Job Discussion Forums

The Owl · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 5

Hello Everyone,
I am considering coming to Mexico City to live, study, and teach. I am hoping to gain some insight about whether my plan to move there is feasible or not. Most of my questions revolve around gaining employment that will cover my living costs.

To begin, I am a licensed teacher from the US with certification in both Elementary Education and English (grades 6-12). I also have over five years of teaching experience between South Korea and New York City.

My main focus in Mexico will be to study, but I will also need a part time job to cover my living expenses. I wouldn't need to save any money, and I live fairly frugally. However, with all the studying I'll be doing I wouldn't be able to work much more than 15 hours a week.

Considering my qualifications, would I have trouble finding employment? Could I find a job that would cover my living expenses (including rent) while only working 15-20 hours a week? Are my qualifications good enough to secure a visa?

I am aware of the basics of the new immigration laws and visa requirements. My plan for finding a job is to visit Mexico City and try to find a job and locate a neighborhood I'd like to live in. After I secure a job (hopefully), I would travel back to the US to organize my visa. After my docs are sorted I would return to begin working, studying, and living life.

Could this plan work? Are there any fatal flaws?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Your qualifications open up a good number of well-paid jobs to you in K-12 schools, private bilingual schools and international schools. Part time work might be very hard to wrangle out of those schools though.

Checking around the universities might be a better option as teachers are commonly hired on a class-by-class basis. Anahuac is a good example of this. Unfortunately, I don't believe you'll be able to resolve the visa issue as a part timer.

Tutoring might be a good way to keep a flexible and decently-paid schedule, though you could never get a visa solely for that. Perhaps coming in on a student visa through the school you plan to study at, and tutoring on the side to earn an income?

Isla Guapa · Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:36 pm Post subject:

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

The Owl · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 5

Thanks for your responses.

How many hours are required to get a visa for teaching? I guess I was hoping I could get employed at a language academy or something like that.

Also, if I were to tutor on a student visa or a tourist visa, would that be legal? I have seen ads for jobs like that with business people, but I didn't know if I'd be at risk for fines or deportation.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I don't believe there is a set number of hours required for the visa...my thinking was more about the types of schools that go through the process to sponsor the visa, and they would need you full time, in my opinion.

I mentioned Anahuac as an example because I'm familiar with their hiring process. They prefer to hire only part timers but at the same time, they will not sponsor for a work visa. That may change for them under the new regulations as they will find less and less teachers with existing visas and will find themselves either not hiring any more foreigners, or hiring illegally.

Tutoring while on a student visa would be illegal yes. But it would be the least risky thing you could do. Working directly in an institute on the wrong visa represents a higher level of risk, though both scenarios above are very common.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:30 pm Post subject:

The Owl · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 5

It's an intriguing idea to tutor for an income. Unfortunately, I don't have many contacts in Mexico so I think it would be difficult for me to develop a base of clientele.

My goal for going to Mexico was to study Spanish at UNAM and become fluent. I may need to look into other countries though.

notamiss · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:20 pm Post subject:

MotherF · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:44 pm Post subject:

The Owl · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 5

My Spanish level is at intermediate now. UNAM fits my needs for learning Spanish better than any other program in Latin America based on the research I've done so far, especially when you consider the price. I'm a bit wary of tutoring or teaching without a proper visa though.

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:30 pm Post subject: