Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

My husband and I are thinking of leaving Peru to go to Central or Eastern Europe, or possibly the Middle East. I'm American, but my husband's Peruvian.

For those of you who are married, was it difficult for your spouse to get a visa that allowed him/her to live where you're living?

Also, what do they do? My husband doesn't speak much English, so he couldn't teach it. Have they been able to find jobs easily?

[Afra]

Women doing certain jobs can sponsor their husbands, teachers and doctors are amongst them. Whether this applies to teachers in the private sector, I don't know but if your were applying to the HCT or the government universities, you'd be OK. Husbands can work under their wives sponsorship but I'm not sure how easy it would be for someone who doesn't speak much English to find something to do. I wouldn't want to live in Dubai and not work; it's expensive, distances are great and there isn't the variety of cheap/free cultural activities that there are in Europe.

[stoth1972]

Naturegirl:
Though there certainly are communities of Spanish-speakers w/in the UAE, it's a small number. Going there with little English and no Arabic would make it quite difficult for him to find work. One option would be to try and find employment w/ a company w/ roots in a Spanish-speaking country that has operations in the UAE. Otherwise, if he didn't have a job going in, I would venture to say that it will be very difficult for him to find work.

[Iamherebecause]

Teachers can I believe sponsor husbands.

Without much English and presumably without Arabic it would be difficult for a person to work here. Depends of course on skills and qualifications (can he teach Spanish?) I have come across a few husbands of teachers here who are not working formally - they go to the gym a lot, join other sports clubs, or set up as odd-job or handymen if they have the skills (can be more reliable than the untrained local electricians/plumbers/carpenters), or do errands for money such as trips to consulates to pick up/deliver passports. Some write, or do tele-working with the home country.

Non-working wives tend to adapt more easily, as there's expatwoman.com or various international or national ladies' groups, or if they have children then there's the school based or mother and toddler group social network.

[WD40]

http://www.spanishbusinesscouncil.ae/

[naturegirl321]

Seems like UAE would be difficult for us, any ideas on where we could go?

[veiledsentiments]

Naturegirl... I think that you are going to run into this problem no matter where you go. It would seem that for him to find decent employment, you will need a country that speaks Spanish or has a large number of Spanish-speaking companies... and I don't know where that would be. Of course, his English may be better than we are interpreting your post. There is a big stretch between being able to teach English and being employed at a job where you need at least passable English.

The Gulf offers you a chance to make a great deal more money than where you are now, but could he accept being a househusband for a couple years if he has no marketable skills. (you haven't told us his education or experience) If he could work over the internet or write the 'great Peruvian novel' it would be fine.

You mentioned working in Europe... do either or both of you have an EU passport? There is another problem for both of you as related to working in Europe.

VS

[naturegirl321]

[veiledsentiments]

OK... so if you can get the EU passport, does that help him to get employment since he is married to you?