Job Discussion Forums

[yamahuh]

Hi there, I've just spent a few hours reading through country specific forums and this general one and am a bit confused by what I've read.
I was always of the impression that a governmental policy / regulation prevented the hiring of non-qualified foreigners to work in any particular country. Obviously the issuance of a work visa or permit would be dependent on the applicant holding the necessary required documentation including at least the minimum educational requirements.
Yet, I'm reading of people being hired with GCSE's / no B.A / no Tesl qualifications.

What gives?
Are they working illegally or is there no governmentally mandated min. ed. requirement for work visa issuance?

Can someone please tell me if my wife would be able to work on a stand alone / spousal visa with an Associate Diploma (issued by a Canadian University), Tesl and 4 years of teaching experience from Asia?
I have a B.A, Tesol Canada approved certificate and the same 4 years of experience teaching in Asia.

Thanks in advance.

[adorabilly]

Yamahuh.

There are always some spouses working at the schools their husbands/wives teach for. here is what happens. The school has certain minimum qualifications. Say that MA and 3 years experience. But if they are short on teaches (and most of them always are) they can hire people who live nearby as adjuncts (and the adjunct qualifications are always lower. Usually a BA/BS and some experience).

The administrators of the school can turn a "blind eye" and hire anyone they need to fill in as teachers. And in order to keep the main spouse happy, they will hire the wife/hubby.

So what usually happens is that the spouse is looking for a job, the visa holder goes in and sees their boss and tells them, my wife needs a job, and then a job can be found.

so it depends on several factors
1. where are you living/working.
2. how much pull do you have there
3. how badly do they need teachers

It kills two birds with one stone. They don't have to provide transportation/housing/insurance for the second teacher, so it works in the schools benefit.

[Cleopatra]

I can only speak about the situation in Saudi Arabia.

Here, it's technically illegal for the 'dependent' spouse of a resident foreigner to take up paid employment. However, it goes on quite a bit and seems to be widely tolerated by the authorities. AS 'adorability' said, the arrangement usually suits both parties: the employer gets out of having to go through the expense and hassle of paying for visas, flights and other benefits for the employee, who in turn gets a job (for which on paper they might not be qualified) without having to go through all the tedious visa applications.

[yamahuh]

Thanks for your responses.

So, technically she may not be qualified to get a job but realistically she probably could if the school I was employed at was in need of another body? Which raises the obvious question; with my previously mentioned education would I be able to find employment?

[Cleopatra]

[yamahuh]

Actually I did specify her qualifications in my original post.
I've been thinking of Oman or Qatar with the U.A.E as an outside chance.