| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
andwar
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 44
|
 Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:37 pm Post subject: Process to obtain Work Permit & LT Visa in Mexico |
 |
|
I want to teach English at a language school in Mexico. What is the procedure and steps that I must follow to obtain a work permit and long-term visa in Mexico to teach English? I understand that I must begin this process while in the U.S.
I currently teach English in Vietnam (2 years). I have BA and MBA degrees plus a CELTA certificate.
Thanks in advance! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: Process to obtain Work Permit & LT Visa in Mexico |
|
|
| andwar wrote: |
I want to teach English at a language school in Mexico. What is the procedure and steps that I must follow to obtain a work permit and long-term visa in Mexico to teach English? I understand that I must begin this process while in the U.S.
I currently teach English in Vietnam (2 years). I have BA and MBA degrees plus a CELTA certificate.
Thanks in advance! |
Most language schools in Mexico are just becoming aware of the new Mexican immigration policy that requires prospective teachers to have a job offer before applying for a work visa at a Mexican Consulate in their home country. Until now, they could hire people already in Mexico on a tourist visa and then help them change to a work visa. So it's going to be difficult for you to find legal work at the moment unless you are qualified to teach at one of the top-notch bilingual schools that do their recruiting at overseas job fairs. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but hopefully things will change in the near future. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
andwar
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 44
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Tks so much for the quick reply! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:17 am Post subject: Re: Process to obtain Work Permit & LT Visa in Mexico |
|
|
| andwar wrote: |
I want to teach English at a language school in Mexico. What is the procedure and steps that I must follow to obtain a work permit and long-term visa in Mexico to teach English? I understand that I must begin this process while in the U.S.
I currently teach English in Vietnam (2 years). I have BA and MBA degrees plus a CELTA certificate.
Thanks in advance! |
Hola amigo! 
Welcome to the Mexico forum! 
BA/MBA/CELTA=Way too qualified for 98% of jobs in Mexico and those jobs in the language schools MIGHT pay $8 an hour, not the $18 an hour you are already used to in Vietnam.
Cost of living in Mexico is also MUCH higher than in Vietnam... So lower wages and a higher CoL= POVERTY 
China pays much better than Mexico, for example with your set of quals, a minimum of $1,500 USD per month plus free room & board would be the norm... In Mexico you MIGHT make $800USD per month at a language school and you HAVE to spend ALL of that just to make ends meet... 
LatAm pays garbage wages for the most part. Sure, some posters can say how they have a great job, set-up, blah blah blah 
90% of the jobs in Mexico are crap. Low wages and low salaries. Just ask any of the millions of Mexicans living in the USA how good things are south of the Rio Bravo border... And add to it over 100,000 people DEAD or MISSING (no bodies found but dead as a doornail) since 2006 from the Mexican Drug (Civil) WAR and it's a winning-combo!
If you spend 10 years in a place, learn the language like a local (Orale guey!) and have FEW or NO other options in life while working for poverty wages  , Then, you too will eventually find some "golden job" or gig and be able to live the EFL dream too 
Mexico works out well if you have a pension or SS check. Or you run a taco cart or a TEFL school. Or your spouse is Mexican with a business and/or a good job. 
If you just want low wages and to learn some Spanish, by all means, give Mexico a try. Just don't expect to ever save anything, unless you open up a combo taco/tamale/torta cart |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:17 am Post subject: Re: Process to obtain Work Permit & LT Visa in Mexico |
|
|
| Isla Guapa wrote: |
| andwar wrote: |
I want to teach English at a language school in Mexico. What is the procedure and steps that I must follow to obtain a work permit and long-term visa in Mexico to teach English? I understand that I must begin this process while in the U.S.
I currently teach English in Vietnam (2 years). I have BA and MBA degrees plus a CELTA certificate.
