Sun never sets on the BE, eh ?

Just making sure my little query doesn't get squeezed off the page...

[Bindair Dundat]

[Stephen Jones]

I am suspicous of the web site; I'll try and check out the place later.

Don't come to Colombo on subsistence wages - you won't like it. Money makes Sri Lanka much nicer and you can always come on holiday anyway.

[greentea]

I have been looking around the net to see what's available in Sri Lanka.
There are many opportunities for volunteers. In fact, it seems Sri Lanka is
sufficiently lovely to attract people who will PAY to volunteer.

See http://www.cabroad.org.uk/vacs/sri_lanka.htm :

"Facilities provided:

Lodging in premises. Fully furnished rooms with bathrooms (attached or adjoining); Kitchenette with gas-cooker, refrigerator, parlor, television, e-mail facilities; Meals: local food, three meals a day.

Cost for food and lodging per day is US $ 10.00; for one month (10x30) US 300.00. Of this, for the teaching service rendered, the school provides two thirds of the cost, that is, US $ 200.00. (This is almost twice of what the best qualified English teacher is paid by any school in Sri Lanka.). The volunteer is expected to pay one third of the cost of food and lodging. i.e. US $ 3.50 a day when meals are taken and just $ 1.00 when meals are not taken. Any additional contribution is at the discretion of the volunteer."

What do you make of that logic ?

[kubulka]

Anyway, the company has replied and asked about my required salary/package. Does anyone have any idea of standard EFL teacher salary/packages there ? Any advice welcomed

I replied to the same advert, and pondered the same question about expected salary or package after getting email from TEC in Sri Lanka.
I talked it over with my Indian friend who is quite familiar with Sri Lanka and the wages there. He suggested $750 USD.

[greentea]

Thanks, kubulka.

Stephen Jones has been doing some research on the company. Send me a PM if you'd like to get in touch.