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current job situation in PL?
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:59 pm    Post subject: current job situation in PL? Reply with quote

If I turned up in Warsaw right now as a new CELTA graduate in Warsaw -- non-EU citizen, but native speaker, young, university-educated etc -- what would my work prospects be like?

I'm tempted. Is this a realistic plan?
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scottie1113



Joined: 25 Oct 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Gdansk

PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm confused. Did you do your CELTA in Warsaw? I don't know what country you're from. It makes a difference. Maybe a little more information will help.
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

New Zealander. Currently in Thailand, in the closing stages of a Celta course with IH. 30, healthy, Anglo etc. Postgrad English/Phil. degrees. Would like to start working ASAP. Visited Poland last year briefly and liked it.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brisket, I think you'd find enough work - no problem. Right now is prime hiring season in Warsaw for the fall semester.

The only tricky part could be working legally. I'm almost certain kiwis need work permits to work legally in Poland. And you need the work permit in order to apply for residency (i.e. to stay longer than 90 days).

I'd recommend emailing as many schools in Warsaw as you can now with your CV.
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Mr Shake, that sounds promising.

I want to start applying for jobs ASAP.
Can you point me towards any useful lists of contacts, websites etc.?

I'll certainly need a work visa. Are many employers willing/able to sponsor one?

many thanks for your help!
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Louisdf



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't think emailing schools would make a difference-they have plenty of qualified people with years of experience to choose from on the ground. Why would they bother with someone on the other side of the world who has no definite plans to move to Warsaw, and does not have a work permit? Also schools are very well aware that Thai students have very different learning styles and expectations compared to European students so your lack of relevant experience puts you at an immediate disadvantage.
And remember, this is not like in Asia where teachers get hired for a full-time job and receive a guaranteed monthly salary. Schools will simply offer you 60 or 90 minute lessons scattered around the city. It will take at least a month to build up a decent timetable. There are plenty of classes, but most are either between 7:30-9:30 or 4-6PM (3pm if you want to teach kids). You will not be paid anything during the Polish public holidays, Easter, Christmas etc. Also individual students will cancel classes whenever they are on holiday/ill/have a business trip etc and you will not be paid.
Of course, there are private students, but they will often cancel at the last minute so they are definitely not a reliable source of income.
Please remember visiting somewhere for a short holiday is very different from working there!
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm confused now. One optimistic reply and one very pessimistic one.

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a work permit?
Can you arrive on a tourist visa and change it if you get work?
I don't mind just turning up and looking for work, if my chances of finding some (legally) are good.
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Louisdf



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You need to remember you are not being offered a job. You will simply be offered a couple of 60 and 90 minute classes. If a school is willing to help you obtain a work permit for signing up to their classes, then I guess you won't have a problem. But don't be surprised if many schools (especially the smaller ones run by 1 or 2 people) flat out say no on the basis that there are other teachers with years of relevant experience who are able to start today with no paperwork/visa permit issues.
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delphian-domine



Joined: 11 Mar 2011
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

brisket wrote:
Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a work permit?
Can you arrive on a tourist visa and change it if you get work?
I don't mind just turning up and looking for work, if my chances of finding some (legally) are good.


The problem is that if you require a work permit, then you require a work permit for every employer. Most employers won't bother - there are enough people with permission to work in Poland that they don't need to. They certainly won't bother for 2 classes a week.

You might get lucky and find someone willing to hire you full time, in which case, getting the work permit is easy. But there are also plenty of other people after full time jobs, so schools can afford to pick and choose.

There are other ways round this, such as setting up a complicated business structure that will give you permission to work, but these are expensive and require costly administration fees, it's not really an option for a teacher.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 1:03 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

If you do come, use the native speaker forum. Loads of contacts in just 1 week. And Delph-if you know anyone who can get to Skorzewo, there 4-6 hours weekly right there.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

brisket wrote:
I'm confused now. One optimistic reply and one very pessimistic one.

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a work permit?
You don't get one yourself. Your school takes one out on your behalf. It's a lengthy, but fairly inexpensive process. The thing is, it isn't so easy to find a school willing to do this. But if you agree to teach several hours for a school, they may well agree. That's why I recommended emailing schools now to get the ball rolling and see if there's that potential.
brisket wrote:
Can you arrive on a tourist visa and change it if you get work?
Yes. In fact, this is the way you'd have to do it.
brisket wrote:
I don't mind just turning up and looking for work, if my chances of finding some (legally) are good.
In Warsaw, finding enough work shouldn't be a problem. I disagree that there are plenty of well-qualified teachers...maybe in some other cities, like Krakow, but not so in Warsaw. Most teachers I know in Warsaw can pick and choose the hours and types of classes the teach.
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks MS.
I'm willing to take the risk, even if circumstances aren't ideal.
one more question: are there any other sites I should know about that will have job ads or lists of employers? Feel free to pm me.
Cheers.
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Louisdf



Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master Shake wrote:
brisket wrote:
I'm confused now. One optimistic reply and one very pessimistic one.

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a work permit?
You don't get one yourself. Your school takes one out on your behalf. It's a lengthy, but fairly inexpensive process. The thing is, it isn't so easy to find a school willing to do this. But if you agree to teach several hours for a school, they may well agree. That's why I recommended emailing schools now to get the ball rolling and see if there's that potential.
brisket wrote:
Can you arrive on a tourist visa and change it if you get work?
Yes. In fact, this is the way you'd have to do it.
brisket wrote:
I don't mind just turning up and looking for work, if my chances of finding some (legally) are good.
In Warsaw, finding enough work shouldn't be a problem. I disagree that there are plenty of well-qualified teachers...maybe in some other cities, like Krakow, but not so in Warsaw. Most teachers I know in Warsaw can pick and choose the hours and types of classes the teach.

Yes and those teachers will have a lot of experience teaching Polish students, the OP will just have a CELTA with limited experience teaching Thai students. Schools are well aware that the expectations of teachers and learning styles in Asia are very different compared to Europe. In Poland many people under the age of 30 have a masters degree so employers place a lot of value on experience rather than diplomas. Maybe it would be better for the OP to initially go to a small town with greater demand for natives and where they can get a full-time contract, rather than go to Warsaw, and be told 'Other teachers have more experience than you' and 'We don't want to waste time on immigration paperwork' etc. Of course if the OP can build up some experience in a small town, then it would be easier to find classes in Warsaw. But coming to Warsaw now with just a CELTA certificate is quite risky. Even if a school happily offers the OP classes, adult students who have had several teachers will certainly be suspicious of someone with such limited experience. Parents who pay 100PLN+ an hour for their kids to have extra English classes can also be very demanding and judgemental. Naturally, they would expect that the teacher would have a proven track record. Unlike Asia, students/parents will not be impressed by someone just because they are from an English-speaking country.[/b]
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brisket



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Location: Land of the Long White Cloud

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What you say makes a lot of sense, louisdf.

I know it's not going to be like Asia -- I don't want it to be like Asia, because I want to feel good about my work. I know I could walk into a better-paid and much easier job in China, I mean Jesus I'm blonde and everything. That's not what I want though.

Is it possible (OK, likely) that some lower-wage schools in the big city would take a punt on me if I turn up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with my shiny new qualification and my advanced degrees and my best shirt on? I'm not just looking for positive reinforcement here, I want honest opinions from as many people as possible. Again, feel free to PM me, people, if you'd rather keep your opinions private.
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delphian-domine



Joined: 11 Mar 2011
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's the work permit issue again. While it's not a difficult process, you need to be able to get the work permit issued (usually about 30 days), which leaves you about 60 days to actually find someone willing to offer you a work permit, and that's cutting it very fine.

In your case, you'd be best looking for a job anywhere in Poland, then using that year to try and find something in Warsaw full time.
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