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after mcschools?

 
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melissadawn



Joined: 13 Apr 2010
Posts: 16
Location: London/USA

PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 8:46 pm    Post subject: after mcschools? Reply with quote

Hello. Building on one of the previous posts in which mcschools are recommended as a way in... how does this work, exactly? How would one get a visa through one of the big schools and then go it alone? I've been living in Moscow for six months as an independent teacher working for different schools and doing the three month visa runs, and it's been going well. Students are motivated, and I pretty much set my own hours and holidays. The market for English teachers in Moscow is very good. Am I at a stage in which there's no reason to consider a real contract? I'm considering some possibilities of real contracts, but while I spend a lot of money on three month visas, I think I'm still ahead of those working on full time contracts, and happy with my situation apart from the rather large visa expenses. Any thoughts?
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi. Interesting question, but I didn't fully understand a few things. E.g. how are you dealing with the 90 day in / 90 day out rule? What sort of visa are you on?
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:46 pm    Post subject: Don't get over optimistic...... Reply with quote

I saw many people work for six months starting from the autumn and do well...only to hit the ground with a bump when the dacha season starts in June and many people try to escape from Moscow,rather than concentrate on other things like learning English etc!Only those in the know and of long standing seem to find enough work to tie them over until September when things usually start to pick-up again.....your rent and living expenses will of course not go down for the summer and it's so easy to overlook this when you are making good money.One solution might be to find a summer job outside Moscow or perhaps even in another country where they do have work.If you are one of the very lucky ones who has enough work(or have saved enough cash) to tie you over then you will not be facing this annual problem!
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tie and tide waits for no man: especially when dacha season kicks off! : )
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:38 pm    Post subject: Absolutely Sasha! Reply with quote

Two of the firms I worked for did have the decency to warn me about this annual problem,basically saying that from May to September the number of students would be much less and that although they could give me some lessons which were normally taught by Russian teachers the hourly rates would be 'considerably less' because these clients paid a lower price to the firm than for native English teachers.....one of the co-ordinators was decent enough to tell me that I would end up working much longer hours and for much less money than before-after doing my calculations I realised that it was not worth my while.....
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coledavis



Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838

PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sashadroogie wrote:
Hi. Interesting question, but I didn't fully understand a few things. E.g. how are you dealing with the 90 day in / 90 day out rule? What sort of visa are you on?

The 90 day in / 90 day out rule does not in fact exist as such. The actual rule, as given in business visas, is 90 days out of any 180. This is designed so that business visitors can travel in and out of the country, on business. The use of this visa for for a straight 90 days is of course a valid subset of this rule, but it isn't intended to facilitate employment.
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:35 pm    Post subject: Cole is right! Reply with quote

The fact is that many employers used-and still do- these type of visas as a loophole to employ foreigners on a short-term basis without paying tax or going through all the bureaucracy required to get work-permits etc. that are legally required.The advantages for both sides are the flexibility,but coupled with the risks involved if it is discovered by the authorities and the appropriate bribe has not been paid!The employee will inevitably be worse off and probably find that their visa is cancelled,effectively meaning they have to leave Russia at very short notice!Under such circumstances,you may,or may not be able to apply for a new one from your home country.In a large city like Moscow your chances of not being discovered are probably much greater than in a small town where foreigners are rare.Of course the big drawback with having a legal work visa as a teacher,which your employer will have obtained after considerable effort and expense is that they are hardly likely to agree to you leaving and working elsewhere if things don't work out and this is unfortunately quite possible in Russia!
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I know the 90/180 rule is just for business visas, but the OP said that he/she was working as an independent teacher. Not sure how that works. On a tourist visa, if not a business visa? As far as I know, you cannot just get a work visa for yourself, without a company sponsoring you. Chance being a fine thing etc.
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:31 pm    Post subject: Good question.... Reply with quote

I know one 'old-timer' who has one with a top international firm and is officially classified as a 'training consultant!'He has no problems with the six month rule of course....
Nice one!
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, very nice, but it is an official work visa sponsored by a company. What is the OP doing?
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coledavis



Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838

PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the wheeze of saying that you are a self-employed teacher and thus on business, but I don't think the immigration authorities would wear it.

Getting a company to invite you is more practical. Also, as a consultant, I guess you might later apply for a proper working visa rather than just a business one. HOWEVER, to stay strictly legal, you would not be able to have a timetabled teaching workload, but would have to service local teachers. Now just how many companies would help with that, I don't know.
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kazachka



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 220
Location: Moscow and Alaska

PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 3:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Good question.... Reply with quote

maruss wrote:
I know one 'old-timer' who has one with a top international firm and is officially classified as a 'training consultant!'He has no problems with the six month rule of course....
Nice one!


Not to hard to file independently for a work visa if you know the right people in the right spots with extra quota spots for sale....
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