Work permit situation and a ramble

[Crowley]

I heard this today... we are not 100% certain how things will pan out but at the moment the situation for non-Egyptian dive staff is this:

Existing work permits can be renewed at a cost of 2000 Egyptian Pounds (LE) - approximately 230 Euros at the moment.

New Work permits will be maybe 4000 - 7000LE 800 Euros - but we were told they would definitely be more expensive than last year. Also, the work permit must be applied for from outside the country. For staff whose work permits expired during the revolution, this means a relatively short trip to Israel or Jordan.

For people planning a future career in Egypt, this means an extra amount of worry and expense. You can't get a job without a work permit. You can't get a work permit without a job, and now you can't even apply for the CDWS exam (if that even means anything any more) until you have a work permit. So, I suspect there will be very few foreign new recruits in Egypt this year, and those that are not multi-lingual will find it very difficult indeed, I think.

This is, to some extent, a re-application of older policy with regard to work permits, but until 2009, they weren't - shall we say with a gentleman's nod and a secret handshake and a wagon-load of backsheesh - strictly enforced.

I know there is a certain percentage of the staff here that would like to see all foreign dive staff out of the country, and perhaps what I was told today is an indication of how the interim government is responding to pressure from various sections of the industry, but we are still needed here, and we are not living in Egypt to take jobs and therefore money from Egyptians. We are living here because we love it here, and doing what we do.

For those thinking of coming here, it's not impossible, please feel free to PM etc.

This Sakara's on me.

Cheers

C.

 

[macrobubble]

I heard this today... we are not 100% certain how things will pan out but at the moment the situation for non-Egyptian dive staff is this:

Existing work permits can be renewed at a cost of 2000 Egyptian Pounds (LE) - approximately 230 Euros at the moment.

Would that be for a year or for 6 months?

 

[supergaijin]

Damn- they're shooting themselves in the foot with a cannon!

I was looking forward to coming back to Sharm or the area one day. I have skills, experience and languages that are needed there but the question marks are definitely off-putting.

I have no problem working legally and paying the money to do so if that also means there is some protection for me as a legal worker in a foreign country. However that doesn't seem to be the priority here.

In short- if all the foreign dive professionals left Sharm tomorrow, the industry would collapse as there aren't enough qualified locals to take their place. (When I say qualified- I mean competent as well!)

 

[Crowley]

Would that be for a year or for 6 months?

no idea... it all seemed quite random when it came to duration of work permits last time around - it seemed to get based on your date of last entry to the country rather than any particular duration of time.

We're just entering the first round of applications so we'll see what happens....

C.

 

[LouieLouie]

A sad situation, but why should we expect to receive work permits for Egypt when it's pretty much impossible for Egyptians to get work permits for Europe?

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

A sad situation, but why should we expect to receive work permits for Egypt when it's pretty much impossible for Egyptians to get work permits for Europe?

You got a bingo

 

[Ste Wart]

A sad situation, but why should we expect to receive work permits for Egypt when it's pretty much impossible for Egyptians to get work permits for Europe?

That's a bigger issue. That said that is exactly the reason why Europeans should get the work permits.

I know there are a lot of zero to heros who have dived nowhere but the red sea (the arrogant manager at Camel Dive springs to mind; long story) but a lot of Europeans have a wealth of experience to bring to Egypt as dive instructors.
I used to work in Taba; and later Dahab, one guy I was working with had 3000 dives on the Taba divesites, he was egyptian. Now this gave him a good, nay excellent grounding for the local conditions, but I do not feel that he had a wider perspective of diving. I've dived in many different environments, used a wealth of equipment and have challenged myself to become a better diver though this, and I think that passes along when I teach. So I believe it is good idea to bring in foreign instructors to Egypt as it keeps the teaching fresh.

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

I've dived in many different environments, used a wealth of equipment and have challenged myself to become a better diver though this, and I think that passes along when I teach. So I believe it is good idea to bring in foreign instructors to Egypt as it keeps the teaching fresh.

Are you saying that, unless you have this variety under your belt, you can't be a good instructor?

If so, then the number of "good" instructors is globally not enough to maintain the industry. More importantly, the certification agencies should seriously review their standards.

However, I believe you didn't mean that, and I do agree that varied experience opens new perspectives and participates in building a better diver thus a better instructor. However, that's not the main issue here. Not all working foreigners in Egypt have this experience. And even if someone has, it is not quantifiable. You can't guarantee that a dive instructor is good just because he dove many places.

So finally, it turns out to be the "tangible" qualifications that matter. The most important of which is the languages.

 

[Ste Wart]

So finally, it turns out to be the "tangible" qualifications that matter. The most important of which is the languages.

I don't agree that languages are important at all. There are too many instructors working worldwide; with little or no experience, who are hired simply because they can speak 3 or more languages.

There are too few instructors with a wealth of different dive environments under their belt, that is true. But an instructor should always seek out new challenges; be it technical or moving further up the recreational ladder if they cannot experience such environments. It is too easy to stagnate in this industry, far too easy to become complacent and bored with the same old routine.

 

[Kiwi303]

A sad situation, but why should we expect to receive work permits for Egypt when it's pretty much impossible for Egyptians to get work permits for Europe?

Where's the money? Are there lots of Egyptians spending Egyptian money in Europe wanting familiar Egyptian language and faces in Europe, or are there lots of Europeans spending Euros and Pounds and wanting to hear familiar European languages with familiar Euro faces in Egypt?


If Egypt wants the tourists to spend money in Egypt, they'll keep issuing permits and employing people who make the tourists feel at home. Or the tourists go elsewhere and take their money with them. Europe doesn't need Egypts tourists money, so they don't need to issue permits or employ Egyptians.


Simple, Nearly everything can be explained by following the money.