Teaching English in Qatar

A modern and prosperous state, Qatar is best known for having rich resources of oil and gas. It is home to the third largest gas reserves in the world and the nation’s per capita GDP also ranks among either the highest or second highest globally. The wealth and commercial prominence of this otherwise tiny nation has helped Qatar create history by being given the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first ever Arab nation to do so.

Salary expectations in the range of $1,600-$4,000 tax-free income is realistic for the qualified English teachers with additional benefits including furnished housing, health insurance, and to-and-fro airfare for the place of their teaching assignment.

As a smaller nation but far more coveted teaching destination for foreigners compared to Saudi Arabia largely due to its lucrative teaching contracts, Qatar has an extremely competitive job market. First-time teachers will find it difficult to get hired here though it is not an impossible task, but preference is usually given to the more experienced native-English speaking teachers who possess advanced credentials. A typical requirement also includes a TEFL certification.

Advance hiring of the foreign teachers from their respective countries is a common practice with the visa being processed prior to their scheduled departure. Teachers are required to pass an HIV and physical test before they are provided a visa while in many cases a criminal background check and verification of academic transcripts also get asked for. The interview and visa procuring process usually takes around 1-3 months to complete.

English teaching jobs in Qatar are usually concentrated around the capital city of Doha.