Job Discussion Forums

[Moore]

Two of my American mates just got visas after living here illegally for 3 years: no particular qualifications, just law abiding folk who could prove they'd been here for those three years.

There are also a few schools who will sponsor good teachers, as they are well aware that a decent teacher is hard to find - another American mate of mine got his visa that way, and he didn't even have any sort of TEFL qualification, but is a decent hard working lad who his students love.

Lots of other people stay here, fall in love, and get married: again, job done.

The reality of the situation from here on the ground from the perspective of someone living in the TEFL scene right now is it simply isn't that bad for Americans (and Canadians, and Kiwis etc.)

In the last year NOBODY I know has been deported or even had a dodgy visa stamp for overstaying, and believe me, I know a lot of TELF-ers here.

The authorities and the police simply have better things to do than chase a bunch of teachers.

Local UK teachers don't give a monkey's about Americans here, and certainly don't see them as taking their jobs or reducing their potential earnings: there are plenty of basic teaching jobs to go around here, and anyone with papers has access to the better ones, so they are not in competition.

It is definitely illegal, but right now, here on the ground in Spain, nobody really cares about a few American TEFL teachers.


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...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com/cvsender/

[johntpartee]

Be that as it may, how about an "illegal" foreigner getting a bank account, housing, etc.? I asked this in an earlier question, but it got sidetracked; how much should I have on me to survive for a month or two?

[Moore]

Bank account you can either just use your existing one in the states and take cash out of ATMs and manage it online, and when you get here you can start a bank account with a debit (not credit) Visa card by depositing a couple of hundred euros cash.

Accomodation is not a problem either: your passport is fine for ID, and most people start off in flatshare anyway which is basically fairly informal subletting.

I don't particularly want to encourage people to come and work illegally here, but on the other hand I just want to make the point that many can and do and it's not a big deal.


_________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com/cvsender/

[Chris542]

Assuming the OP is from USA, its pretty lame that the US has not signed on to any working holiday visa programs with other countries. As I understand it they are probably the only western country not to do this - as a Canadian I could get a 1-year working visa in a whole stack of countries - France, Spain, UK, Chile, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Czech Rep., Japan, Australia, and a bunch more.....

Anyone coming from non-EU that isn't American should definitely check this out and see if they have such a deal (chances are they do). Usually this program is limited to people under 35, but still, it creates an opportunity for a year abroad. Really lame that Americans don't get that chance and that they have to cross the EU of their list from the get-go.