Job Discussion Forums

[Sweaty Ted]

To whom it may concern:
I am contracted to begin working at a university in Abha. I would like to know if anyone here has earned extra money via giving private lessons. This was very common when I lived in Korea, however, it was highly illegal and more than one foreigner was deported for doing this. Is it the same in KSA? Also, has anyone earned extra money by doing evening or extra courses at their university. For example, if your schedule is normally 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. five days a week, but there are classes being taught from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that may require an extra teacher.

[trapezius]

About overtime, only your employer can tell you if that is something that is done in their university or not (after you arrive).

As for private lessons, yes it is possible, and can be quite lucrative. I have made serious bank in the last 7 years from tutoring, and I wouldn't have many of the [major] things I have today had I not tutored (car, very positive bank balance, trips overseas, life insurance, etc). Now I, am in Jeddah, and all my clients over the years have been children of upper class families studying in [expensive] secondary and tertiary institutions. Jeddah is big (like Riyadh), with lots of people and lots of institutions.

Abha, on the other hand, is small, and with a seriously limited number of educational institutions. And is there even a substantial upper class there? Those 2 factors might seriously limit the tutoring that can be had there. Also, people talk, and since Abha is so small, that is to your disadvantage, as far as tutoring goes. Only way to know the ground reality is after you get there, from old timers.

Of course, it is illegal to do any kind of paid work for any person or company other than your legal employer, the one whose name appears on your iqama. However, I have never heard of people having been fired, let alone deported, in Saudi. Maybe others have heard something.

[cmp45]

Tutoring is a headache. Many students can be very unreliable. If you do decide to give it a go, make sure you make it clear the terms of the arrangement and ask for some of the money upfront... In my experience many adult students have an over inflated idea of what they think they will achieve through tudoring; expectations are very high/ unrealistic as if you were some sort of magician with a magic wand!
Ping! "You are now fluent in English."

But heh maybe you will luck out and do as well as Mr. Trapezius
It is a business and requires one to think along those lines...

[trapezius]

I guess I have been lucky with regards to reliability and payment. Of the 100 or so different children/adults I have tutored over the years (some one-offs, some for weeks, some for months, some for years), I had trouble over payment from only 2, and even then, I got my money in the end. Rest have been very professional and friendly, and have always paid on time.

Again note, my story is from Jeddah. Abha is probably very different with regards to tutoring.

[KME0050]

Several opportunities to tutor came my way while I was in Abha and each one worked out very well. I tutored a couple of medical professionals and a couple of students (not students at KKU). Some of these people were friends or relatives of my students and others I connected with via social networks. I am sure the opportunities in Abha aren't what they are in Riyadh or Jeddah, but you will be one of very few native speakers in the city, which will work in your favor.

[scot47]

Illegal. And I may say for MOST private students a hassle with cancellations, non-payment etc. In some ,locations - especially Jeddah - there are MANY opportunities to teach in the evenings through outfits lkike ELS. Easier, hassle-free and most employers turn a blind eye.

[desert_traveller]

If I were you, I would wait until I get all the visas and all that, arrive to Abha, settle in, decide to stay OR decide to get the hell out of there, and only THEN start thinking about tutoring. There are inevitably going to be a few major surprises waiting for you and whatever you plan BEFORE you go to Saudi will almost certainly vaporize once you get there.

[EnglishDoYouSpeakIt]

I've had opportunities to tutor. The jobs have come from people who know people who need a tutor, usually high school students in my case. A few hours during a few evenings and you can make an extra 6-7 thousand (like 2 grand USD) a month.

As far as the legality goes I've never had a problem, I don't see how a problem could arise with in house tutoring.

[johnslat]

Dear EnglishDoYouSpeakIt,

"I don't see how a problem could arise with in house tutoring."

Well, here's a possible scenario: Your student (who knows that your tutoring is a violation of your contract - if he/she doesn't know, then this wouldn't arise) gets angry with you for some reason and tells your employer.

You might think this is highly unlikely, but I know of one teacher that it actually happened to.

Regards,
John

[scot47]

My experience was that most inquiries about private tuition stop when you tell them what the rate is !

[EnglishDoYouSpeakIt]

[Grendal]

Dear sweaty Ted,

As scot and cmp45 have said already that these Saudi students you may tutor will call and cancel at the last moment just as you are pulling up to their house, I urge you to consider it carefully and tell them up front of these kinds of cancelations. I did and so far it worked. The going rate of 150 SAR per hour is a good start and get your Payment in advance with the understanding that if they cancel then they lose their money. I was a little lenient and accepted one cancelations per week with a makeup day for that cancelation, but otherwise they forfeited their pay after the second one in the same week.

Grendal

ps. They were rich

[Sadebugo]

[veiledsentiments]

It is not a law that makes private lessons illegal in Saudi. It is the fact that in the Gulf, almost all contracts have a clause that bans any work for anyone other than your employer. So, theoretically to do them, you need a permission letter from your employer, and if you give lessons without that letter, your employer can use it as an excuse to fire you... if they are looking for an excuse.

VS

[JimJonesSic]