Job Discussion Forums

[tommyp32]

Which European countries should I consider as possibilities for teaching English, and which ones should I nix straight away?

A little more information, I got my certification in Prague and did teach there for a little bit, unfortunately I wasn't the most intelligent financially and decided to go home before I got too broke in a foreign country.

At home I have substitute taught for a couple years, but I am not a full fledged teacher here.

I do know that Americans have better luck finding employment in the Eastern Bloc than they do in the West.

However, I also know I am no expert in the matter and so, here I am.

[Gamajorba]

No offence, but don't even bother.

No one in the EU is going to hire an American on their own expense as an English teacher. They have Irish and Brits for that who have freedom of movement. And even for them it's hard to find a job across the EU (at least in my experience it's been in a challenge). Plus requirements are usually relatively high e.g. Masters, X years of experience, profiecieny in the local language (Switzerland is notorious for this) etc.

I do know of at least 2 Americans who did teach English in the EU, but 1 of them was a Masters student in Italy and another went via a different route (not sure what exactly, but it was costly, time consuming and involved flying to Washington a couple of times)

[sparks]

Not sure why someone would tell you you can't get jobs in the EU. Western Europe is nearly impossible--true. Germany is a possibility and the East is quite possible. Poland, Czech, Slovakia etc. It's getting a bit more difficult but you can still find schools which will sponsor visas or find a way to get you set up.

[Gamajorba]

[spiral78]

As an American who's taught in the EU since 1998......


....sparks is correct. There are jobs in Central/Eastern Europe, and Germany is possible though difficult. Western EU isn't a viable option unless you marry a local.

Downside is that it's mostly all fairly similar to Prague in terms of up-front costs and less-than-stellar pay. One option is to choose a smaller city or town, though there are lifestyle differences, obviously.

There are some 'better' jobs around; working directly for a corporation, DOS, teacher trainer, occasional niche gigs. These require local contacts, reputation, and language skills, so it takes time to work your way into them.

Timing is important in the region. You need to be at the first of September or late August, with enough money to support yourself for a couple of months at least. Few reputable employers will hire from abroad - there are enough teachers around so that they don't have to take chances on someone sight-unseen.

It doesn't hurt to send your CV around in advance, but don't be concerned if no-one responds.

[Gamajorba]

[spiral78]

It's not about exceptions - there are literally thousands of non-EU teachers in the Central European region.

It's exceptional to get a gig in Western Europe as a non-EU teacher (I know a handful).

[Gamajorba]

I personally don't agree with it.

There must be a degree of fraud somewhere, given visa restrictions and all that.

[spiral78]

No, it's perfectly legal. It is a hassle to some degree, but employers and non-EU teachers regularly go through it. There are numerous Americans at the schools where I work; it's not any serious problem to get permits.

We partner with a large group of universities across the entire continent - all can get visas for US citizens excepting the handful of Western European ones.

[Gamajorba]

[spiral78]

Ah, but none of these Americans and Canadians would get jobs in the UK (or Ireland). It's fair enough.

C'mon, you don't want to teach in the US anyway. Nor do I.

[sparks]

Spiral and I are just stating facts about the region that we both (I believe) have been living and teaching in for well over a decade. In Poland schools away from the cities will often hire Americans as it can be difficult to find people to go to smaller towns. Warsaw, though also has plenty of American teachers.

[Gamajorba]

[tommyp32]

Thanks for the information so far. I am well aware that Western Europe is very difficult too get into, though I do know the central and eastern countries are possible as I did work in Prague for a short time. Now, whether or not I could have gotten a job in Prague while not in country I really don't know.

So I do think I should focus on the east (though I am interested in seeing how this crisis in Greece may effect that down the road). Of those Eastern Bloc countries though, which ones would you suggest?

I do care about pay, but I'm thinking the differences are negligible if any. Another concern is how easy it is to assimilate, how friendly are the locals, the general attitude towards Americans? And going a bit further East, is the Russian Federation a viable option in its current climate?

[spiral78]

Post on the Russia thread; it's really a different animal from the rest of the continent. There are still plenty of teachers there, of course. Ukraine isn't really a place to recommend at the moment, but Russia itself is relatively stable.

Greece has been a no-go for non-EU citizens since the Schengen zone was instituted, and this is highly unlikely to change (even if they drop out of the euro - unlikely- this doesn't imply that they will leave the EU or the Schengen zone). The economy also has implications for teachers, obviously.

Post also on the Germany board; it's tough to make a living but possible.

Poland, Czech Rep, Slovakia are the most likely candidates, I think, outside of Russia. Hungary's economy is in the toilet, Austria's a very small job market and more like Western Europe in terms of visa requirements. Croatia/Slovenia and surroundings have a (very) few jobs.

So far as assimilation: most students in the region are adults, they have their own lives, and a new English teacher isn't all that exciting as a possible new friend these days. The old 'shine' that someone had from the West 20 (or even 15) years ago has long worn off. Most people's first social networks are other expats, and it's usual to grow a base of local friends over time. As an American, you're not at a disadvantage over anyone else, but you're nothing super-special by definition, either.