Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

I think it would be good to start a FAQ for countries in Latin America.

Money
How much is the average pay per hour for private classes in the capital? In the provinces? 10-20 usd an hour in Lima. 5-10USD an hour in the provinces
How much is the average pay per hour for institutes in the capital? In the provinces? About 6-10 usd in Lima, about 3-5 usd in the provinces.
What are some things that you should bring with you because they�re expensive or hard to find? Contact solution, sunblock, tampons, perscription medicine, large or tall shoes or clothing.
How much is an unfurnished, one bedroom apartment in the capital? In the provinces? In the richer districts in Lima, expect about 250 usd a month and up. that would be in places like Miraflores. In the provinces, about 100 usd.
About how much money do you need a month? About 500 usd
Other information: Don't carry valuables with you, like ID, credit cards, money, photos.

Visas
How much time is given for tourist visas? up to 183 days. Most get 180 if you ask, if not, 30 -90.
Are they extendable? For how long? How many times can you get an extension? No, you have to leave the country OR pay a dollar a day for each day that you overstay.
Can you border hop and be given more time when you re-enter the country? How much time are you given? How much time do you have to spend out of the country before you can re-enter? Yes, in theory you can leave and come right back. sometimes they tell you to stay a day or two, you can get up to 183 days when you come back.
Is it possible to find work on a tourist visa? Yes.
What documents do you need in order to get a working visa? Legalised copy and translation of your BA.
What other visas can be used to work legally? How do you get them? Marriage visa is the most common.
Do most institutes help with visas? No, though Britanico does recruit through babelfishrecruiting and that's the only place I know that will get you a visa that's an institute.
Other information: Schools will get visas.

Jobs
What are some of the best websites to find teaching jobs? expatperu.com , livinginperu.com , http://groups.yahoo.com/group/perujobbulletin
What are some of the popular cities to teach English in? Lima, Trujillo, Piura, Chiclayo, Arequipa, Cusco.
Is a TEFL cert necessary? No, but it helps in the classroom.
Is a bachelor�s degree necessary? No, not for insitutes, but yes for schools and unis.
Is it necessary to be a native speaker? No, near native is ok.
Are split shifts common? Yes
What are some good institutes to work at in the capital? In the provinces? In Lima: English Life, Business Links, Morton Taylor, Fulbright, PARI, Camelot, World Comm. IN the provinces, Excel in Cusco,
What are some good bilingual schools to work at in the capital? In the provinces? In LIma, FDR, San Silvestre, Colegio Peruano Britanico, Markham, Cambridge, Leonardo DaVinci, Hiram Bingham, Newton. In the provinces, Prescott, Fleming, Davy.
What are the requirements to work in a bilingual (not international) school? BA, native or near native speaker, teaching experience.
Is it easy to arrange a job beforehand? For institutes, it's almost impossible. For schools, it's easier if you have qualifications.
Other information: Unis in Lima won't get you a visa.

Misc.
Other information: Be persistant, people don't return emails. Go to the institutes and schools once you arrive. At the end of January and february, schools always have last minute openings.

[ashleyanew]

Wow! That was really helpful!

I'm ESL teaching in Korea and coming to Peru in August and you answered nearly all of my prematurely obsessive questions~~~

Thanks Nature Girl~

[naturegirl321]

Glad to help, I PMed you with links as well.

[sistaray]

Just a few nitpicky disputings:

[naturegirl321]

Yep, I did change the figure, just not here, but on my blog. Though honstly, generalising, I'd say most teachers pay at least 100usd in Lima. I was paying 450 soles in Piura for a 100 m2 flat, but that was 3 years ago.


500usd a month, I stand by that for big cities. IN the provinces, besides Arequipa, Cusco, Piura and Chiclayo and Trujillo, I still think that you need 500usd. Rent, transport, food, adds up fast. Plus through in a night out, and you're up to 500usd. If you have any left off, congrats, put it in the bank.

For carrying stuff with you, you'd be surpised how many people still carry passports and 100 dollar bills with them, and they've lived in Peru for a couple of years. Simply put, don't carry caluables. Better safe than sorry, carry what you need for shopping, the bus, etc, just don't overdo it.

Extensions were phased out in July 2008. NOw you get UP to 180 days if you ask for it. Border hop or pay a dollar a day.

Yes, those two do hire from overseas, same with Britanico, but three out of the thousands or so in Peru, just isn't much

[sistaray]

[naturegirl321]

Nope, including. YOu're probably right, you can live on less, but I'd rather tell people to bring too much than too little. So are you coming back to Peru?

[ashleyanew]

I thought I remember reading somewhere on here that people have had problems flying into Peru with a one-way ticket.....

THoughts????

[naturegirl321]

Peru doesn't have requirements about it. BUT the airline from the country that you're leaving from might. For example, if you leave from country A on airline B, they might require you to buy a return ticket. In that case, you have no choice, purchase it and refund it once you get back.

But here in Peru, they don't even check,t hey just stamp your passport.

If you're worried about it, I suggest buying a cheap onward ticket, to Ecuador or Chile, showing it at the checkin counter, then refunding it once you arrive.

[sistaray]

My experience with the Peruvian passport stampers is they're sleepy and bored, not interested in the least about one-way or return flights...

[naturegirl321]

Yep, immigrations here doesn't care. It's the country that you leave for that cares. Because IF, on the off chance that Peru decides that you can't get in becuase you don' have a return flight, than the airlines has to fly you back at their expense.

[sistaray]

ah, so potentially flying out of your country, they could stop you? Not when you get to your destination country?

[ashleyanew]

Japan Air wasn't going to let me leave Chicago with a one way ticket. Until I directed them to my VISA.

[naturegirl321]

[sistaray]