Job Discussion Forums

[jmsw6]

Hi, I am quite new to this forum and have only been looking for employment in Saudi for 2 or 3 months. I have just been offered employment at KFUPM with a salary of 114,000 SR per annum. This works out at about 16,800 pounds and seems very low to me for Saudi. I have an M.A (Ed.) International Educational Management and a Trinity Diploma although no M.A TESOL and 8 years experience (even though they only recognised 3 years for some reason). What are your thoughts on this? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Cleopatra]

When evaluating salaries in the Gulf countries, it's important to take into account not just the salary itself - which at first glance, often seem less than impressive - but the whole package.

I don't know the specifics at KFUPM, but in almost all teaching jobs in KSA, you will be given paid housing with utilities included (or a decent housing allowance), transport to and from work and flights home annually. Of course, your salary is tax-free and you will get very good holidays (during which time you could even teach in summer school, at home or perhaps at your Saudi college, if you wanted to make some extra bucks).

Also, bear in mind that the cost of living in KSA is much lower than in Britain and most of Europe. A little can go a long way - some people manage to save virtually all of their salaries, albeit whle living rather spartan lives. Admittedly, Saudi salaries are not as competitive as they used to be - esp. bearing in mind the falling dollar - but all things considered, there are some good packages on offer.

[Bebsi]

What Cleopatra says is very true. You cannot compare as KSA salaries, at least from reputable organisations like KFUPM, are net of many things such as accom, transport, utilities, etc. And of course, they are tax-free. Your gross pay is your net pay also.

Here's a rough calculation:

Let's say you were from Scotland, and you moved to the South of England to take up employment. Let us also assume you are single.

Your monthly expenses, in GBP, would at a very rough guess be as follows.

Single accom (fairly decent, furnished with all
necessary equipment provided).......................800.
Transport......................................................200.
Utilities (inc Gas, electricity, water)..................100.
UK living-costs-weighting................................500
(Very conservative indeed!)
__________

Total 1600


This gives us an annual total of approx 19,200 in extra costs. Add to this an unrestricted airfare to a holiday destination of your choice, within reason, and we are very close to 20K.

Your basic at KFUPM is approx 16,800, you say. Now, let us add to your net pay a travel allowance of SAR 6,000 annually, broken down as 500 p.m., which I assume is in addition to your stated salary. Let's say, for simplicity's sake, another 1,000 a year. Thats 17,800. Then there's the End-Contract-Bonus of another half a month. That's 700 a year. If you complete five years, it is converted to a month retrospectively, making it 1,400 a year. We are now at, I think, 19,200 a year. Overtime is quite readily available at KFUPM, I am led to believe. It is approx SAR 150 p.h.,and as your contract is for 20 hours, overtime work is not exactly taxing!

Let's assume you do an average of one hour a day, every day. This comes out at SAR 3,000 a month. Close to 500 quid. Over seven months a year (bear in mind the long hols) this is another 3,500 pounds.

We now have a very realistic income of 22,700 a year. Add to this the 20K extra you would spend in the UK, and you have an annual figure of 42,700 pounds.

In other words, to have a disposable income of 22,700, you would have to be earning around 42,700 pounds in the south of England. This is a net figure...to get a take-home pay of 43K, you would probably have to be earning a gross salary of GBP 65,000.

Saudi cannot be measured in purely monetary terms. The salary is deduction-free; the cost of living there is still much lower than anywhere in Europe; accom is free (in KFUPM, with ultilities included); as you would be living on campus in KFUPM your travel allowance is effectively extra salary; the bonuses are generous and very much money-in-the-bank as you get it only when leaving; and significant overtime is a realistic prospect. Not to mention, the KFUPM hols are the best in KSA...probably as good as anywhere in the world. You will get approx 18-19 weeks time-off every year, inc 12 weeks in summer.

Think seriously about all these perks. The salary is just a tiny part of the whole story. Can you make an overall package comparable to this anywhere else in TEFL? In Germany, you would get about 1200 euro (GBP 900) in many jobs, and consider the cost of living there. For that money you would probably be doing a split shift.

