Job Discussion Forums

[spiral78]

There's a bit of an argument on the General Europe forum regarding how common it is for North Americans to be legally hired in the new EU member countries, including Poland.

What do you think about the availability of jobs for non-EU teachers in Poland?

The poster on the G.Europe forum states that it's very difficult to be hired legally in the new EU states, and that it takes 30 interviews to get a job. He/she goes on to say that pay for North Americans is (*&^, implying that they are paid less than Brits.

I've taken issue with this post, because I'm entirely sure it's not the case, but, hey, update me. Have things taken a dive for the worse for non-EU citizens?

[dynow]

I'm American, and I had no issues with finding work in Poland.

Getting all the necessary paperwork together and finalized in order to be legal here and not have to border hop......different story......but maybe others have found an easier, more headache-free way to go about it.

[TwinCentre]

Regarding Eastern EU as a whole, not specifically one country, I still stand by what I said (on the other thread) about it being difficult to get a job if you are non-EU and will have to face hordes of Brits, AND the positions which are available to you will probably be at the bottom end of the market for the jobs available.

I was thinking on this today. And I came to my own conlusion: I have experienced the ELT/EFL industry in ALL of the countries mentioned in Eastern Europe: Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia in some capacity, either on a working visit, or actual teaching AND I can say that I experienced pretty much nothing but Brits in all of them. I met a few Americans married to locals, one of whom was in a very high position in one famous institution.

So, what am I (I said 'I', not you Spiral) gonna go with, unvalidated secondhand experiences, possibly perfectly valididated individual experiences from the US citizens who have responded to the other thread, who don't say it was easy anyway, or with what I have seen myself????

I go with what I have seen myself.

So this is not a blanket statement, just my own experience, take it as you will......As far as I can see, if you are a Non EU passport holder and want to work in Eastern Europe. It is possible, but it will be very difficult to get a decent job. Not impossible, just difficult, and you might always get lucky, if so good on you. I personally enjoy diversity in my collegues. However, for most, your job of finding a good position will always be made harder as there are loads of Brits around, all over the blummin' place.

[naturegirl321]

[bje]

[naturegirl321]

It's like easy come, easy go. If you have to work in order to get something, you'll appreciate it more than if you get it easily.

[Jetset]

[Master Shake]

I'm a US citizen and had relatively little trouble finding a school in Gdansk willing to hire me and walk me through the visa process.

This process, however, did require some photographs to be taken, documents to be sent from home, many trips to government offices over the course of a couple months, and an interview with the police in my apartment to make sure I wasn't a criminal.

My impression is that there is enough demand in Poland for esl teachers that most well-established schools are willing to help you through the visa process, but maybe I just got lucky.

I have met very few Americans (and even fewer US citizens) since I've come here six months ago. I'm the only American teaching at my school, no, make that any school I know of in Gdansk, for that matter!

[dynow]

I agree with Shake. With a college degree and some type of ESL training, a native speaker from the states should have no problem finding work here. The quality of the job certainly can and will vary, but getting in the door was relatively easy for me.

Regarding paperwork, what I can say from my own personal experience is that my school was completely unprepared. Like Shake, I am the only American who works for my school, and as a matter of fact, the last American to work there was years ago. My director assured me that with their help I would have my paperwork done in just a few short weeks. I've been here over 4 months, and I'm still working on my Karta Pubytu, and was forced to go about it on my own with the help of a few Polish friends.

Oh, and naturegirl, though your comments about easy come and easy go are nice and sweet and all......I gotta admit, they're a bit delusional. you most certainly don't want to move to another country, be thousands of miles away from your home country, and have difficulties getting legal. Trust me.

"No pain - no gain" has certainly been the last thing on my mind in the past 4 months with this never ending red tape and frustration.

[naturegirl321]

[dynow]

Although this could very well deserve it's own thread.......

A HUGE piece of advice I can give to someone from the states, or anyone else coming to Poland looking to teach english but work for themselves through their own business, along with applying for a residency card (Karta Pubytu) is that before you decide to move into a flat, MAKE SURE that your landlord is willing to offer you Zameldowanie. If not, do not take the flat.

The headache I have experienced in the past 3 months because my landlord will not offer Zameldowanie is unimaginable. When you start going through the paperwork, you will find out just why.

I have been forced to transfer all my paperwork to another flat, in another city in Poland through a friend of mine who lives in the US but has family in Poland. It is simply unbelievable what you must go through in order to do this. I applied for my residency card 2 months ago, and I am nowhere's near having all my paperwork finalized, let alone actually getting it. Just received yet another letter stating that my review period has been extended, and that they require another 3 documents from me.

DO NOT TAKE A FLAT IF YOUR LANDLORD WILL NOT OFFER ZAMELDOWANIE.

[Master Shake]

Just what is Zameldowanie, by the way?

[spiral78]

It's the legal document asserting that the landlord is officially renting his place to YOU. Thereby giving you an official, legal residence in Poland.

Landlords who won't do this have probably legally declared that they themselves or someone else is officially living in that place. It's dodgy, obviously.

Hey, guys, correct me if I'm wrong - I'm not in Poland! But it's the same old dodge here in the CR, and among my friends and acquaintances, I'm aware that the same thing goes on in many countries.

[dynow]

it most certainly is dodgy.

i got a call from my lovely landlord this week, asking me questions regarding whether or not I have "handed over our agreement" to the tax office or to anyone else, and if any offices "made a copy of our agreement"....etc. She was aware that I applied for KB/Zemaldowanie in a flat in another city and thought I had already transferred all my paperwork accordingly, but I have not.

In the end, my landlord came right out and admitted that she wasn't claiming my rent payments to her as income, and wanted to make sure that if she did so, there would be no paper trail getting her in tax trouble. to boot, she spoke to me as if I had done something wrong, like our lease was some private, secret document. just unbelieveable.

for the record, I have FINALLY acquired my KB, and can now finish paperwork for my Zemaldowanie in my new "residence". I need not cross any borders for a year, and from what I understand, (but in this country I take everything I understand about paperwork with a grain of salt), I can simply renew my residency card when a year's time is up.

time will tell.

[spiral78]

dynow, it's great that you've almost got things sorted out...but the ideal situation is still going to be that you're actually living in the place where you're registered to live.

Here in the CR there are some pretty big operations going on at the moment to bring the country in line to joing the Schengen countries in January. This entails 'busting' as many illegals as possible.
While these operations are primarily based around ubytovani and train/bus stations and are not aimed at westerners, anyone with dodgy paperwork is somewhat at risk these days.

Particularly if you're staying another year, maybe you'd be better off to find a landlord who will agree to file the paperwork properly, reflecting your actual place of residence....
It's a hassle, I know, but now that you are familiar with the scam, you could likely head off any further dodgy situations.