Job Discussion Forums

[kdubbs303]

Hi there,

I am currently thinking about teaching in Merida. Is there anyone there right now, with some up-to-date information about teaching jobs?

I have 5+ years of teaching, a BA in Linguistics and a TEFL certification. I wouldn't be arriving with more than about 3 months living expenses. Is it possible to just show up and look for a job?

Any information would be helpful. Thanks!

Katie

[MotherF]

[Guy Courchesne]

Ditto on the toughness of the Merida nut. Very difficult to break into a good job there.

[kdubbs303]

Thanks for your responses.

I have been reading about the the immigration laws, which do make it nearly impossible to show up and look for work. Do people secure jobs before coming? Are they're schools there that would offer work visas from abroad?

When you say 'tough nut to crack', does that mean it's hard to get jobs? They're aren't many available jobs? Jobs that are available don't pay? Hard to get schools to sponsor visas? Need certain qualifications?

Any detailed information would be great. I got a great PM from someone with a list of schools, so I started sending my CV. Where do you all teach?

Thanks!

Katie

[Guy Courchesne]

You certainly can (and probably should) simply show up and look for jobs, interview, investigate living costs, etc. The only problem with the new immigration laws is that you would have to leave the country again to get the ball rolling on the work visa.

Schools here have traditionally been very loathe to hire sight unseen. The culture is going to change in this respect, but it will take some time.

From my experience, which includes friends and family that teach/have taught in Merida, is that there is little turnover in jobs there. What jobs do become available are often part time, low pay, few hours.

Myself, I work in teacher training and recruiting. I've been struggling for the last 8 months or so trying to educate schools here on what the immigration policies have done to hiring...there's still a lot of confusion among schools about it.

[BadBeagleBad]

What have you seen schools doing, Guy? I was browsing the Craig´s List ads the other day, in DF, just out of curiosity, and it seems wages have creeped up a bit, but I wonder what is going to happen short term, both with people who don´t know the laws have changed and show up expecting to either work illegally, or thinking they can convert their visa.

[Isla Guapa]

[Guy Courchesne]

[Isla Guapa]

Wow, what a mess! I wonder when things will return to "normal", whatever that is !

[Guy Courchesne]

[Isla Guapa]

[MotherF]

Yeah, the idea that these changes have to do with EPN or the PRI seems silly to me.

If you really look at the whole picture of the changes in Mexico's immigration policy, English teachers and the problems schools are having is just collatoral damage. This is really about laying out the kind of immigration policy Mexico wants the US to have. For years Mexico has critised the US for tearing families apart all the while doing similar things themselves. The new policies are very pro-family and allowing Mexican nationals with foreign family members bring those family members legally into Mexico.

Kdubbs, What I mean by hard nut to crack is hard to get jobs, people who want to be in Merida for whatever reason take a crappy job and then wait it out for a chance to move into a better job and there are enough people willing to do that schools have no incentive to offer anything better than a crappy job.

[Guy Courchesne]