Job Discussion Forums

Matthew · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 14

Hi,

I would like an honest answer to this question.

what is the possibility for mid to late 50 yr olds teaching english in Germany or Austria?? Never before taught english but one person has M.A. degree and EU passport??

Replies appreciated,

Thanks

Amy · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 14 Location: Munich, Germany

Hi Matthew. I live in Germany, although I work at a university. I have local teacher friends who are in their 40s and 50s. Germans are very very big on certificates..you need one to visit a golf course, etc etc. I say you will be gainfully employed quickly with your EU citizenship(although the market isn't great now) but get the cert..TEFL or CELTA or RSA or one of the campus ones in the States. viel glueck

Ann · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

Amy,
May I ask you what specific qualifications are required to teach EFL/ESL or Business English in a German university? (And I don't mean the immigration requirements).
I teach in a US university and am moving to Germany next year, and would very much like to continue teaching in a similar environment.

Amy · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 14 Location: Munich, Germany

Hi Ann...I have a masters in Adult Ed/TESOL and have taught abroad and in the US for nearly 12 years...oh goodness..13!! I lived in Germany for a year many years ago, and the job posting on the twice-monthly TESOL jobs email requested some knowledge of German. Not that I use it much, just to sit through very long, boring meetings Wink

Email me directly ... it is amy in munich at yahoo dot com ...the first three words are all one word. I do that so spam operators don't sweep the 'net and pick up my address...

Ann · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

Thank you, Amy! I really appreciate that!

Albulbul · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 364

Austria is one of those countries where the "Native Speaker" model never caught on. Apart from English Languuage Assistants in government schools, who come under cultural agreements between Austria and other States, there are few native speakers teaching English in Austria.

This is true of a number of other countries in Europe : Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland. These places have developed and functioning educational systems with a long traidtion of teaching Foreign Languages. They do not need an EFL workforce like the one you see in Korea, or in the Arabic-speaking world.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

What Albulbul says here about Austria applies well in Germany too. The native speaker is not required in the labour market in Germany.

The response to this will be squeals and squawks but the truth can be painful.

I will continue to visit Germany but have given up on my dreasm of qworking there again.

schminken · Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 11:56 am Post subject:

I teach in Austria. Fachhochschulen are your best bet. There are 4 Native speakers working in mine. FHs list their job openings on their own homepages. I would try Wiener Neustadt.

longtimeteach · Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 107

Schminken,

Does Austria require specific working papers like Switzerland or are the work requirements more similar to Germany?

schminken · Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 3:51 pm Post subject: Requirements

I needed both a resident permit and a work visa. You need a confirmation from your employer to apply for a Aufenthaltsbewilligung. The employer is responsible for getting the permit from the Arbeitsamt. I have never even seen mine. It went to some ultra secret place in my paperwork for the residency permit. There is some special exception for university professors. They do not have to have work permits but FHs are not considered universities.

The residency permit is good for one year and then you can get it renewed. If you plan on staying more than 2 years you have to enroll in "Intergration Classes" where you take German courses and classes on Austrian History and Culture. Yes, there are exams. It doesn't matter if you have a diploma in German from a North American University or a certificate from Goethe Institute for the Oberstufe. The Austrian government won't recognize it. If you pass your Intergration courses, you recieve a residency permit for 5 years and then the next one is a permanent residency card.

Of course this is info is for Non-Eu people. EU citizens have requirements like in Germany. 2 of our native speakers are British and the other two are American. One of the Americans is married to an Austrian and has lived in this place for years and years. The visas were not really an issue for him.

longtimeteach · Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 107

Schminken,

I'm EU so it's good to know the requirements are similar in Germany and Austria. The real difference is the "Integration Class". Though probably a pain in the whatsit, in theory it sounds a good idea for Germany as well.

Here one only must prove they can read, write and speak German fluently, prove they haven't been on welfare or have gone to prison and, then, after 8 years one can apply for permanent residence.

Thanks for the info!

schminken · Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 4:20 pm Post subject:

For my Aufenthaltsbewilligung, I also had to prove I had no criminal record in the United States. This is tricky. Your local sherrifs office can validate that you have no criminal record in the county you reside, but they won't give a national confirmation. You have to get fingerprinted and request this information from the FBI. Then they get all suspicious of why you as an upstanding American citizen should want such a thing. IT was one big headache, I tell you!

I also had to have every document I submitted for the application (birth certificate, letter of employment, the Zeugnis that I had no criminal record, etc the list goes on and on) translated by an officialy recognized translation firm that has permission to notirize the documents. This costs a fortune!

It's not easy people! Just so you know.