In most places in the world, TEFL is treated as a joke. If you are a serious professional who wishes to be treated and remunerated accordingly, the reputable employers in KSA and a few other Gulf locations are among the only ones to actually do so.

Think very carefully before turning down this one, would be my advice, jmsw6. Unless you've got something better lined up of course!

[veiledsentiments]

In case Scot47 is currently traveling, he usually points out that although KFUPM has a slightly lower pay scale, it has some of the best working conditions and more leave days than most.

Considering that you don't have an MA and they didn't consider much of your experience to be related (perhaps it was teaching conversation? while they look for academic English teaching... just speculating here), the salary is not that low by Gulf standards.

VS

[publixteacher]

I am going over this August. I am going mostly for the experience, but the money is great, too! If I were to be staying here in the States, I would probably be making around 42,000 a year. However, that is BEFORE taxes, social security, the tax to pay for others welfare, food stamps, etc., mandatory retirement, insurance, and the list goes on! In addition, this past year I had to work three jobs to make ends meet! Because of this, it put me into a higher tax bracket, and I owe Uncle Sam almost 3,000! I only made a little over 5,000. at one of my jobs BEFORE taxes! So, basically, I woked one of my jobs for nothing. In additions to all the "joy" that the gov takes, I also have to pay rent, car insurance, gas, utilities, etc. Which, when all is said and done, I probably have a net amount left over of probably less than 10,000 a year! With my new employment, I will probably net around 28,000. That is TAKE HOME profit! If you figure, living lavishly there, my cost of living to be 7,200, that leaves a good chunck of change that can be put away for retirement, travel, etc. I don't see how ANYONE could pass up the opportunity! Besides the fact that teaching in the west can make you lose your mind! What with badly behave, disrespectful kids, and government beaurocracy! Give me Saudi!!

[lionbrian]

jmsw6,

Well, nobody really knows what are your priorities/objectives/your current situation BUT based on the info, the only think I can tell you is: TAKE IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LINED UP! KFUPM is not a bad place & they are used to foreign teachers there.

Just an example: I personally find the salary really low compared to other institutions in the Gulf, and if I were you, I wouldn't take it. Why? Because I had better offers. That's it!

Once again, go for it if there is no other alternative!

Good luck for your decision!

[Bebsi]

jmsw6,

I absolutely agree with Lionbrain, if you don't have anything better lined up, go for KFUPM. You won't regret it. Even if you later hear of another, better package knocking around, consider two years in KFUPM as a stepping stone. As long as you complete your contract they will have no probs giving you the important NOC (No-Objection Cert.)

Most of the better Gulf jobs require previous Gulf exerience, and as an intro to the Gulf, KFUPM could hardly be surpassed. That being said, most people going to KFUPM end up staying on there because of the fabulous hols and the all-round generous perks.

I would enter a caveat at this point to the idea of a better package. A better package cannot be measured solely in terms of more money. There are some jobs in KSA offering 18K p.m. but out of that you must pay your own accom, ultilities, transport and visa costs. You will also not get a work visa, but a business visa, which is technically illegal for work ourposes. You also cannot buy a car without a work-visa/Iqama (res permit), which would leave you renting a clunker at a higher price, nor can you have a bank account in-Kingdom. In addition, such a package could also be for time-worked, so if you take holidays, they will be unpaid.

Again, there are packages that DO include all the perks but are not from reputable employers.

Then there are packages with reputable employers that offer more money than KFUPM and the other perks, but WITHOUT the long hols. The better ARAMCO contractors are a case-in-point. Many packages in KSA offer only one month's hols per year. If you have a life or a wife on the outside, that would NOT be enough. The RC, on the other hand, tends to pay more money than KFUPM, and also offers long hols, it's just that they are about 14 weeks a year instead of 18.
What I am saying is, you MUST look at all aspects of the package:

1. Cash salary IS a big consideration, of course, but not by any means the only one.

2. Accom: is it free, clean, air-conditioned, furnished, shared, utilities paid etc? Standards vary enormously. Married accom with KFUPM and the RC includes a decent villa, BAe gives a very nice but shared villa to singles, and a few private contractors put you in a sub-standard slum with about six other teachers, where there are no windows, decent furniture or central a/c...only a noisy 1970s unit!

