Job Discussion Forums

[chiquitita]

I am interested in going to live/work/study in Napoli or Salerno this year. I am not an EU citizen, but it has been suggested that I apply to study somehwere and obtain a student visa which will allow me to work up to 20 hours a week. Does anyone have further info about the restrictions/requirements in getting a student visa. The Embassy/Consulate websites aren't much help and are closed at the moment! I am not a student here in Australia. I have been working in ESL for about 4 years.....3 years teaching and 1 year teacher training. I'm not too concerned about the money I make, otherwise I wouldn't be going to Italy, but I want to live there for a year or two and the student visa idea seems a good one. Does anyone have any info on places to study in Napoli or Salerno (I'm wanting to study Italian).
What are my best bets for teaching in these two places...Private language schools, universities, business classes, private students?? Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you!

[James Stunell]

Although I can't give advice on student visas and where to study, I can certainly make some reccommendations as to how to go about finding work. Private schools are probably your best bet, although they are likely to be spooked by your not being an EU citizen and will be afraid that the student visa will mean a lot of extra paperwork for them. So don't apply beforehand - they are likely to put your information straight into the rubbish bin. Wait until you arrive in the country and then call the schools to ask for an interview (don't give them any extra information over the phone - get your foot in the door first so that you can make a good first impression). Once you have that vital interview, you can talk to them about your particular situation. If they like the look of you, they are likely to be much more flexible about your specific requirements. Work often comes in thick and fast at the beginning of the year, so you might just find yourself in the right place at the right time. Anyway, if you want to write to me privately ([email protected]), I can give you the names and numbers of some schoos in Naples and Salerno. Bear in mind, though, that most schools will not want you working for the competition, so you will probably have to choose one only. Good luck with your search.

[Teacher in Rome]

Our school recently took some advice on employing non-EU teachers with student visas. Basically, we were told that we could employ them for up to 20 hours, but that we would have to employ them on "dipendente" contracts. As this involves a lot of extra cost, as well as hassle, it's just not an option for us.

I don't know what the situation is like in Napoli regarding teacher supply / demand, but here in Rome, "Do you have EU citizenship" is one of the first questions we ask teachers over the phone. Even if a teacher is wonderful, and we love the look of them, we're not legally able to employ them if they're not EU.

Sorry if this all sounds very negative, but it's the reality for us. No matter how busy we are, we can't afford to take legal risks.

[scot47]

What I find strange is the large number who will not accept that this is the position.

Some people just refuse to listen when told "Citizens of EU States ONLY !"