Job Discussion Forums

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

I recently applied to Harmon Hall and received an email in response, saying that they try not to hire foreigners, due to the paperwork and immigration problems involved, preferring to hire locals who speak English. Also I was told that I am overqualified.

I am Canadian and have a Bachelor of Journalism and History. I have experience as an assistant teacher in England and did informal ESL tutoring while there. I also have teaching experience with people who have disabilities.

So am I overqualified? Should I be aiming higher than Harmon Hall, even though I don't have any TEFL or CELTA certification? Just how hard is it to get a working visa for Mexico? What types of schools would you recommend applying to, given my qualifications?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

hlamb

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Harmon Hall schools are franchised, and each school director probably has his/her own hiring preferences. I'm sure that some HH directors prefer to hire local teachers to avoid dealing with immigration, but I don't think that's true of all HH schools throughout Mexico. ("Saraswati" can comment on HH's hiring practices better than I can.)

As for your qualifications and experience, I wouldn't say you're over-qualified for HH schools. Your best bet would probably be schools similar to HH for wages, working conditions, and all. However, your lack of a TEFL certificatate and EFL teaching experience may be a disadvantage when applying at private language schools if other applicants (your competition) have certificates and/or experience. I'm not sure about your chances at ITESM's high schools/preparatorias. It might be worth checking out, although again the lack of a certificate and experience could work against you.

In many (most?) parts of Mexico, it isn't difficult to get a work visa to teach EFL. Sometimes it can seem like a long, bureaucratic process. However, if you have all your necessary paperwork, and if your employer is cooperative about providing what he needs to provide to immigration, it isn't a difficult process. Since one of the things an employer has to provide is a copy of the school's tax records, some employers are hesitant to do this, because their tax records sometimes tend to be a bit dodgy (an understatement.)

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

E.F. (formerly English First) and Berlitz in Mexico City definitely hire foreigners, and they will provide you with their side of the paperwork for your FM3. There are many other Mexican schools that will hire you, but like Ben says, they have to provide paperwork for INM so if you are the first foreigner to work there that could be a problem.

Many places will also hire you on a tourist visa, but only recommended for the short term (or not at all).

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I assume that you applied to a franchise of HH, as the main office of the organization is not really involved in hiring.

There are about 100 HH in Mexico now. Each owner and/or director determines hiring policies. I directed one of the HHs for several years, and I did not hire foreigners--but not for the reasons that were given to you (on earlier threads I have mentioned my reasons.) Considering that I was originally hired by HH in 1995 as a teacher, and I had all three degrees in English plus several years of teaching experience in the US at the university level, at least back in those days being "over-qualified" was not an issue.

I suggest you try your luck with one of the other 90 plus HHs--keeping in mind, however, that most of them prefer to hire someone who is sitting across the desk from the director--not through Internet.

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Something illegal in that? It wasn't illegal from 1995-99....

scott wilhelm · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 63 Location: st louis, mo

On balance, would you regular posters say that being an American (that is native speaker of English) gives one a heads up over the local people in finding an English teaching job ? Or is it the other way around ?
Also, do letters of recommendation and good evaluations from language schools in the U.S. count for much when applying for jobs in Mexico ?
As always, your help is much appreciated.

scott wilhelm · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 63 Location: st louis, mo

I just thought of another, related question.
I can understand why some language schools may not want to mess with the FM-3 paperwork involved in hiring a foreigner. To save the employer the hassle and perhaps improve a foreigner's chances of being hired, is it possible to get one on your own quickly, so that you can legally begin working within a few days of applying for the FM-3 ? I know that Mexico and the U.S. are different places to say the least, but here in the U.S. if one wants to have a passport application approved within 24 hours there is a way of doing it by paying a significant fee to a passport service (somewhere around $ 450) which has a messenger walk the application to the U.S. State Dept and who walks out the door with a passport, which is then courriered to Reagan National, flown to the applicant's city and couriered to the passport service or the applicant's residence . All perfectly legal. I didn't know that this even existed until I helped my mother obtain a passport and the service rep showed us a price list for various grades of service. My mother was in no hurry, so she paid about $ 60 for the standard service , which took about 10 days. But the service rep made a point of telling us that if you need to have a passport quickly, it can happen for a fee.
I can't help but to wonder , can an additional fee be payed to a Mexican attorney who would get the FM-3 app pushed thru Mexican Immigration quickly ?
Money seems to move things faster up here. I'm guessing Mexico may be the same in that regard.
Thanks for your help.

richtx1 · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 115 Location: Ciudad de M�xico

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I would like to clear up a misconception. Different immigration offices have different policies regarding folks working before they receive their FM-3. According to the immigration laws here it is not allowed, and some offices--especially in the state of Oaxaca--have actually deported foreigners that they found out were working before they received their FM-3 and have fined the employers. So I would suggest a little more caution.

scott wilhelm · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 63 Location: st louis, mo

Rich, Tim and Moonraven,
Thanks for the replies. No, I'm not asking or even thinking about bribing anyone. I'm way too big a chicken for that. I just wanted to see if any attys or messenger services in Mexico could walk the FM-3 app thru the system rather than relying on the mail.
It sounds like there is no quick way of getting the FM-3 but that working with only the app being filed is no big deal, normally at least. I suppose it wouldn't be a big problem to apply for the FM-3 after getting a job offer and not actually working until the FM-3 comes thru.
Appreciate the advice.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I filed my paperwork back on July 12, and received my FM3 en tramite. I was told I could not legally teach until I received my 1-year FM3...
...yet when I received my FM3, it states that it is valid for one year starting from July 12th until next July 12.

I'm a bit confused. Was I legal to teach from July 12, or did I get ripped off by two weeks? If I'm paying for a one year visa, I should be able to teach legally for 52 weeks, not 50...

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

You were ripped off. Most people have the same experience--except in the offices where they only take a couple of days (yes, they exist). But what, precisely, do you want to do about it?