Looking for Work in Yemen

Like much of the Arab world, if you know someone, you’re in. Looking for a job in Yemen is made easy if you know people.

What if you don’t know people?

You can cold canvas by sending your CV to potential employers. Send it online, and also hand deliver as many as you can in person. Yemen is generally easy going and if you deliver your CV in person, you may make a new friend and all of a sudden you know someone and they know people which, inshaAllah, leads to you getting a job faster.

The American School in Sana’a did not want to employ me as a single woman in town alone but said they would have no hesitation employing me if I had a husband here. They would employ us both because they preferred to hire couples. So, no joy for us singles! Really it is good news because it is a kafir school with kafir kids in it doing lots of kufr.

Many schools and institutes for English language only want American speakers and no use putting on an American accent because they want American passports too. Once such organisation is the very well organised YCMES (Yemen Centre for Middle Eastern Studies). For American sisters thinking of working there: you will have to teach mixed classes – men and women all together. YCMES provides its teachers with accommodation and Arabic lessons. YCMES does not run on Islamic principles and advertises its adherence to US Peace Corps values – need I say more?

There are also a few schools that only wanted British passport holders with British accents, such as the Queens School, but once again these establishments were weak in Islamic principles.
AMIDEAST are more accommodating to the different Englishes and the pay is reasonable at $US11-$26 per day (this is good pay in Yemen, some Yemenis only earn $26 per month!). They are also very prompt in replying to emails and have offices in Sana’a, Hodeidah, Aden and Mukalla (Hadhramout).

There are plenty of private schools employing foreign teachers, such as An-Nahdha school (near Al-Iman University), which is semi-Islamic quasi secular nationalistic. Yemen Modern School – using American curriculum is a completely secular school with a mix of Muslim and non-Muslim students, and various foreign schools (British, American, Turkish, Pakistani).

For an Islamic alternative, Academiya Islamiya run by Shaikha Asma Zindane is an option. The school is expanding and is especially looking for male teachers for the proposed boys’ campus. You don’t need a teaching degree, you just need to be a strong adherent to Sunni Islam, be trustworthy and have some basic life experience. The school tries to put Islam first as much as they can without the Government closing them down. The downside to working at Academiya Islamiya is the low pay. You will need to take some private tutoring jobs to survive – but at least you’ll have a visa and halal environment.

Teaching is not the only job available to muhajireen. Medical professionals are also highly prized and there are some good hospitals in Sana’a, Aden and Hodeida. The Uloom al-Technology University is also a hospital and employs medical professionals as well as teachers for health and medical related subjects as well as English. Classes are not mixed.

Teaching is by far the easiest job to find and if your Arabic is not strong it isn’t a problem. If you have a Masters degree in anything, you can apply for instructor positions at the various Universities and if you have only a secondary school certificate but are a native English speaker you can get a job in schools or take students for private tutoring.

Remember everything is slow in Yemen, so once you have applied for jobs, be patient but do follow up your applications regularly and make sure you have names and numbers.

If your visa expires while you are still looking for work, you can try get an extension from the Ministry of Interior, or you can let it expire and when you get a job, pay any fines. I am not sure which is the cheaper or easier option but for the sake of legitimacy try get the extension!

Do you have any Yemen job hunting tips or information? Please feel free to share your experiences with us.