Job Discussion Forums

[sidjameson]

I worked on a tourist visa and got deported for my troubles. Don't believe a word the school will say to you. They DONT have a friend in the immagration office who smooths things over. They WONT help you when it all hits the fan.
Deportation WILL cost you money in bribes to get out of.

[malu]

Not so many years ago, there was a crooked guy who ran crooked EF franchises in Medan and Pekanbaru (both schools now under new ownership).

Toward the end of his tenure, all but one of the teachers at the PKU school were on tourist or business visas. He told everyone he had backing in imigrasi too. This 'backing' didn't help the teachers who ended up in police custody - mind you, EF headless office didn't help much either.

[Chester]

Is this thing applied only to foreigners who wish to teach English. Or is it a government regulation in general?

If so, do all said dignitaries have to leave?

[The Irwinator]

Ech. I'm going to call the Indonesian Embassy here in Canada. While I'd really love to work in Indonesia, I don't want to take the risk of working on a tourist visa. Even if I manage to avoid deportation, it'll probably be easier for my school to fire me before the end of the year to save on airfare reimbursement, or change my contract. I'd essentially be at the mercy of the school. If the embassy confirms the age minimum of 26, I may have to set my sights on Russia or Poland for teaching, instead.

[guruengerish]

I know that I was at the interview stage with an EF school, and with six year's experience I seemed to think my chances were fair. However, I was advised that the Kantor Immigrasi will not allow new work visas unless one is between 26 and 55.

Obviously, the upper age is based on the Indonesian Public Service retiring age, and they don't seem to realise or want to know, that there's still life in us old'uns.

Below 26 of course, if you're in Indonesia, you're only just finishing your first degree.

[The Irwinator]

Well, at 20, I've only finished 3 years of my degree, as of yet. I was hoping to take a break away from the academia before I continue on to my graduating year. I'm still determined to teach this year--I'll just have to set my sights on another country.

[The Irwinator]

I can understand having the lower age limit. Of course, no government would prefer immature college-kids as teachers. It's a little upsetting, however, considering that I am mature for my age and I believe that I would represent a school well.

The upper age limit of 55 is just unreasonable, though. Obviously, many years of experience would typically improve the quality of teaching. There might be a need for some upper age limit, but 55 is much too young for a profession such as teaching. It's not exactly as if most people become senile on their 55th birthday. I've found that the teachers I've respected the most, in regards to intelligence and teaching-style, were usually over the age of 50.

Not to say that all young teachers are stumbling idiots, but that inexperienced teachers are more likely to rigidly adhere to the curriculum or ineffective textbooks. Older teachers are a little more courageous in this respect.

[guruengerish]

Of course, I agree with you for both age ranges. I worked with a teacher once who was just 21, and she was great, and the students thought the world of her.

I know there is a big difference in graduating ages between Indonesia and most other countries. It seemed to me that an ordinary degree which takes 3 years in western countries, seems to take four or five years in Indonesia. They spend a lot of time on things such as 'village work' which is not to be despised, but it takes up time.

I also think the Dutch system (and no doubt others) of medical students having to spend a term in a developing country is fantastic. Shows that it's not all clean wards and modern equipment.

As for the KITAS upper age limit, of 55, I think it's ridiculous, and can't imagine why such a thing would be introduced. Here it's called discrimination, and a retiring at age 65 is entirely up to the individual.

People have changed their minds, and I see that even the Visa on Arrival is being looked at again.

[guruengerish]

Irwinator: don't even think of working on a tourist visa. At least, not for long.

All schools I worked for except TBI, accepted a tourist visa initially, and processed the work visa almost immediately. TBI asked me to get a business visa while I was in Australia.

You usually have to go to Singapore to get the work visa, and the school arranges this.

TIP: go on a Thursday so that the visa can be processed that afternoon or early Friday (everything closes for hours after 11am Fridays). Enjoy a look around Singapore and stock up on all those books, cheeses and little luxuries that you can't buy for a reasonable price in Jakarta/where-ever, if at all. You have 20kgs!! 5kg of second-hand paper-backs can be so nice!! I nearly always bought about 2kg of real marmalade. Aaaah!

[The Irwinator]

I've started to look at Russian schools, but I thought I would call up the Indonesian consulate, anyway. I called and spoke to an official who deals with visa information. He asked for my age (20, turning 21) and, oddly enough, he said that I would be eligible to teach in Indonesia legally, as long as I was 18 or older. Just in case, I'll call up another consulate in Canada, and hopefully they can confirm what I was told today.

If I can legally teach in Indonesia, I'll have to decide between teaching there or Russia. For the past few days, I've been trying to convince myself that I'd be better off avoiding tropical diseases and the heat, just to get over not being able to go to Indonesia. Now, after all the rationalizations, I'm really not sure which country (with respect to teaching) would be the better of the two.

Thanks for the advice, nonetheless.