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TEFL/TESOL MIDDLE EAST
Regional Overview
Oil has brought demand for teaching English to several countries in the Middle East along with the means to pay well for native English speakers to do the teaching. Indeed EFL teachers generally come to the Middle East for one of two reasons: either they are attracted by the prospect of lucrative pay and benefits or they are accompanying a partner who is also working in the region, probably in the oil or communications industries. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and (to a lesser extent) Oman and Qatar are all wealthy countries which can generally afford the most highly qualified teachers. Although pay has dropped over recent years, the Middle East still has some of the most enviable EFL contracts on offer in the world. Positions are numerous within the military, private schools and oil industries.
However there has also been a fall off in the numbers of native speakers looking to travel to these countries since the heightened level of terrorist activities in 2001 and 2002. There are some significant cultural challenges as well in some of these countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which has strict alcohol prohibition, and few positions for females are seen advertised.
But the Middle East is not just the oil rich Gulf States. There are other opportunities for the adventurous in Jordan and Syria, and the demand for native speakers abounds in Turkey, which we have included in this section. While there is little demand for native English speakers in Iran, Israel and Iraq, the region may well see expanding opportunities in the future, particularly if the political situation stabilises. However, there is not a great deal of voluntary work done in the region.
In general you will need to fix up work before you travel. These are not countries where work is readily available to those passing through. The lucrative contracts in the Gulf States are often only available for teachers with a lot of EFL experience and Qualified Teacher Status.
Nevertheless, as the fact sheets included here will show, there are ample opportunities for the new teacher if you are already in the region or have a partner or contact there.
DISCLAIMER
These pages are for general information only and whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, it is up to the individual to thoroughly investigate the conditions of entry to countries and the legal working regulations. If offered a job, please carefully vet all terms and conditions. Inclusion of potential employment opportunities does not in any way represent a guarantee of employment.
When travelling overseas, please refer to your government’s own advice on current conditions in each country. The British Foreign Office website is a good resource for travel advice. Please follow the link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/
If you find a broken link or if you have an experience you would like to share with others about working in a particular country, please email us.
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