Job Discussion Forums

[jampie]

Hi All,

May I ask a small question? I'll be moving to Russia this year with my partner and kids. I will have a living visa but not a work visa.

I am currently teaching and want to continue in Russia as the money will help us. I was thinking of just working for a school for cash i.e to be a black economy worker but I'm a bit worried about being caught or if the school were to be inspected by some town official? is it common or normal for teachers to work in Russia in this way for cash only?

Of course if any school asked for my passport I would be affraid to show it a school. What does anyone think on this issue? or is easy to just get a work visa to avoid any problems?? Maybe I'm am worrying for nothing?

Thanks for any feedback on your experience.

[canucktechie]

You might want to post this question on www.expat.ru or www.redtape.ru as the topic comes up more frequently there.

[coledavis]

Well, you've summed it up yourself. You'll have things to worry about. Because of various visas - especially business ones - being abused by TEFLers and others for years, the Russians are tightening up. So I think you should ignore the black market. Besides, you can afford to think more positively. The drawback for many schools of English is the hassle and expense of getting visas and whathaveyou for native speakers, so they tend not to hire them. In the case of somebody who already has the right to live in the country, they would love it. Getting a work visa is likely to be less of a problem for them, if you're already in the country. Why not get on a teacher training course before you go, then you can be both legitimate as a worker (why endanger your status?) and as a teacher.

[jampie]

ok thanks not sure that answers my question is it possible to teach english without a work permit?

[coledavis]

Sorry, I thought the detail would help. Ok, simply: yes it's possible to work without a work visa, but - and here's the world of complications again - it's not legal. What I don't understand is why you're in a hurry to break the law when, as I've indicated, language schools are likely to be in an easier position to turn you into a legal worker than those people they have to import. If this is not clear, please advise what will answer your question.

[jampie]

[spiral78]

Why would getting a legal working visa mean that your residency visa is lost? Isn't it normal to have both?

[jampie]

[coledavis]

Your spouse's employer won't give you a working visa because you aren't an employee. With regards to losing your visa, ask yourself this question: which is most likely to get you in trouble, breaking the law or asking questions about what can be legally done? I'm not going to answer that question. I shall answer the question about whether or not a school will ask to see your passport: if they're respectable they will, if they are not they won't.

My general feeling is this. Assuming that your relationship is important to you, play safe; i.e. go over on your residency visa and be good. When you're over, you can ask (or get your spouse to ask) the authorities what is allowed and what isn't. I can't see you being disbarred from working forever, but you ought to find out about what and when.

As these answers may not go along the grain of your thinking, let's quickly go the way you have suggested going:
If you go on the black market, what makes you think that you can't be betrayed? I.e. you fall out with your employer over pay or whatever (and if he/she doesn't care about passports and the law, why should he/she be conscientious about your welfare?). That you don't earn anything is a possibility, and worse, your argument leads to the authorities knowing and you lose your money and your residency as well. Does this really bear thinking about? (By the way, although I've always followed the rules, and thus I'm here for the eighth time, I've regularly come across people boxing clever and, quite often, they've got into big trouble).

[jampie]

ColeDavis


Thanks for your help but I now feel worse. I agree with you but the Russians are so difficult about foreigners working and living in RU that it gives me the willies just thinking about it. I could try to arrange a work permit when Im there and see what hoops they want me to jump through!?

Is it hard to arrange and where do you do it?

Thanks again.

[canucktechie]

It's my understanding that if you have a residence visa you can work legally by getting a work permit. You do not need to get a new visa.

I strongly recommend you ask for advice on expat.ru or redtape.ru as those forums are frequented by people in your position, unlike this one.

[coledavis]

[jampie]

[jampie]

[coledavis]

Doing it correctly is indeed a pain in various parts of the anatomy. Short cuts lead to worse.