Job Discussion Forums

ITTP · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 343 Location: Prague/Worldwide

Hi Spiral!

Thanks for your PM.
I posted the following in response on the Poland forum:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Good post. Thanks for doing some research and writing in a clear and balanced way. I have long believed that newbs need to have realistic understanding and expectations. At the moment, the realistic info is that we know getting legal papers will be a hassle. We know that it's strongly recommended that they not consider working illegally any more. And we know that the rules aren't entirely clear, nor is it clear how they'll be enforced.

So, I think the basic message for current newbs considering the CR (and other 'new' Schengen member states) is: don't come on a financial shoestring - you may need to leave. The paperwork is likely to be a hassle. You may not be able to gain legal work right after finishing a training course - or you may.

So, come prepared to be flexible...

newsygirl · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 28

Thank you for the original post. It is very informative!!!
I hope you don't mind but I posted your information on a few other discussion boards.

From the Prague Post:

Two Americans to be deported under Schengen
Men being held in refugee camp in East Bohemia

February 6th, 2008 issue

(Updated Feb. 12, 2008)"Two Americans who were illegally residing in the Czech Republic have been arrested, put in a camp for illegal aliens and are awaiting deportation, Mlad� fronta Dnes reports.

Police in the East Bohemian town of Prostějov arrested two American citizens who exceeded the three months they are allowed to legally stay in the Czech Republic without a visa, according to the newspaper. They are being held in a camp for refugees in Po�torn� na Břeclavsku.

The two men, who came to the Czech Republic in October, failed to leave the country during the three-month period. If the men had left, they would have automatically had the legal right to stay another three months when they came back.

Schengen agreements were made between European Union countries in 1985 and 1990 that allow residents in participating countries to travel freely without border controls. As part of European Union enlargement, the Czech Republic entered the Schengen zone in December.

Before the Czech Republic joined the Schengen zone, it was common practice for foreigners to leave for a neighboring country in any three-month period to fulfill the legal requirement.

But now that the nearest "foreign" border is with Ukraine, the procedure has become more complicated. Along with the Czech Republic, eight other countries joined the Schengen travel area in 2007 -- Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Prior to the expansion, there were 15 Schengen states. The island of Cyprus and Romania and Bulgaria are expected to join in the future."

The article's not clear that the men would have had to stay out of the zone for at least 90 days, to have the right to return for 90 more...but that is the case. No more one-day border runs

ITTP · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 343 Location: Prague/Worldwide

The most useful resource currently for visa info in Czech Republic is on expats.cz:
http://www.expats.cz/prague/f-6.html
The visa laws are now a lot stricter and yes, it is a pain lining up at the foreign police BUT the quoted article represents an extremely rare scenario and the Czech Republic is not suddenly deporting teachers.
As always, I recommend newbies who r actually in the Czech Republic to input as this will be the most accurate and up-to-date info.
Really, such quoted articles are simply good for highlighting the change in visa processing (which is important), but such sensationalist journalism serves little purpose in reflecting current local Czech Republic trends.

Neville Smile

UberJRI · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:25 am Post subject:

I am doing ITTP Prague's TEFL course right now, and from what I've heard from speaking with former students (who are all employed now), work is still plentiful and easy to come by, and employers still want to help you get the visa. I've talked to numerous teachers (both ITTP and non-ITTP teachers) who tell me that they found work right after their courses and their employers are working on the visas. I know it's not solid information either way, but it is encouraging. They need good teachers, and even though it's a pain for them and for you, the GOOD schools are still helping. It's the wait time that's the killer. I talked to a few teachers who had an experience where it took more than 90 days to get the visa, but they were not denied it when they picked it up, so it worked out well in their favor. They just got here a few months ago, too, so that visa grace period didn't affect them much.