3. Holidays: Berlitz (whom I wouldn't touch anyway) gives 2 weeks hols a ear. KFUPM, on the other hand, gives about 18 weeks!

4. Transport: Will you have to travel a long way to work under your own steam or will you be living on-campus. If the former, what looks like a generous travel allowance will be utterly inadequate if you have to get 50KM every day either by taxi or by buying your own car. (I'm an advocate of the own-car scenario anyway, as it makes a vast difference to your quality of life in the Kingdom.) In the latter case, such as with KFUPM, they still give you a travel allowance, which effectively becomes cash-in-pocket as you're already on-campus.

5. Other perks such as bonuses: If you spend let's say, six years in KFUPM, you leave with six months salary at the end in bonuses.

Among the best, reputable employers in KSA, I would include BAe, the RC, the IPA in Riyadh and KFUPM. There are others, but I would use those four as a sort of yardstick.

[Sea Sea Rider]

I've accepted a position across the causeway at Dammam Community College which is a satellite campus for KFUPM, so I imagine the holiday schedule is the same. My annual salary is a bit higher--140,000 Srs plus 6,000 Srs travel allowance (perhaps this is based on experience). I am delighted to earn nearly 22,000 GBP along with nearly half the year off (adding in weekends)

The holidays are posted on the DCC website:
During the Fall semester there are no classes for three weeks in November
http://www.kfupm.edu.sa/community_colleges/dammam/en/C041.htm
There is a sweet 3-week break between semesters.
Spring semester: There is a week off in April:
http://www.kfupm.edu.sa/community_colleges/dammam/en/C042.htm
Classes end June 15th and teachers must report back by September 1.

I have previously worked in the Kingdom for a defence contractor. The pay was somewhat better but the housing was deplorable and the holidays were miserly--slotted during Eid and Ramadan only. I worked all three summers on that contract. (As for sick days, the contractor was ruthless)

DCC/KFUPM offer perhaps the most benevolent deal in KSA.

[scot47]

All true !

One of the best packages in KSA is at KFUPM. Others : DCC and JIC.

Excuse me : I have to go and enjoy my holidays.

[Bebsi]

Have a good 'un , Scot.

[Global TEFLer]

WARNING!!!

After working at KFUPM & DCC for a few months, a large number of us ran for it! There are many extreme horrors stories that you need to know about.

Firstly, an ESL teacher was shot at while driving past security for no reason whatsoever. He lived to tell the tale & was later fired for doing so. Another died & was rushed to hospital, after it was too late. Faculty members laughed about it the following day. The students are allowed to do whatever they want to the teacher - violence, abuse, poisoning & public humiliation. If you're lucky, that's all they will do.

Secondly, they will bully you into becoming a recent convert & an extremist. Religious police will follow & criminalise you whenever they can.
A member of staff will come round with offensive material stirring up hate against Jews, Brits & others. If you don't say the right thing your an enemy. We were all forced to remain in the country during our holidays. Vacation dates were changed whenever faculty wanted to. Many teachers lost large amounts of money on flight bookings because faculty did not allow them to travel out at the last minute. Also, those teachers who arrived after the CHANGED dates, were punished & had salaries deducted.

Thirdly, the compound they will place you in is the same as Alcatraz. However, whether you drop the soap or not, large imported eunuchs will watch you & try to give you a good pounding. Saudi police will allow the eunuchs to do whatever they want. The parent company of the compound & most of the surrounding compounds, also owned the famous Oasis compound around the corner. Both the Oasis & The Petroleum Centre compounds were attacked with the support of internal staff. The attackers who dragged expats along a highway at high speed are still at large in the area.

Last but not least, most of us were involved in high speed car chases where we were near enough rammed off the road by large SUV vehicles.

We didn't think the money was worth it & neither did the British & American Embassy.
Most people lost more than they gained at KFUPM.
Think twice!

[lionbrian]

Hey,

KFUPM & DCC are 2 good places to work for BUT ONLY FOR OLD TIMERS in the Kingdom (Over 50s/lonely/can't make it to the UAE, Oman & Qatar/no civil status and the list goes on BOYS!).

Only my 5 cents!