Job Discussion Forums

[i_morales]

Hi everyone. What would a competitive salary for an EFL/ESL teacher in Moscow be at the moment? August 2017

Also, if there's anyone in Moscow teaching at the moment, any inisght would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Have a good day everyone.

Also, for any Americans in Russia at the moment; a question. Is it possible to apply for a Russian Visa without having to go to the Russian Consulate. Can one do this by mail?

[teachertefl]

Hi,

I have lived and taught in Russia, but have never been to Moscow, so I can't comment on that. As far as an average salary goes, check out the International Job Board on this site, and subscribe to TEFL.com's newsletter to see what jobs are available in Moscow, and what pay rate they are offering (always assume it's the lowest amount stated). Schools centered around business English usually pay more than others.

You can absolutely get a Russian visa by mail, and the application is filled out online. I have done this three times already. There is only one official company that does this: ILS, or "Invisa Logistics Services." They handle all visa purchases between U.S. citizens and Russian Embassies/Consulates. On their website you will find what documents you will need, and how much everything costs. The bad thing is they have made things more pricey than in the past, but many schools will reimburse you for visa costs, as an incentive for working for them under contract. Also be aware that if you go to Russia on a Work Visa you will have to pass a Russian language and culture test at some point.

http://ils-usa.com/page/62?domain=5&language=10

[i_morales]

Thank you!

[teachertefl]

No problem, glad to help

[remolacha]

Hello! About the visa I can say for sure that it can be done through online service (I did it here, I`m very pleased with their work https://myvisatorussia.com/en/info/ ) And even in Moscow it`s a big problem to find a good teacher of english, although such a big city ... I have been changing English teachers for a year already, I can not find a suitable one

[09Turner]

Remolacha, your post intrigues me.

Why do you think it is that the quality of teachers you have found is poor? Is it something about the kind of people who are attracted to living in Russia or Moscow in particular?

I'd love to hear the management side of this dilemma. Could you shed a little light on your experiences? Why is your turnover so high? Were they bad teachers, bad employees, or just bad people?

[maruss]

Russia traditionally attracted adventures of all kinds from those wanting to learn Russian 'in-situ' to people fleeing something, including alimony payments!It was never an easy place for Russians to live, let alone foreigners and indeed many expats were paid very good salaries and benefits by international firms to compensate for 'hardship'.
Not so teaching jobs with most private Russian firms, except a handful of top schools who hire international staff with the best qualifications and experience.
Consequently staff turnover is high, as teachers either find better positions in other firms or even quit the country when it all gets too much.Many firms seem to operate on the basis that they can always find 'someone' to fill their vacancies until another person comes along and there are plenty of horror stories on this site from those who had bad experiences.Since the economic and political climate deteriorated a few years ago due to Ukraine and Crimea etc. the situation has become much worse with salaries in real terms being worth only half of what they were before, especially when converted into foreign currency.Consequently, people tend to quickly get disillusioned, despite often arriving with enthusiasm and good intentions?In all fairness, Russians often earn far less than foreigners are paid so this should be borne in mind when trying to make an accurate assessment of what life is really like for millions of ordinary and decent Russian people today.

[i_morales]

[linn78]

If any company offers a "competitive" salary, it means they are offering you the lowest possible salary that moscow has to offer. this is probably about 40-80 thousand a month for 30 academic hours a week depending on if they take care of your accommodation or not. the best paying jobs won't be found online. check out some of the Moscow teachers groups on facebook, lot's of decent jobs paying 2000 rubles an academic hour for part time gigs.