# URGENT Questions regarding teaching in Dubai



## Stingray85 (Feb 17, 2012)

I know that international teaching in the UAE is very competitive this year possibly due to the economic situation in the UK, however I have been offered an interview at a good school in Dubai and wanted to clarify some details.

I am a teacher with 5 years experience in the UK. The package on offer includes:

12,000 AED salary per month (according to school salary scale)
Medical for me, my wife and upto two children (I have one child)
Unfurnished Apartment
Relocation allowance of only 2,000 AED
Furniture allowance (amount unspecified)
Annual return flights
50% discount on school fees for first child and then 25% discount for second child

What are peoples initial thoughts on this package?
Should utilities be included?

I want 100% of school fees to be paid by school, so how to go about negotiating?

I would like to make a very informed decision before I go to this interview as to what I would like to do if offered the job, so your response would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your advice

Ray


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## Pink Fairie (Sep 9, 2011)

12,000 AED salary per month (according to school salary scale)
Medical for me, my wife and upto two children (I have one child)
Unfurnished Apartment
Relocation allowance of only 2,000 AED
Furniture allowance (amount unspecified)
Annual return flights
50% discount on school fees for first child and then 25% discount for second child

What are peoples initial thoughts on this package?
Should utilities be [/QUOTE]

1. Salary is ok, could try to negotiate more 
2. medical is good as whole family included and that can be expensive if they weren't
3. make sure you clarify with them how many rooms they are giving you in an apartment as from your family size now you may only get a 2 bed apartment
4. Your relocation allowance is low as they are providing you with a furniture allowance so its only personal belongings, they blatantly don't realise children need toys!!
5. Make sure you clarify exactly how much furniture allowance you will receive, it should be enough to cover 3 piece suite, side tables, tv unit, coffee table, fridge, freezer, microwave, toaster, kettle, plates, beds, bed side tables, dressers (just trying to remember the basics provided for us in a furnished apt)
6. Make sure you clarify the return flights are for all of you as I thought mine was but turns out its just me!
7. I would definitely negotiate on school fee's being inclusive as on your salary you won't be left with much! Its not cheap in dubai for a kick off and you also have to factor in car hire which can be anything from 1500aed per month plus, dewa (water and leccy) which can be anything and little things like cable, mobile charges, FOOD etc !
8. I would also clarify with them if they will be paying for everyone's residency visa's too before you come as this is v expensive if you have to sponsor your family (approx 2k aed each if not more)!
9. Make sure you clarify with them exactly where your housing will be, depending on location you may need to budget for a car for your wife too. 

Hope this helps and good luck! Dubai is fab you will love it!


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## Stingray85 (Feb 17, 2012)

Thank You Pink Fairie for your comments, they were very helpful.

1. Regarding salary, the school has sent me a salary scale which shows what you will earn based on the number of teaching years experience you have. This salary scale goes up in 500 AED for every year of experience. Therefore I don't think that is negotiable at all.

2. Medical is for the whole family providing there is no duplication of benefits, but my wife will also get medical through her employer (non teaching) so I guess we will only be allowed to take one.

3. Will clarify no. of bedrooms in apartment before interview.

4. We would ideally like to take our sofas, beds and maybe one or two other things from here. They have offered 2000k AED for relocation which wouldn't cover much of anything at all. 

5. Will email them to ask about furniture allowance specifics. What is a reasonable furniture allowance to cover the items you have stated in your post? I am not familiar with the likely cost in dirhams for any household goods purchased in Dubai. 

6. Return flights are for the whole family providing there is no duplication of benefits.

7. The tuition fees are a biggy for me so will definately negotiate on those as I have a son that is 2 years old. 

8. They have already stated that they will only pay for MY visa and not spouse and child. We think the wife's employer will cover those.

9. Will email to find out about where the housing is. 

Thank You once again for your reply, it is very much appreciated. 

I am very much looking forward to moving to Dubai, however we have a lot to sort out here before we go. We have a 4 bedroom house that we need to empty and put on rent and I don't know what we will do with the contents if we don't take them with us. I don't just want to sell them because we have spent alot of money on some items and we wouldn't be able to sell them anywhere near the amount we would like.

Experienced people like yourself are a credit to this forum and those of us contemplating a move would be lost without you.

Ray


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## mevans (Dec 24, 2010)

Ray,
If they are giving you a decent furniture allowance then use it to ship your stuff over from the UK. Costs about £2000 all in for packing, shipping and delivering a full shipping container. Much cheaper than trying to buy everything new when you get here, but just remember you are going from a 4 bed house to an apartment! Plus side to coming from the UK is everything you own is the correct voltage with the correct plugs already. Have an American friend who shipped everything over and now has transformers all over his house!
Make sure it is an allowance and not receipt reimbursement before you go ahead and book shipping.
Le me know if you need any more details as we did it about six months ago and my friends are doing it as we speak.

Tuition fees are a must as they are around 30000 per child and increase dramatically when they hit senior years.


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## Stingray85 (Feb 17, 2012)

*For Mevans..*

Thanks mevans for your advice.

1. I am looking to obtain a quote from MoveCorp regarding the cost of shipping but if you can recommend a company that you or your friends have had good experiences with, I would be very happy to look into them.

2. I will ask about the finer details regarding the relocation and furniture allowance at the interview as they will be discussing this with me. Do you have any ideas on what an average furniture allowance may be? 

3. Regarding negotiation on these allowances, the approach I was thinking of taking is simply being open and honest about what I am looking to do, i.e ship over my stuff, full tuition fees paid for my child and utilities included for the apartment (they are not covering utilities). Do you think thats best?

Your advice is much appreciated.


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## Pink Fairie (Sep 9, 2011)

Stingray85 said:


> Thanks mevans for your advice.
> 
> 1. I am looking to obtain a quote from MoveCorp regarding the cost of shipping but if you can recommend a company that you or your friends have had good experiences with, I would be very happy to look into them.
> 
> ...


I dont think you will get utilities in as that isn't really 'standard' but hey its really worth a try! You dont ask you don't get hey?!? Good luck to you both on your new adventure


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## cuttinup97 (Apr 9, 2012)

Stingray85 said:


> Thank You Pink Fairie for your comments, they were very helpful.
> 
> 1. Regarding salary, the school has sent me a salary scale which shows what you will earn based on the number of teaching years experience you have. This salary scale goes up in 500 AED for every year of experience. Therefore I don't think that is negotiable at all.
> 
> ...


Could you post the salary scale?


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