Job Discussion Forums

[Landon]

I know there have been similar threads but I wanted to post our specific situation and questions in hopes of some informed feedback.

I am a native English speaker with a college degree and a US passport. My wife is a non-native English speaker born in Peru. She has lived here for many years and speaks English fluently, holds a college degree from a US State University in Education and currently works as a public school ESL teacher. She is also a US citizen and has a US passport.

Although we have been researching and planning to teach English overseas for some time, we just recently found out how strict the "native speaker" requirements are in certain countries. We had been seeing this requirement on job postings but we dismissed it as not pertaining to us and not being that important. Come to find out, countries like Korea take this very seriously and it is actually the government that will not allow the working visa for someone that has not been an English speaker since birth.

So, my question is, is this really a big deal? How do they really know? Her English is perfect and she is fully "Americanized". The USA is a melting pot of all ethnicities, who all speak English. So, just because she appears as Hispanic/American, just like the majority of the population does where we live in Texas, it doesnt really mean anything as far was speaking English. Are school transcripts from early childhood asked for in the visa process?

From your experience, what countries are we able to both work as English teachers and how would you recommend we go about this process? For example, should I procure a teaching position first, and have my wife interview for jobs once we have arrived on my visa? Or should she get her own position and own visa before we leave, just claiming that she is a native speaker? We had been planning on Asia, countries like Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, but have not ruled out any countries yet.

Also, let me ask this, if it turns out that it is true that she cannot work as an English teacher legally, does anyone know if she would be able to find work as a Spanish teacher in Asia, as that is technically her maternal language? Is there any demand at all for Spanish?

Thank you

[Glenski]

Even regardless of whether her English is perfect, do not call her a non-native English speaker to potential employers. Do not even mention she was born in Peru unless pressed for it. She is American now, and that's all that people need to know.

Her Hispanic looks are meaningless, as Americans come in many flavors physically.

School transcripts are usually not requested for visas. Pick a country, and you'll get a more specific answer.

You listed Japan as a potential target. Come to the Japan forum and sniff around. The short answer is this: the market in Japan is very crowded!

[tttompatz]

She holds a US passport and a degree from a US college/university then for all intents and purposes (even in places like Korea) she is effectively a "native speaker".

We can't discuss Korea on the international forums (you have to go to the Korean forums) but YES, she can get a job in Korea or anywhere else in Asia for that matter, just like you can.

.

[Landon]

Thank you for the replies.

Without getting into detail about Korea in this forum, we have been told consecutively by 3 large recruiting agencies that is it IMPOSSIBLE for her to get a visa and is NON-NEGOTIABLE in many countries. One agency said we must forget about working in Asia completely. All 3 have made it clear that it is not the the recruiting agency nor the schools that have the problem, it is the government that will not allow it, and there is no exception.

Just a passport, college degree and fluency mean nothing. In different ways, these agencies have explained that, Immigration says that the bare minimum to qualify as a "native speaker" means that you have completed at least 10 years of primary and secondary schooling in an English speaking country. One recruiter said, you must have started from no later than 6th grade. Preferably having fluent English speaking parents. And this is asked in the visa process. We have understood that they are more concerned about learning the "lifestyle" and what "life is like" growing up in the USA, UK, Austrailia, etc, than the actual language. Do you find this to be true?

I was just wondering if someone knows how this is asked? Is it just a check mark on application or do they ask for transcripts of these schools attended? We are assuming that this question will come up every time because her passport says her country of birth is Peru.

Of course we want to work legally and are not going to lie in an interview if we are asked. Just wanted to know if these agencies are just blowing us off and there is really no problem or not. I would love to hear about someone's visa process or see what an application looks like.

Perhaps I will do as you suggest and pick a country and start asking in that forum. It is just frustrating to be planning and getting excited about a location and to later find out from an authority that it is never going to happen.

Thanks for the help.

[Glenski]

[naturegirl321]

I'm also married to a peruvian, though my husband has only spent a total of 72 hours if that in the US and that was only to transit to and from Peru and Korea where we live.

Here's the thing: your wife has a US passport. That's what's important. How long has she lived there? Some countries are more lax than others. Some countries require 12 years of schooling in a native English speaking country (Korea), not birth. Just make sure you are in before grade 1! (and those from Quebec in Canada are disqualified), others just want you to have a passport from that country, though having a US degree will help a lot.

As far as them finding out, honestly, I don't know. They could ask you, but as far as paperwork goes, I've only had to give my college transcripts. NOthing further back. I suppose your wife could put US citizen, native english speaker on her CV. that might help. I've never had to show my birth cert, though on my passport it gives that info, which could work against your wife.

Also, as someone who looks Hispanic (but isn't) and has a Peruvian last name (thanks to my husband) I can tell you that it DOES work against you. I've been denied jobs due to it and have angrily ended interviews when they kept pushing me about hwo I learned English. (I was born and raised int he US, my family has been there for over 100 years, with the exception of my mom from Romania, who immigrated when she was 16 mon ths only and English is her only language).

I think your wife should apply to jobs all over What has she got to lose?
Changing your wife's visa depends on the country. In some places it's easy, in others she might have to go back to Texas for the visa. If possible, maybe have her try to get a job offer before you? It'll be easier for you to get a job than her. Provided that you're not too old or heavy (sorry, but that's the reality in Asia)

China is pretty liberal. I have friends that are NNS and don't have citizenship from English speaking countries and teach there. They work longer hours and make less though. I can tell you about Korea as wel, but you'd be better off going to the Korean baord.

Spanish teachers, there are usually positions in most countries, THOUGh, they usually go to those who are married to locals. Maybe she could look at teaching online as well?

What about her career now? Is she a teacher now? If not, then maybe she could find work in her field, or get transferred abroad, or work for the same company online? She could try to set up her own bsuiness, tutoring Spanish, import, export, etc. There's lots of possibilities.

[naturegirl321]