Frequently Asked Questions about Working at TIS
Can you tell me something about Macao?
Macao is located on the southern coast of China, about an hour by ferry from Hong Kong. It’s a safe, multicultural city of about 620,000 people and home to a flourishing casino industry. Macao definitely has a vibe that is uniquely its own, thanks to the fusion of Chinese and Portuguese cultures over hundreds of years, Until as recently as 1999, Macao was a Portuguese colony and its influence can still be seen in the city’s architecture, food and culture. Today, Macao is a Special Administrative Region, with its own constitution and basic law, police force and currency.
Do I need a work permit to work in Macao?
Overseas employees are required to obtain a work permit or “blue card” to work in Macau legally. The human resources department at TIS will assist each employee in obtaining a “blue card”. This process is started as early as possible. The application will be approved prior to the employee arriving in Macao. The issuance of the blue card will be finalized after the employee arrives in Macao.
Do I REQUIRE TEACHER CERTIFICATION OR LICENSES?
TIS is an Alberta accredited offshore school and as such all teachers (SK-GRADE 12) working here must hold or apply for Alberta Certification. The legal requirements for certification, including all related matters are outlined in this Teacher Certification link.
Does TIS have medical insurance and a dental plan?
TIS provides medical coverage to all staff, which includes clinical visits, physical therapy and hospitalization through Luen Fung Hang Insurance Company Limited. Staff may upgrade their insurance coverage or may purchase supplemental insurance if they wish. Our dental plan is with Novocare Dental.
How many sick days do we have?
Employees are entitled to 2 days paid sick leave per teaching month, not to exceed 15 days in a school year. All claims for sick leave of more than 2 consecutive days require a certificate issued by a qualified physician. The Principal may waive the requirement for a medical certificate. A certificate issued by a registered physician is required if an employee claims sick leave prior to or immediately following a school holiday. Unused sick leave is paid out at the end of the year and cannot be carried over.
What does the school year look like?
Our school calendar is very similar to schools in Canada. Classes usually begin the last week of August and end the last week of June (see the website for a specific calendar). There are 184 instructional days and an additional 8 teacher days. Teachers new to TIS are required to be at school 1 week prior to the return of regular teachers.
What types of accommodations are available in Macao?
Almost everyone in Macao lives in an apartment and you’ll need an agent to help you find one. There are many real estate agents to choose from and TIS will also assist you in finding the right accommodation. Fully furnished apartments cost in the range of $1,600 CDN per month for a two-bedroom apartment. The school provides a housing allowance to help offset housing costs. Most staff members live in Taipa.
What are the extra curricular responsibilities?
TIS has three 8-week extra curricular sessions during the year. Teachers are required to offer a club during two of the three sessions for students in their division. Most clubs run 1 night per week for 1 hour. There are numerous opportunities for coaching as well. Coaching counts towards meeting the extra curricular responsibility. Teachers are paid a small stipend for meeting their extra-curricular responsibilities.
What meetings will I be required to attend?
TIS has a standardized meeting schedule. Every Thursday, teachers will attend either a general staff meeting, elementary/secondary meeting, division meeting, or committee meeting. Most meetings are about 45-60 minutes. Kindergarten to Grade 9 has common collaborative planning time during the week.
What about PD?
Every teacher belongs to a Professional Learning Community. PLCs explore essential questions to improve teaching and learning. The school has two designated PD days during the year. In addition, each teacher has a PD stipend (currently $7,000 MOP per year) to use toward PD opportunities such as conferences, graduate work, online courses, etc. Opportunities are available for staff to conduct peer development and to visit other international schools in the area.
Is there a dress code?
All school staff should dress in a manner that reflects the professional business nature of their job and should role model appropriate dress to our school community.
Choices include:
- Business suit
- Long pants
- Capris
- Skirts; need to be close to knee length.
- Dresses; need to be at least as close to knee length.
- Long blouse over tights or leggings
- Dress shorts; no cargo shorts and need to be close to knee length.
- Collared shirts
- Tie or scarf
- Shoes: closed toe shoes or sandals with a heel strap; beach shoes or flip flops are not to be worn.
- Tops: should not have spaghetti straps, be too tight, or too revealing. No t-shirts or hoodies.
Parent Conferences and other formal events with the school community- Business dress
Field Trips – TIS staff shirt.
PD Days– Business casual.
PE attire- PE department shorts and t-shirts or other TIS athletic clothing.
What is the best way to get to work?
The TIS staff bus makes stops in Macao and Taipa each morning and afternoon. All staff members are permitted to use the staff bus. There are also busses for less than $1 CDN or taxis for $4-$5 CDN.
What about holidays and travel opportunities?
We try to balance Western and Eastern holidays each year. We also try to group our holidays together into longer blocks so that families and teachers can travel. As such, you can expect one week for fall break, two weeks for Christmas, one week for Chinese New Year and one week for Easter/Spring Break.
What kind of taxes do we need to pay?
The school will calculate your income tax and deduct it from each month’s pay cheque. Most teachers are paying an average of 3% income tax. It is important that new teachers speak to tax advisors or accountants in their home countries about tax responsibilities.
What is the cost of living in Macao?
Judging the cost of living is fairly subjective. The amount that you save will probably depend on how often you travel.