Job Discussion Forums

technodrome · Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Chicago

Hi. I just joined this board after spending several hours reading through various threads, trying to figure out how to minimize the odds of having the kind of (figurative) train wreck that's befallen so many ESL teachers in Russia...I studied in Piter for seven months in 2003-04, and have a grounding (though by no means fluency) in the language, as well as some experience with the administrative...challenges faced by foreign visitors.

I've noticed two pieces of advice that recur on this board: (1) Although they underpay, the McSchools are the best way to go for a novice teacher. (2) Because they are franchised, one can make few generalizations about any of these chains. The quality of each branch has to be assessed individually.

By the time I go (probably next year), I plan to have a SIT TESOL certification, which in Chicago is easier to come by than a CELTA. I take it that BKC insists on CELTA, which would eliminate all of their schools from my consideration. Everyone seems to agree that the English First's textbook is awful and constraining, and since all of their schools use it, I should probably scratch them off the list as well. That leaves Language Link (have I missed any?). At least a year ago, their Samara school was well thought of (though I imagine that this kind of information gets dated quickly). Which LL schools are currently well-regarded? For various reasons, I'd like to stay clear of Moscow and Piter, but aside from those, I'd be willing to consider any city free of radiological/industrial contamination. My first priority is to find a school that ideally looks after its teachers, but mainly takes its contracts seriously, because I'm well aware that in Russia, there really isn't such a thing as legal recourse.

I also have a visa question. If one finishes a yearlong stint with one organization and then wants to continue with a different one, is it possibly to transition from one visa to another without leaving for an extended period?

Thanks very much!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject:

Dear technodrome

Good summary of Russian situation generally, but one or two details not totally right. First of all, you'll be pleased to hear, BKC does not insist on CELTA. Any qual will do. In fact there have been cases where unqualified teachers slipped through the net. (But certainly get proper training.) So apply away. Whether there are any vacancies there is another matter. All branches are in Moscow, though.

You do have recourse to the law, but you need to know it first. Don't expect the schools to give you any help there, naturally. Of course, most people don't bother with legal recourse over minor issues for various sensible reasons, but if something really serious were to happen, you are not completely at your employer's mercy ( hint hint - revelations to the taxman scare most bosses).

In answer to your visa question... the information that I have suggests that, yes, you can transfer to another organisation, without leaving Russia. Depends on a number of factors, such as the quota for foreign staff in the new company and on how much of a 'fixer' is payable. Very hard to pin down any solid info on any of this, and it changes all the time, so I wouldn't worry about it too much now.

Hope that helps.

In any case, good luck with your search.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

I understand why you don't want to go to Moscow, (from my personal experience!)or to St Petes. as you've been there before,but this limits your choice of possible vacancies considerably,especially with the economic recession.Sashadroogie is also right about the other things,including qualifications.
One other word of advice,don't be tempted by adverts for jobs in Moscow satellite towns as there has been some very bad feedback on a number of them e.g Solnechnogorsk and especially Voskresensk!I have never seen any reports on the private school in Obninsk either which used to advertise vacancies last year.

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

sashadroogie, you did not answer his question.

The OP asked if you can get a visa for a new job after the end of the old job without leaving the country for an extended period. Not whether you can transfer an existing work visa to a new employer, which I think is next to impossible.

The answer is that a work visa is valid for a year and you have to get a new one after that whether you stay with the old employer or go to a new one. And you have to leave the country to get a new visa.

There is no minimum "out of country" period for getting a new work visa or any other visa. The embassy you use will of course have minimum processing times for visas. There also may be restrictions on which embassy you can use depending on where you're from.

spanglish · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 742 Location: working on that

I've heard second hand that Moscow IH is very good in terms of professional development. Can any current/recent teachers confirm this?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:12 am Post subject:

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

The new visas for teachers have only come in recently, so I'm not sure that everything is completely clear. My understanding is that yearly multiple visas with the same employer may well be renewable in the country; these follow the initial three months single entry visa. Similarly, I think that if you change employer, I think you have to go back to Old Kent Road, but I would be interested to find out if I'm wrong on that one.

technodrome · Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Chicago

Sashadroogie, maruss, canucktechie, and coledavis: Thank you for your helpful replies.

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

If you are on a WORK visa and stay w/ the same company, it renews IN country. You just have to do your meds and get the spravka just before renewal time. Also, work visas now require you to submit a copy of your degree(s). If you change jobs, yes, you will have to leave and start the process over(PITA). First, your employer gets you a 3 mo single entry work visa that gets converted to the 1 yr ME one when you get back from that initial visa run. This is for WORK visas.
Work visa procedure-

-Company has x number of spots on the quota for such visas and they spend 2-4 weeks getting YOU that spot

-YOU go to a local clinic and pay for your med tests and get a spravka

-Company gets your info/docs/ details/ degree(s)/spravka and applies for your work permit(allow about 2-4weeks)

-Once work permit is obtained, they put in for your visa-allow a month to get the initial invite

-YOU take the invite to the consulate and get your initial 3mo work visa

-Return to Russia and the employer needs about 2 weeks to convert it to a 1yr ME visa which renews annually IN COUNTRY so long as you stay with the SAME company. Quit and jump ships and you get to repeat the process.

technodrome · Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Chicago

Thanks...that sounds like a pretty daunting process. If you change employers, is there a minimum length of time that you have to be out of the country, or does the transitional three-month visa allow you to come straight back?

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Multiple-entry.

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

technodrome · Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Chicago

This seems like a good opportunity to ask about general time lines for changing employers. If I start a contract in September and decide that I'd like to be somewhere else next fall:

(a) When is the best time to begin applying to other schools?
(b) How much time will the employer need to enable the smoothest visa transition (i.e., one where I have to spend the least amount of time out-of-country)?