Job Discussion Forums

[evelopez]

Hi, everyone. This may be difficult to believe, but it's actually happening - the Russian government is now throwing teachers out of the country.

Here's what happened: I arrived back in Moscow on Tuesday afternoon after a trip home to the states. A few hours later, I lost my purse on the metro (how could I be so stupid? jet lag.)

I immediately called BKC, my employer. They told me to go to the police station and my embassy. The US embassy issued me an emergency passport and told me to tell BKC that they're obligated to provide me a translator at the police station (the embassy told me the Russian authorities will have nothing to do with embassy workers and it's unlikely I would find a police station with an English speaker).

When I called BKC to tell them I have my new emergency passport, but it's only good through March (my original work visa was good until next July), the director, Nadia, told me that the government is no longer allowing them to issue work visas OR business visas, and that they are now only issuing exit visas to foreigners like me who are dumb enough to lose their passports. This is happening to another teacher, as well.

She told me that basically, I can no longer work for the company. I asked her if she can give me airfare home, and she said no. This is a huge problem for me, because I literally do not have the money to fly home. I also had a trip to St. Petersburg planned over the holiday, and that's effectively shot because you need a passport and visa to enter the train.

So, does anyone have any links to explain what is going here? I can't find anything in the news.

The thing is - I know, through word of mouth, that several BKC teachers are quitting due to the new visa laws. Some of the non-Americans who have to fly home every three months are planning on staying there and not coming back. This is mostly due to a rumor that BKC is planning to extend the contract for these teachers for the weeks they'll be missing - not to mention the problem of lost wages every three months.

The Americans who are only being given $500 to fly to Kiev every three months are quickly figuring out that 1) going to Kiev in the dead of winter is not fun and 2) $500 is not enough to try to get there and back and stay in a decent hostel and actually eat for two weeks.

So, BKC is losing a lot of teachers right now. Nadia told me this is happening to all private English schools in Russia.

Is the Russian government trying to shut down all the English schools? If so, why? English is compulsory in Russian grammar schools, so it doesn't make any sense why they want to shut down the English schools.

I might have talked a lot of how BKC screwed me on my health care, etc. - but I'm not exactly thrilled that I have just lost my job.

[Sashadroogie]

Dear Eve,

Sorry to hear you are having such problems. Quite a run of bad luck. However, while I do not have the full facts, I'd be very wary of taking anything that BKC says at face value. It wouldn't be the first time they were 'economical with the truth' to get shut of a teacher they perceive to be a trouble-maker. Their pronouncements about visas are not to be trusted. Get a second, legal, opinion. Try here first: Evgeniy, Free legal advice advertised in Moscow News - 8 916 247 8187.

If you are on their visa, I figure they have some obligations to you. Are they not even paying you flights and full benefits? Sounds like a major breach of contract on BKC's part. A solicitor's letter sounds in order.

Let me know how that goes.

Wishing you all the best for the Christmas season.

S

[maruss]

It will be very interesting to see what BKC will do if they are confronted with an official letter from her solicitor-at least giving her the fare back to the U.S.A. would be a minimum gesture of decency under her circimstances-if they have any of course!(I had similar problems with an employer there a few years ago concerning broken promises etc. and she would not even speak to me,let alone help!)I hope she is never in a situation in her life when she needs help....

[Sashadroogie]

Looks to me like an unfair dismissal masquerading under the cover of the visa fog.

Sorry, I know this is serious but I couldn't resist parodying the torturous syntax of a typical BKC bulletin.

In any case, Eve I have sent you a PM. You might find it useful.

S

[Nexus]

Sashadroogie is dead right.

Losing your passport doesn't mean you lose your job! That's just laughable.

Even if you have lost your passport, the ministry will still have your details and employment status on record so it seems that BKC either need to pay you 2 months severance (if they are laying you off) or sort you out with a replacement visa.

New visas are being issued, a friend of mine get one last week.

[evelopez]

I think you guys might be on to something.

I spoke to another teacher - her passport got damaged, and when the visa manager took her new passport (and old damaged one) to get the visa transferred, the authorities refused.

But, they're not making her leave the country. Her visa in her old passport is still valid - they just won't transfer it. There was nothing mentioned of her requiring an immediate exit visa. So, she still works for BKC and can stay until next year, when her work visa expires.

Another thing that struck me is that just a couple of weeks ago, a bunch of teachers were issued new business visas to replace the old, now defunct work visas for teachers. I have to assume that when they expire in three months, they're not just going to throw all those teachers out. If they were - wouldn't they have notified everyone?

I guess it would be easier for me to believe I'm getting fired if BKC wasn't already losing so many teachers due to the whole business visa mess.

Then again, I have basically trashed them all over the internet. And when I went to speak to the ladies at BKC this afternoon, something definitely seemed a bit off.

I'm going to call a couple of lawyers tomorrow to see if anyone will write BKC a letter pro bono demanding my severance, visa/HIV test reimbursement and flight money.

Ugh, what a mess.

[Sashadroogie]

Don't forget your holiday pay and medical expenses. You should also be given all written records of your salary payments and taxes as well as the Russian insurance and pension payments made on your behalf by BKC. Usually motivates schools to settle quickly and quietly.

Best of luck.

S

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Yeah, best of luck, Eve. Let us know how it goes!

[kazachka]

God, does that just suck. I think the only way to do things now legally is to do it how my boss does. The employer must apply for x spots on the quota(which is being cut in 2010) then get permission to hire you. If you don;t have a diploma/degree and appropriate qualification(s) for the job-no work visa. Then, you go and get your med tests/spravka and turn it in to your employer. The employer then gets your work permit and applies for your work visa. My work visa expired yesterday and my passport is hanging out over at OVIR til Tuesday when my new/renewed work visa will be ready. Work visas rock because they can be renewed in country hence no visa runs and bee ess. BKC and the rest are just paying the price now for not having done things properly in the past. It just sucks that innocent teachers get the crummiest end of the stick on this.

[evelopez]

Whoa - so it's possibly true, then, what BKC is telling me?

I have a university degree and a TESOL certificate - are you telling me that some BKC teachers don't? And that we're ALL screwed because of this?

If your employer could extend your work visa because you have the proper credentials - then why can't BKC do the same for me? Or is it just that they won't?

[kazachka]

Do you have a WORK or TEACHER visa? If you have a teacher visa, you are up the creek. If you have a work visa like regular business ppl/expats who work here long term have, then you should not have these problems. I do not know of any schools or Mc Schools doing work visas/permits. Most of what we do is corporate language training although we have a few kids/teens. I get the kids/teens as well as the corporate clients because I'm a certified middle/high school teacher. I had to provide copies of my degrees and teacher certification on my last work visa and permit renewal. Also, the govt now wants all that crap apostilled-lovely huh?

[evelopez]

My visa says, in Russian "TEACHER" so I'm guessing it is (was) a teacher visa, and I am, as you say, up the creek.

[Sashadroogie]

You are not up the creek until a local lawyer says so. Stop panicking. Get some hard info first - then decide what to do. C'mon! Show some grit. You can do it!

[evelopez]

LOL - thank you for all your help. I'm taking care of business as we speak. Contacting lawyers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, trying to get the Russian version of my contract from BKC, sending emails to everyone at BKC-IH Moscow, headquarters and their moms, too.

[evelopez]

Looks like BKC might be telling the truth after all -

http://www.mnweekly.ru/news/20090720/55383158.html