# Query over overseas/local teaching contract



## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

Hi all. Was wondering if anyone has any experience of this- I am on an overseas contract, and my husband is in a local contract. We are both teachers at different schools. We have 2 children- which is the main reason I'm post in as school fees are becoming out of reach....

The overseas package at my husbands school is way better than the one I receive at my school. However, my husbands school are refusing to alter the contract from local to overseas; obviously I would go onto a local contact if he was on overseas.

I'm not sure about this, but is there something in UAE labour law that dictates that the husband "should" be the main earner and provider?? We just need some form of leverage to switch the contracts around...

Any advice welcome, even if it's confirmation that we can't do anything about it.

Many thanks


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
No there is nothing in law that says husband should be main wage earner.
Of course, there are cultural reasons why men go out and plough the fields whilst the women stay at home having babies - but this wont help your situation!
The schools are within their rights to ensure their employees stay within the confines of their signed contracts (and likewise the employees should monitor and ensure the schools stick to their side of the contract).
Any positive deviation from the above is a bonus - not a right.
Best of luck
Steve


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## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

Thanks, Steve- much appreciated. Was kind of hoping culture may form part of the law, and that the cultural status of women, though moving forward, may work in our favour this time!!


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## Cos_mo (Feb 9, 2012)

Why aren't you working at the same school??? Surely your package would be better if you were?!?


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

Schools don't normally change contracts to suit the needs of teachers. It can be difficult to change from local to international. I know of teachers on local and when their spouse became unemployed the school supports with the visa of the employed teacher but didn't give an international contract. The unemployed spouse continued to do visa runs.
I also know of teachers who were changed to local once they became married.....not to their delight.

As for teachers being on a better package at the same school - normally one is on international and the other local. Not sure how that would be a better package?


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## expatteacher2015 (Mar 27, 2015)

From my experience this is all negotiable. If you need to be on an overseas contract, you can both request it, but it is all about who needs who most... I have worked in schools with my wife and basically experienced each possible combination of contracts. Each has benefits.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

I am pretty amazed that any local school has anyone on an overseas contract - but thats just me.


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## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies. It's encouraging to know there may be room for some negotiation

Cosmo- we don't work at the same school because we have to go where the jobs are, and 2 teaching jobs in different subjects in the same school don't always come up at the same time.... Even if we did work together, one of us round be on a local contract, and one on overseas.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

So what's the difference? Flights back to home country (usually includes spouse and family) I can understand.

What else?


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## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

"I am pretty amazed that any local school has anyone on an overseas contract - but thats just me." 

In response- local contracts are offered by all schools when a spouse has an international contract, so only one person gets the "package" and sponsors the spouse on a "local" contract, which is usually just a salary and no extras.


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## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

Hi Rascal, the differences will vary from school to school but my husband's school is a better package all round: More comprehensive medical cover for myself and kids; higher housing allowance; and substantially higher discount on school fees. With the cost of living here high and on the up, his package is infinitely better.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Roomtoroam said:


> In response- local contracts are offered by all schools when a spouse has an international contract, so only one person gets the "package" and sponsors the spouse on a "local" contract, which is usually just a salary and no extras.


Interesting - does that mean that the people we see saying they are coming to Dubai to teach and they spouse needs to find a job, will always be on an international contract ? Why don;t schools hire people on local contracts irrespective of where they come from ?

No angle from me other than being interested - all my staff are on 'local' contracts and when we get people applying from overseas they never get an international contract but I guess our definition would be different.

Interesting though.


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## Roomtoroam (Mar 27, 2015)

Hi twowheelsg, 
As far as I am aware, in the circle of teachers I know, if you are recruited from eg the UK , then you should be offered an international contract, unless your spouse already has an international contract. Why not give everyone local contracts- well, teachers simply wouldn't come as the financial benefits are not enough....


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

The Rascal said:


> So what's the difference? Flights back to home country (usually includes spouse and family) I can understand.
> 
> What else?


Not all schools offer flîghts back home to country for spouse and children and sponsorship of family is the teachers responsibility.
International contracts - accommodation (may only be a 1 bedroom even for a family) or take the standard housing allowance, utilities, visa costs, medical (not always family), transport allowance, settling in allowance, return flight, 100% tuition 1 child, 50% 2nd child but varies between schools.
Local contract - medical, transport allowance, flight allowance which can be minimal, 50% tuition fees.

It does depend on schools.

If a teaching couple are on an International and local contract combined - possibly a 2 bedroom apartment.


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

expatteacher2015 said:


> From my experience this is all negotiable. If you need to be on an overseas contract, you can both request it, but it is all about who needs who most... I have worked in schools with my wife and basically experienced each possible combination of contracts. Each has benefits.


By all means try to negotiate but it is definitely about who needs who most and with a huge surplus of teaching cvs in Dubai schools easily replace a local contract with another. As they do with International contracts.
Schools are not always so accommodating with changing contracts especially with additional money involved.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Roomtoroam said:


> Hi Rascal, the differences will vary from school to school but my husband's school is a better package all round: More comprehensive medical cover for myself and kids; higher housing allowance; and substantially higher discount on school fees. With the cost of living here high and on the up, his package is infinitely better.


Well I think that's fair, why should a married couple pick up double the allowances?

Wouldn't it be so much better in this country if we all earned a basic wage only?

I've worked in many other countries and I only got a basic, it's up to me to pay for everything I wanted and work out whether or not it was a good move.

The sooner all these allowances get scrapped and a fixed basic wage is paid the better.


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## expatteacher2015 (Mar 27, 2015)

I know of plenty of people that are on overseas contracts despite their partner also being on one. 

The local contracts may not include the following; overseas allowance (often a massive chunk of the total salary), flights, childrens tuition, accommodation/allowance, medical. I know that companies like GEMS will not provide a housing allowance to a teacher if their partner is receiving an allowance or housing from their company.


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