Thanks in advance! |
Most language schools in Mexico are just becoming aware of the new Mexican immigration policy that requires prospective teachers to have a job offer before applying for a work visa at a Mexican Consulate in their home country. Until now, they could hire people already in Mexico on a tourist visa and then help them change to a work visa. So it's going to be difficult for you to find legal work at the moment unless you are qualified to teach at one of the top-notch bilingual schools that do their recruiting at overseas job fairs. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but hopefully things will change in the near future. |
You missed the annual job fair season by a month or so...looking ahead to next year (2014), the closest one I know of is in Bangkok with search associates. Those are for the top schools of course.
http://www.searchassociates.com/job-fairs/Fair.aspx?id=109
Making direct contact with schools is your only option right now. Like Isla says, you'll need to firm up a job offer beforehand and visit a consulate to start the paperwork. It's a whole new set of rules so only the better schools are handling new hires this way, with the lower end schools still unaware of how to do the paperwork. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
roadwalker
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 10:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
Granted this is a new policy and hasn't been fully implemented yet, so I don't expect anyone to have a definite answer. But...is working under a tourist visa likely to hurt one's chances of securing legal employment in the future? I've read that there are many teachers without work permits teaching illegally in Mexico City: true? And what if anything is done about it? A fine? Deportation? Both? Likely that someone could do a border run to the US or to Guatamala for a non-immigrant working visa after securing a job?
I'm considering Mexico for September-ish but would like to see what's available on the ground rather than take a flyer from the Internet. I imagine schools feel the same way, especially language academies. So getting an offer might be difficult from a distance. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| is working under a tourist visa likely to hurt one's chances of securing legal employment in the future? I've read that there are many teachers without work permits teaching illegally in Mexico City: true? |
Yes, this is true, Enforcement has always been very lax here in DF though it isn't i. other parts of the country.
I'm not sure on the effects of getting caught then trying to get legal work later...I've never seen anyone caught much less get caught then try to go the legal route.
| Quote: |
| I'm considering Mexico for September-ish but would like to see what's available on the ground rather than take a flyer from the Internet. I imagine schools feel the same way, especially language academies. So getting an offer might be difficult from a distance. |
It has always been difficult to land employment before arriving, and you're right in thinking that schools do prefer to see a teacher in person before committing. The new migra rules make that very hard now, or at least more expensive in that you'd have to make two trips to Mexico instead of just one.
Hey MotherF, do you know what your school and system are doing for this? Are they now making job offers prior to a teacher's arrival? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| We've always made job offers prior to teacher's arrival. We will now have to give them more time to get there stuff together and get down here. This year we only had two new hires and both came here from other less attractive jobs in Mexico. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chica88
Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 12:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
andwar - Well, I was reading some of the things here so I will give my 2 cents...
Your very qualified to teach in Mexico.
If I were you i'd look mostly at teaching at the university level.
There are even some American schools which I feel would consider you with your schooling.
But, I think the universities would be more realistic to look at getting a real job.
The international schools get stressed over the credential thing.
And if you do check into universities the wages are not bad especially in bigger cities.
As far as the work permit I would not stress.
You come under the 90 day grace period.
Then the Mexican government will let you extend it for something like another 60 days.
I don't remember the exact formula they go by.
But, when you get offered a position the school writes you a letter.
Then you go to immigration and turn in the letter and they ask you what kind of visa you want.
I told them I wanted the visa that allowed me to work at more then one school.
Immigration does not really care what your answer is - they just want the money for the visa.
The visa thing in Mexico is nothing to stress over.
It only takes a little bit of time to get.
And like I said they mostly just want the money. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 4:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Chica88, have you done this recently, since the new rules for getting a work visa have gone into effect? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chica88
Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 3:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Isla Guapa wrote: |
| Chica88, have you done this recently, since the new rules for getting a work visa have gone into effect? |
I have only had my work visa for a short while.
And I hate to say it but it really does depend on the immigration agent you get.
In the next bigger city I have hear stories about teachers being given hard times over the work visas.
I had no problems and things went smooth.
I'm on vacation now but when I return to mexico I'll make a trip in there and ask things will be different for me next time.
I've had no reason to ask because my work permit is still good for awhile yet.
I'm actually good friends with the immigration agent so I will pop in and talk to her. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
j_nmi_rutledge
Joined: 18 Mar 2013
Posts: 22
Location: Mexico City
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 4:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
well, i would like to think that the work visa is that easy, but i am not so sure. and i have read that it can be different depending on which immigration office you use.
my fiance went to an immigration office in DF (i don't know which one, if there is more than one) last week to get some answers for us. he was told by an officer there that there is no way to convert the tourist visa to a work visa (i am assuming the tourist visa is what chica88 meant when she said "come under the 90 grace period.")
the officer did say the work visa is easier to obtain if you have a job offer. however, my fiance did not clarify anything about having to leave the country in order to obtain it because i will be going a different route - he will be sponsoring me.
