TEACHING ENGLISH IN THE UAE

 

  • Education: 
    BA/BS is required, MA preferred by some schools and institutes. Diploma holders in English language can also apply
  • TEFL Certification: 
    A minimum of 150 Hours TESOL Foundation or a 300 Hours Advance TESOL
  • Types of Jobs: 
    Private Language Schools, Vocational Colleges, International Schools and private tutoring
  • Average teaching hours per week: 
    25-30 hours of classroom & extra prep time
  • Typical Hiring Process: 
    Interviews are conducted through Skype or telephonic conversation
  • Types of Students: 
    Business professionals, Private Students and School Children
  • Cost of Living per month: 
    $1,000 - $1,500 USD (housing in most cases are provided by the employer)
  • Visas: 
    Work visas from English teachers are typically sponsored by the schools
  • Citizenship Requirements: 
    Both natives and non native fluent English speakers can apply to English teaching jobs
  • Average Monthly Pay: 
    $2000 - 5,000 USD
  • Start –up cost: 
    $1,500 - 2500 USD - does not include housing as it is most of the cases provided by the employer
  • Potential to save or Break-even: 
    Can save $800+ a month after expenses
  • Accommodation Benefits: 
    Most of the cases
  • Fight Reimbursements: 
    Most of the cases

Teach English in The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dubai

Qualified English teachers looking to ply their trade in the United Arab Emirates can earn anywhere between $1,800-$5,000 of tax-free income every month, perhaps even more in some instances. They also get several amazing benefits such as furnished housing, a health insurance, and airfare to and from the place of their assignment.

The typical requirement is for a 3-to-4-year college degree such as BA or BS along with a TEFL certification for those looking to have an English teaching career in UAE. A Master’s degree and prior teaching experience could be additional requirements that many of the schools call for.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the centers that typically receive several English teaching inquiries. This can be attributed to the fact that both these places, Dubai in particular, has a cosmopolitan reputation serving as a center for trade, tourism, and finance. The assortment of attractions such as indoor ski slopes and the 160-story Burj Khalifa tower, and the fantastic assortment of dining and shopping destinations are other reasons why this city is high on the demand list for professional English teachers as a prospective career destination.

As a smaller nation compared to Saudi Arabia that is also coveted by foreign teachers for a career, candidates need to negotiate an extremely competitive job market. Those at the onset of their career will find a hiring in UAE difficult to come by with most of the jobs likely to end up with the more experienced candidates having advanced credentials. Lesser-known Emirates such as Sharjah offer better prospects for those having lesser credentials but having an interest in furthering their career in the UAE.

Most of the schools and universities typically have the start of their sessions in August-September, making the spring and summer season the best times to go hunting for a job. However, openings do tend to pop up all through the year.

Advance interviews and hiring from the respective countries of the teachers is a common occurrence with the visa processing being completed long before they actually start on their journey to the teaching destination. Passing an HIV and physical test is mandatory to get the visa,and, in several instances, a criminal background check and verification of academic transcripts may also be done. It usually takes somewhere between 1-3 months for the visa interview and processing formalities to be completed.

English teaching jobs in the UAE are typically concentrated in some of the larger cities such as Al Ain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.