Job Discussion Forums

[CThomas]

From what I understand, there is a possibility that WPs are no longer being issued. At all. Let's see what's going on.

By WP I mean Work Permit, not a visa, denied/issued to a native English speaker to teach English.

This assumes you've furnished the required background check.

By qualifications beyond the above, it means, advanced degrees, professional certificates, or 5 years professional experience.

Please take this poll and help clear things up a bit. And, please, no "opinions" that may cloud the matter. I really want to try and get some accurate facts.

Caveat: The timeline (60 days) and response choices may need tweaking. Please leave suggestions on how to improve the poll; it would help out a lot of people who are concerned about this.

Also, please ask other teachers you may know in Vietnam, and who aren't frequenting eslcafe, to respond to the poll. After a few days of suggestions to improve it, I may post a link to it on a couple other related boards.

I'm going to submit this now... I hope it works!

Thanks,

CT

[just noel]

CT,

There is one poll question that is badly needed.

BA + TEFL/CELTA + FBI background check


But school will not assist, aid, or help get the WP.

This is the problem for many of us.

It's not about being "denied." It's about getting all of this paperwork and legwork put through the system.

Schools don't want to deal with it, for many reasons that I understand. It's already a messed up situation.

[inky]

FBI background check? The FBI is working in New Zealand, Australia, UK, etc? Yikes!

Yes, a background check is also required for the WP, but the FBI isn't needed, not even in the US. A local police check is acceptable.

Furthermore, you should edit your comments to say that SOME schools will not assist. Some schools happily take care of all the paperwork and cash involved.

[CThomas]

Well, it's not letting me edit the poll or I haven't figured out how to do so yet. It let's you edit the post, but not the poll. I'll edit the post to say "this assumes you've furnished an appropriate criminal background check." I'd also like to expand on what "qualified" is.

According to the governmental stipulations, it can also mean
[list=]Advanced Degrees
Other professional certificates
5 years experience[/list]

That is what is meant by "qualifications above/beyond". What I meant by that was "other".

[CThomas]

Yea, from what I understand -- and what I did yesterday, actually -- was that you need a state-level check. I could have gone to the local police station, the county records office, or to the state department of justice yesterday. I went to the Texas equivalent -- the Department of Public Safety. This is the State level office (in the US) they're asking for. In fact, they knew exactly what all to do when I said it was for "teaching overseas" where the county office wasn't too sure. It's the State Level, not local or county. This is different than the sticky on this topic but reflects the latest post on that topic.

[CThomas]

I'm tempted to put up another poll by school to figure out which ones actually apply for the WP to save myself, and a lot of people, some time energy when looking for teaching work. I understand the issues schools face concerning the WP but now the issue is affecting teachers who need the WP to stay in the country.

While not having been on the ground, I'll respectfully disagree with some posters when I say that I don't see this changing. Vietnam is a. rapidly developing and b. is extremely concerned with education quality right now. A and B aren't changing, so I don't see this clampdown ever changing. The country is just now getting the collective wherewithal to properly implement the policy. And the waking tiger isn't going back to sleep.

[ajc19810]

[CThomas]

THAT is actual "information." Thank you! Now we're getting somewhere. This is what can really help people make decisions, depending on their many situations and desires.

This polling function is really limited.... no multiple variables. Will look into something...

I'm starting to see both the hassles and opportunities involved in teaching in SaiGon/HCMC. My goodness, I thought Mexico was weird...

[MrMrLuckyKhan]

[Ramen]

[just noel]

^ The article above^ was published last week in a Vietnamese language newspaper (controlled by the gov) and now it's been translated into English.

There are many inaccuracies and even outright lies in the above article.

I work at one of the schools mentioned in this article

The numbers are wrong. There are several teachers that have CELTA or TEFL cetrificates + BA/BS degrees.

Also, more than noted in the article have work permits.

Note that ALL the schools mentioned above are foreign owned. This is fairly common in the gov controlled media. Go after the foreign-owned schools.

The issue about work permit is mainly about going through the paperwork hoops for part-time teachers. These schools and the students, function on part-time study and part-time hours at night and weekend and part-time teaching positions.

Otherwise, this English language market - which is in demand - cannot exist.

The schools mentioned above have TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS test preparation as well as GE, Business, Writing course, etc.

[inky]

"Get out while you can"??? What kind of reaction is that? You're giving that advice to people without the proper documentation, I suppose. In which case the advice should be "get out because you must." I can't understand this emotionally-charged reaction to the fact that the govt is simply enforcing the old regulations. Try working in the US without proper documentation.

[CThomas]

Hmmm... iit says nothing about SaiGon. I'm getting the impression that the north and south are still operating differently concerning immigration -- Taiwan is the same way.

But in any case, I'd like to have a WP just so I can have it. It's weird but even though I have advanced degrees in communication and education, I'm still wondering if getting a CELTA is necessary for a job/WP. I'm landing on 1/1 in Saigon and have a couple of days to get a gut impression on the ground (read: talk to schools and teachers). My backup plan is to jet to Taiwan or Korea for a winter camp them come back to SaiGon and either start work when the slow season is over or do a CELTA (which kind of bites for me with so much already invested in education).

In any case, I'm SaiGon bound Please keep the info coming and and thanks for those who have taken the poll. It's very helpful to a lot of people.

Also, it's kind of funny: The camps I'm looking at in Korea require a C-4 work permit BEFORE I even arrive. They have even more stringent requirements (an extra apostile of degrees/transcripts, like Taiwan) and schools are adjusting, getting it done (though many schools, especially in Taiwan, are still skirting around it for many of the same reasons schools in Vietnam are doing so. Can't blame 'em, but I'd ideally like to have the WP.

[inky]

CT: "I'm getting the impression that the north and south are still operating differently concerning immigration."

That's the wrong impression. The policy is a national policy. And, as noel states, the article is full of errors and is poorly translated, confusing 'qualifications' with Work Permits and citing inaccurate numbers. The point is, a lot of teachers who qualify haven't pursued the WP and either have to do it now or leave. Others who flew under the radar and don't qualify will not be getting any more visa renewals. Part-time teachers who are qualified haven't got WPs because they don't have a school willing to sponsor them.

[Tanker]