i plan to be working on getting my work visa in july, after my certification class. if i have any valuable information to share at that time, i will report back.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tretyakovskii
Joined: 14 Aug 2009
Posts: 462
Location: Cancun, Mexico
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 6:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| my fiance did not clarify anything about having to leave the country in order to obtain it because i will be going a different route - he will be sponsoring me. |
You were right to qualify this, Rutledge, because an application for residency based on a relationship and sponsorship- for example, with a Mexican, or with another foreigner who already has permission to live here- is one that can be filed with INM, in country, and it is not disqualifying that you entered Mexico as a tourist. Those who wish to work here, however, must now first get a visa, abroad, after having secured a solid offer of a job, and enter the country on that visa, then make an application to INM for a residency document once they are in Mexico.
The whole thing is now much more cumbersome for those who wish to work here than it was under the old law, which permitted the whole process to proceed, in Mexico. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chica88
Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| j_nmi_rutledge wrote: |
well, i would like to think that the work visa is that easy, but i am not so sure. and i have read that it can be different depending on which immigration office you use.
my fiance went to an immigration office in DF (i don't know which one, if there is more than one) last week to get some answers for us. he was told by an officer there that there is no way to convert the tourist visa to a work visa (i am assuming the tourist visa is what chica88 meant when she said "come under the 90 grace period.")
the officer did say the work visa is easier to obtain if you have a job offer. however, my fiance did not clarify anything about having to leave the country in order to obtain it because i will be going a different route - he will be sponsoring me.
i plan to be working on getting my work visa in july, after my certification class. if i have any valuable information to share at that time, i will report back. |
Sorry - I've read your post several times.
I'm a little confused.
Did your fiance go into the immigration office to purchase a work visa without having a job offer first?
If your fiance walked into immigration without a letter on the schools company letterhead stating he will be hired through them that would be a problem.
If immigration refused to issue a work permit even if your fiance had the letter in hand I would be a little surprised.
And as a side note:
Most schools I continue to communicate with in Mexico still operate under the thing that they want you to be there in Mexico to get work.
To then force people to cross the border to get a work visa sounds excessive if this is the case. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
j_nmi_rutledge
Joined: 18 Mar 2013
Posts: 22
Location: Mexico City
|
| Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| chica88 wrote: |
| j_nmi_rutledge wrote: |
well, i would like to think that the work visa is that easy, but i am not so sure. and i have read that it can be different depending on which immigration office you use.
my fiance went to an immigration office in DF (i don't know which one, if there is more than one) last week to get some answers for us. he was told by an officer there that there is no way to convert the tourist visa to a work visa (i am assuming the tourist visa is what chica88 meant when she said "come under the 90 grace period.")
the officer did say the work visa is easier to obtain if you have a job offer. however, my fiance did not clarify anything about having to leave the country in order to obtain it because i will be going a different route - he will be sponsoring me.
i plan to be working on getting my work visa in july, after my certification class. if i have any valuable information to share at that time, i will report back. |
Sorry - I've read your post several times.
I'm a little confused.
Did your fiance go into the immigration office to purchase a work visa without having a job offer first?
If your fiance walked into immigration without a letter on the schools company letterhead stating he will be hired through them that would be a problem.
If immigration refused to issue a work permit even if your fiance had the letter in hand I would be a little surprised.
And as a side note:
Most schools I continue to communicate with in Mexico still operate under the thing that they want you to be there in Mexico to get work.
To then force people to cross the border to get a work visa sounds excessive if this is the case. |
i'm sorry, i should have been more clear. my fiance is a mexican citizen. i will be coming to mexico in about 3 weeks (!!!!). i will be attending a CELTA school and after that will be looking for work. he went to immigration to find out how we will go about getting a work visa for me.
i will enter on a tourist visa, and after that he will be sponsoring me to obtain residency and permission to work. because we know i will not have to leave the country for my visa, he did not clarify that part of what appears to be the new laws.
i wanted to add my original comment to this thread because part of it seems to contradict your experience - the part about what the immigration official told my fiance, that there is no way to convert a tourist visa into a work visa.
again, because it does not pertain to me, i have no additional information about having to leave the country to obtain a work visa. but i agree with you, Chica88, if that is the case, it is excessive. it seems certain exceptions should have been written into the law for certain industries - this being one. but it is what it is - unfortunately, it is so new, that it doesn't appear that we have a clear picture of what exactly "it" is. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
