Job Discussion Forums

[NorthofAmerica]

Wow, been a long time since I first posted in good ol' DavesESL! Good to be back!

I am currently living in Beijing and have a Mexican girlfriend from Playa Del Carmen. We've been planning on leaving for a long time. She owns a house in Playa and has worked in the hotel industry for a long time. She feels that she is in a very good position to head back home and get set up right away. We'd like to go together.

There was a brief period when I was interested in Mexico and now I am beginning to feel that interest coming back. I've been in Asia for 8 years now (Japan and China) and have ample experience teaching and managing schools for adults as well as corporate and private teaching. I have a TEFL (60hrs only) and a bachelor's degree.

I am not looking for any job in Mexico but specifically around Playa del Carmen, which from what people tell me is beautiful. I know there is a big tourism industry which could help the ESL industry in the area but also make it more competitive. Money won't be a big issue as I have savings and she has a house for us.

Is it at all realistic to arrive in Playa first and start looking or should I try to line something up from China? Can I transfer a tourist visa to a work visa or if I line up private classes should I not even worry? Is work hard to find in a beautiful tourist area?

I always arranged things by the book in relocating to Japan and China so I realize that the 'just showing up' mentality can be a bit of a disaster sometimes. I am only looking at one place and already have a roof over my head so I guess I am wondering how I can make a go of it rather than just if it is possible?

[notamiss]

The rules have changed. Now you have to apply for a residence visa (and authorization to work) at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico. In your situation, it could mean arriving as a tourist, scoring a job, then leaving the country temporarily to put in your application. The employer would have to support your application with documentation from their end. If they have never hired a foreigner since the new system was put into place, they have to do some extra paperwork to register as a business qualified to hire foreigners under the new system.

The alternative, if you want to consider it, would be to get married. A foreigner married to a Mexican is allowed to change from tourist to working resident from within Mexico.

You are right that places with a big tourist industry are very competitive*. You might have an advantage if your girlfriend’s family is in PDC, too; you can leverage that network to support your job search.

--------
*The bad part is not so much that “competitive” means ‘hard to find a job’ but that it tends to mean “extremely low pay.”

[notamiss]

As for ‘just showing up’ being a potential disaster – not in Mexico. There are hardly any schools that will hire teachers sight unseen – you do have to be on the ground and meet in person first, in almost all cases.

My source is hearsay; corrections and experiences to the contrary would be welcome and useful to the OP.

[Guy Courchesne]

[MotherF]

There is really nothing more I can add, except don't forget Belize as a visa run, that will be closer than Guatemala.

And connections mean a lot in Mexico, so use em if you've got em.

[inotu-unotme]

I don't live to far from where you want to set up OP. I've heard its rather difficult to get a job there. Its an island and the job resources are not what they would be in a bigger city. If your girlfriend has a sure thing thats fantastic. I do hear the hotel business is good there.

[reddevil79]

[BadBeagleBad]

[reddevil79]

Thanks for that BadBeagleBad. That's how I understand it too, but finding it hard to get information. Think I'll just have to head to immigration in person and find out for sure.

[MotherF]

Congratulations???

[jimpellow]

A bit late, but just saw this.

I was a long time China vet (survivor) who had recently lived in Playa Del Carmen for a couple months. I found it too touristy so have moved over to Merida which I adore. I really did not see any ESL industry to speak of there save a couple small schools, though there is definite demand as few Mexicans who live there speak English well enough to serve customers properly. There is a also a very large Italian community and sizable Argentinian one that are potential markets. An entrepreneur might make it there as long as he didn't run afoul of immigration.

I make the occasional half hearted attempt to teach Business English again, but then read all the school horror stories on these boards and go back to focusing on my Internet business which provides for my needs more than adequately by itself.

One suggestion would be teaching online which I have looked at doing again. The Internet is quite good in Playa, and I am sure a Chinese or Japanese company would take you on. Obviously the Japanese companies pay better, though they seem to prefer younger teachers and those who already have strong experience teaching Japanese.

[Rose Cohen]