Job Discussion Forums

Worldtraveler · Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 3

I have been researching Spain as a possible location to begin my TEFL career. Everybody I talk to says the following in regard to teaching positions in Spain:

1.) Unless you have an EU passport there is little chance of getting a work visa.

2.) The pay is not very good.

3.) The Spanish are primarily desiring to learn British English (acccent, etc.).

Is this true?

Hector_Lector · Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 548

1.) Yes

2.) Yes

3.) Yes

(...are primarily desiring... Shocked

)

Russell Hadd · Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 181

Hector has given you straight answers but there are ways in:

1) Find an EU citizen to marry. This is getting easier with the expansion of the club.

2) Now that you are newly married you won't care to begin with. When the honeymoon period is over send the other half out to work to supplement your pocket money.

3) I beleive so old chap.

Eric Paice · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 15

1) Yes - Doesn't matter though with very few exceptions most academies will hire you.

2) No - pay is OK. Academy work 13/14 Euros and hour. Private - I've charged 18/20 an hour and got away with it.

3) No - Not true at all, usually there is no preference.

I'm non-EU (USA), worked in Madrid for 18 months, had a good time, never been hassled by the authorities.

Want more info.? Drop me line.

Eric

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

If you do work illegally, you'll have no employment rights.

CharlesTESOL · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Barcelona, Spain

There are lots of Americans teaching English in Spain. Most do not have visas, but some, like me, do! I have been here for nearly 5 years and I rarely have heard of students having a preference for British over American accents. On the occasions when one does hear a preference, it is as likely to be for an American accent as it is for a British one. If it matters at all to a student, it will have to do with whether or not the person works for (or wants to work for) an American or British company OR has mostly American or British clients OR whether the person wants to study in the USA or the UK, etc. For this reason many schools like to have a variety of accents on staff. �Buena suerte!

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

Alex Shulgin · Joined: 20 Jul 2003 Posts: 553

Alex Shulgin · Joined: 20 Jul 2003 Posts: 553

CharlesTESOL · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Barcelona, Spain

Of course what I do for a living influences what I say here. Another major influence is my own experience as a non-EU citizen who had a desire to live and work in Spain and who, like many others I have come to know over the years, found a way to do it. Cheers!

Donde hay voluntad, hay una manera.