Job Discussion Forums

[selinajm]

Hi! I am Panamanian studying in New York. I am planning to teach english in Argentina beginning 2009. I want to take either the TEFL or CELTA, but before I do so I want to know if NOT being a native english speaker will hurt my chances on getting a job in South America. I know for a fact that most Asian countries require teachers to be native english speakers. But, what about South America? How much will it limit me?

-selina

[Guy Courchesne]

It's ordinarily not much of a problem in Latin America for non-native speakers to find teaching work, but I would apply that to say, Swedes, Germans, French, etc. Spanish-speakers may find some difficulty in Latin American countries. The work is there but you may find yourself offered less pay in Argentina. Unfair, I know, but that's the way things go in some places.

[selinajm]

Thanks for the response, Guy! I might be able to get a U.S. citizenship some time this year... (I have to figure out the legal stuff). So do I have to switch citizenships when I feel like it to, then, be considered a native english speaker? It is such bull that I have to do that just to be considered an equal.

[Guy Courchesne]

Of all the Latin American countries, Argentines, in my opinion, can be the most unforgiving in this sense. Is English your first language? If so, then you should be ok, but I'd still expect you to encounter some difficulties.

Getting the US citizenship likely won't make a difference for getting hired, but it will probably make it easier with Argentine immigration authorities. I'm guessing here, but you do see a lot of internal barriers in Latin America

[selinajm]

Yes... it's a shame. But I was already mentally prepared for some sort of difficulty. I guess I will never know until I give it a shot or hear from somebody that is going through a similar situation. And about English being my first language... I am not sure. I am one of those ethnically ambiguous folk, but as far as I can remember, I've been billingual from the start. But anywho, thanks for casting some light on the situation!