Job Discussion Forums

[Raduga01]

I received a job offer from English First Novosibirsk last month, but they told me this week that my visa application has been sent back to them by the authorities because EF need a new kind of permit to employ foreign workers, based on a new law, and they can't give me a visa until the school has this permit. The permit will take until March for the school to receive, and only then can they apply for my visa.

EF say that this is because of new legislation that will affect all institutions in Russia.

An expat friend in Novosibirsk though says that this is not a new law, and that in their opinion EF is just not well organised and didn't know about it before. If this is the case though, I don't understand how they could have employed an American teacher who started there in September (who I'm in contact with).

I'd like to find out if this is indeed a new law, or whether it is not new, in which case other schools in Novosibirsk may already have the required permit, and I could apply for them for work and hopefully start sooner.

Does anyone know anything about this?

[coledavis]

Other schools are getting this problem too, and some are using business visas instead. One report I found on the net says that the laws have changed but the correct new documentation hasn't even been specified yet, let alone distributed.

[Raduga01]

That's interesting. Please can you paste the link of the article?

I had hoped to find work at another school, but it seems like that won't be an option either...

Perhaps this is all linked to the train bombing near Moscow. Maybe they are tightening laws in response to that.

[coledavis]

[Velocipedaler]

This topic was also being discussed under the heading "Recruiting from Overseas".

Firstly, no, this is not possibly related to the Nevsky Express incident.

I believe this is related to my post earlier this year:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=73390

The first reading for the legislation discussed in this post was scheduled for October. So, assuming this bill faced little debate/rewriting, the timing for its implementation now seems about right. This is only a hunch; I've been scouring English and Russian language sources (including the State Duma website) for more concrete information, but haven't been able to find anything. If anyone can locate this information, please post it!

Does anyone know if language schools (especially the McSchools) are registered as business institutions, or as educational institutions? I ask, because I was just issued a teacher's visa two weeks ago, but this is for an actual school. If McSchools are registered as businesses, the new legislation may only allow educational institutions to invite teachers, hence, the new "permit" mentioned above. This is, I stress, merely speculation...

[coledavis]

That does sound possible. Schools registered as licensed educational establishments are non-profit making (i.e. the director gives herself bigger dividends or wage rises instead, as in a limited company - UK law, sorry I don't know US business legislation) and there are differences in what they can do. Although there may also be a difference between organisations which are foreign-owned and those which are home grown.

[kazachka]

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Very interesting news. Do anyone have some news in Russian about this? If so, I'd really appreciate a link!

In general, I think it's a good idea that Russia cracks down on unqualified teachers, like other countries have done (South Korea comes to mind). Forcing prospective EFL teachers to be at least minimally qualified should be a positive development for all of us: In theory, EFL/ESL teaching would become a more-respected career, with the subsequent better pay and conditions. Pie in the sky?

[coledavis]

[coledavis]

[Raduga01]

No, as far as I know, this is not related to my qualifications - it's due to the fact that the school doesn't have the new permission required to employ any foreign workers. EF say that this will affect every organisation in Russia, not just language schools.

[Raduga01]

I just asked EF if they had any information on the law and they posted me this link:

http://www.rian.ru/society/20090703/176241828.html

[Raduga01]

Right, from the article I think I understand better: it's not that the school needs some kind of permission or special status to employ foreigners (they all had that already) - it's that teachers now need work permits, which they didn't before.

Very sorry for any confusion!

[Velocipedaler]

Thanks for posting that link, Raduga, but that article is from 3 July and doesn't provide any new information. EF's claim, however, that this new regulation affects ALL organizations in Russia is intriguing, and if true, shoots down my business vs educational institution theory.

Foreign teachers have needed a work permit or a teacher's visa since late 2007. The pertinent question remains: is the onus of these new regulations only on the schools, or, as was discussed in the first reading of this bill, have new requirements regarding qualifications been imposed on foreign teachers as well? If so, what are these new requirements?

[Raduga01]

I'm not sure. I have a degree in Russian and a CELTA. So far EF haven't asked me to send copies of my certificates, but I'll keep you up to date if they do. Another thing - I asked them today if there is any exception in this new law for people who can show proof of their qualifications, but they say there isn't.

I think most of you here seem more clued up on this situation than I am - I'm new to working in Russia. I can ask EF more about this law. Can you post a list of any questions, and I'll ask them tomorrow? Thanks.