Sharm el Sheikh Dive Jobs & Work Guide

QUICK GLANCE

The 30 second version

PAY RANGE

USD $500–1,250 /month

LIVING COST

$550–850/month

HIRING

Mar–Jun (peak), Sep–Oct

VISA

Work permit (employer-sponsored)

DIVE FOCUS

Resort diving, OW courses, guiding, boats

LANGUAGES

English, Arabic, Russian, German

the diving

What you're actually going to dive

Ras Mohammed, Tiran, and the Thistlegorm define Sharm. The national park at Ras Mohammed delivers sharks, rays, and colourful reef walls. Tiran's four exposed reefs bring strong currents and big pelagics. The Thistlegorm is one of the world's most visited wreck dives. Visibility runs 20–30m; water temperature 20°C in winter, 28°C at summer peak. Most working days are boat-based reef guiding and OW instruction departing from the Old Market or Sharm el Maya marinas.

Life here

What it's like to live here

AT WORK

Days start around 07:30 at the marina. Load gear, run two-tank boat trips to reef sites, return mid-afternoon for equipment rinse, fills, and admin. Afternoon pool sessions and DSD briefings are common. Expect 2–3 dives per day, a steady student flow, and paperwork following EU-style centre standards. Night dive rosters run several times weekly in peak season.

AFTER WORK

Dive staff typically live in shared housing near the Old Market or Hadaba areas. Evenings bring cheap falafel, kushari, beach cafes, shisha bars, and the social strip around Naama Bay. Days off offer a 90-minute drive north to Dahab for a change of scene, desert excursions to St Catherine's Monastery, or fun dives at Ras Mohammed. Alcohol is available at licensed venues. The pace is resort-town social rather than city nightlife.

Pay & costs

What the money looks like

Pay varies by role, shop size, and season. Accommodation deals can change the net picture significantly.

Role	Monthly (USD)	Notes
Divemaster	$500–800/month	Accommodation varies by centre
OW Instructor	$700–1,200/month	Russian/German speakers earn more; peak-season tips add significantly
Senior / IDC Staff	$1,400–2,200/month	Varies by centre

Cost of living

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Monthly living costs in USD
Beer (bar)	$2
SIM card /month	$11
Shared rent /month	$[INSERT VERIFIED FIGURE HERE]
Transport /month	$[INSERT VERIFIED FIGURE HERE]
Local meal	$4
Coffee	$2

visa info

What visa do you need

Employment requires a work permit sponsored by your employer, processed through Egypt's Ministry of Manpower. The Chamber of Diving and Water Sports (CDWS) also regulates foreign instructor certification requirements for operators. The dive centre handles the application, which can take several weeks. Working on a tourist visa is common in the industry but is not legal. Risks include fines, penalties to the dive centre, and deportation. Visa regulations can change. Working without the correct permit is illegal. Check official Egyptian immigration sources and the Ministry of Manpower for current requirements before committing to any role.

IMPORTANT

Visa regulations change. Working without the correct visa or work permit is illegal. This is general information only — always verify current requirements through official immigration authorities in the destination country.

right for me?

Be honest with yourself

You'll love it if

You want high course volume and fast experience growth

You're comfortable in a busy, social environment

Low cost of living matters more than high salary

Maybe not if

You prefer quieter, remote locations over busy social scenes

You want a predictable schedule or regular days off

You're expecting high pay — Koh Tao runs on volume, not salary

Sharm el Sheikh dive jobs & life guide