I need advice about working in Cairo.

Hi all,

I need some advice from expats in Egypt about my employment situation. I came to Cairo from the UK to visit my aunt and cousins here last month, however I liked it here so much that I decided to stay and look for a job as an English teacher. Now I have been offered a job as an English teacher in a language school in New Cairo, but I am not sure whether I should accept this offer or not. The supervisor at the school offered me 5000 LE per month to teach Primary 4 students which includes transportation (school bus) to and from the school. I don't have a teaching qualification so I was delighted to be offered this job with just a degree and 1 year experience tutoring in a centre back in London. She also told me the school doesn't deal with visas or work permits when I asked and that I was the only British/foreigner working in the school. She advised me to get a tourist visa, but I don't think I can stay here with a tourist visa until June 2016. I am currently living with my aunt but I am considering renting a shared apartment closer to the school and being independent. What should I do to be able to stay here until the school year finishes? Is this salary good enough for someone like me? I really don't know who to ask for advice.

Hi dear
If you are interested to work in south of Egypt at Qena city just 60 km far from luxor ,[Moderated] if you like to take adventure of being in real soth of Egypt with the very respectful warm kind people to enjoy being in real egyptian socity we are wrlcome you,
Regards
Hanan prince
xxx

Moderated by Bhavna 8 years ago
Reason : Please do not post your phone number + jobs proposals should be made in the appropriate section : Jobs in Cairo
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct

If u are native speaker (5000) it's a littel.at lest 8000 u can find many schools specialy in new Cairo.

If you get your tesol you can make quite a bit of money teaching English, up to 10000LE a month. I know a few american teachers who have gone through the same and I know UK english teachers get more, but watch out there are snakes that would try give you less. And also are you fair skinned or pale? Because hate to admit it but this boosts your salary up too.

My husband taught English and so do a few friends of mine here, I get offered often, but teaching isn't really my thing, but supposedly I look like a good English teacher, ha! whatever that means...

Everything is perception here. Message me if you wanna know more I can ask about it.

By the way a tesol is a quick qualification to get, you can put in like 120hrs max and you have it, and if you don't wanna really stop working to finish it, for example probably take you 2 weeks full time to get it. You can always work where you are and part time study, then make a job upgrade once you got it. It's up to you really, these are just ideas! I know some people made 16,000LE a month teaching English under the right conditions, and they sucked at teaching.

Hi, I'm quite sure that you won't have any problem with your visa whatever it was, as even after ten years from now if you decided to go back home you will pay a fine in the airport about 150 USD that's it, but regarding the work as a teacher my advice to you is; if you are not a fan of teaching as if you don't have such a talent don't go for it, it's a huge pressure and deep headache, you cannot imagine, but also there are many jobs here could fit you so much and using your native language as well, I'm not saying all of this to convince you with something specific God knows, but really, [Moderated], and anyways you can keep searching on internet for a suitable job with better salary as 5000 LE is a very low salary for an expat.
Good luck, best regards.

Moderated by Bhavna 8 years ago
Reason : Please drop a detailed advert in the Jobs in Cairo section
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct

Hi, yes 5000LE is a very low salary especially living in Cairo where you tend to earn more money.  I would ask them for at least 10000LE plus your own flat allowance of 3000LE.  It is so hard to find qualified English teachers in Egypt and many native English speakers can get work here on good salary's. As you are not a qualified teacher you won't earn the highest salary but certainly expect much much more than 5000LE which is only approx, 450 English Pound.

Klae wrote:

If you get your tesol you can make quite a bit of money teaching English, up to 10000LE a month. I know a few american teachers who have gone through the same and I know UK english teachers get more, but watch out there are snakes that would try give you less. And also are you fair skinned or pale? Because hate to admit it but this boosts your salary up too.

My husband taught English and so do a few friends of mine here, I get offered often, but teaching isn't really my thing, but supposedly I look like a good English teacher, ha! whatever that means...

Everything is perception here. Message me if you wanna know more I can ask about it.


Thank you so much for your advice and I am now considering doing a TEFL course to boost my salary up. No I'm not fair/pale skinned but I am Middle eastern.

posidrive66 wrote:

Hi, yes 5000LE is a very low salary especially living in Cairo where you tend to earn more money.  I would ask them for at least 10000LE plus your own flat allowance of 3000LE.  It is so hard to find qualified English teachers in Egypt and many native English speakers can get work here on good salary's. As you are not a qualified teacher you won't earn the highest salary but certainly expect much much more than 5000LE which is only approx, 450 English Pound.


Unfortunately I was told a 10000LE salary amount cannot be expected in language/national schools but in international schools. I would need a teaching certificate and experience to work in one of those I guess.

I do think 5000 le is a low salary for primary 4 (fellow Scot?  :) ).  I started earning that amount in a nursery almost five years ago.  Nursery salaries are usually lower than school salaries and I also had no experience at all.

I later earned a bit more but in both cases I also received free childcare for my daughter.

I would push for at least 7k or 8k, and look around other schools as you do have some experience.  Don't be shy to just show up with a CV.  This is how I have often done it, and have always found something very quickly.

International schools vary widely in terms of what qualifications (if any) they require and salary offered.  Give it a go applying to work with schools nearby your home.  Long commutes in Cairo are a total killer.

Good luck!