Job Discussion Forums

[koshechka]

not to bother anyone who doesn't want to answer but i am still somewhat confused about the legal part of teaching in chile. what i basically want to know is, can i enter the country as a tourist, get my 90 days or whatever, find a job, leave and come back on a worker's visa, is that really how it works? is it really going to be impossible to find anywhere other than sam marsalli who would give me the necessary paperwork? that is what i have understood so far, that only sam hires from abroad and once in chile it is really difficult to get the schools to give you whatever it is that the government needs. anyway, this is the question really, should i worry about immigration before coming to chile or can i deal with it once i am there. not that i have much of a choice anyway, right. thanks a lot.

[bzakka]

the only places that will offer you a contract generally will want to working full time. Contracts entail that the company pays for insurance, and sometimes for your flight back.
No one hires from abroad... no one good anyway. There are instuitutes that will employ you part time if you dont have a work permit and they will pay by either cash or check. It�s solid, but don�t expect too many hours from any one institute if you do it that way. I work for three different people and only have like 12 hours a week.
There is a company here called Comunicorp that is expanding (they just moved into a new building) so are looking for full time teachers. The director�s name is Diane and she�s really sweet, but also quite demanding. She wants GOOD teachers and is committed to quality. Look up Comunicorp online or shoot me a p.m. and i will put you in contact with her if you want. I also know of this guy Howard who does basically the same thing but he may offer more money. His place is called Executive English Solutions and requires a CELTA.

[koshechka]

thanks bzakka
i have actually written comunicorp earlier, i think. i've to written like 20 institutes, but most of them haven't answered. what i really want is work in a university, is there any chance of that, you think? from all the posts that i've read it doesn't seem likely. and without a masters, even less likely. maybe i just got really lucky here in mexico. well, anyway, if what i understood is correct, i should just come to chile, and use my three months to find someone who'd be silly enough to employ me and leave every 3 months since no one will ever sign a contract anyway. is this correct? the problem is that i am moving to chile, i will be trying to live there, indefinitely, so i don't really want to be working illegally and all that bull. as far as jobs are concerned, can you recommend some of the better ones that you have found so far. i have started amassing my own list, from the unanswered emails mostly, but it's scary to think that i will have to visit like 20 schools and most of these visits be pointless. i would like to have like 5 schools or so to go to. i am moving at the beginning of september. i have my ticket and all. thanks for your help and anyone else's who might write.
p.s. as i've said before, if anyone wants to know anything about puebla, mexico, i am a well of knowledge. not a deep well mind you but still.
ciao

[eileen]

hey,

good advice for those who give you the "no one hires from outside" talk. That's generally true. Most schools who hire do so out of a need for teachers now, not in two weeks. Chileans tend to do things very last minute, so the schools don't even know they need the teachers until shortly before they really need the teachers to be there. I'd definitely recommend coming here, getting a cellphone, printing up resumes with your number on them, and then hitting the pavement. You will have three months to find something with an institute that might sign a contract, and you can get the three months extended at extranjeria (immigration office), or just leave after three months, and then try again during your next three month period. Three months is a long time. The problem is that even though it requires a minimum of effort on the part of the employer, a lot of them are afraid that it will bring gov't scrutiny, and either they don't want to bother, or they cook the books and are worried they will get found out. You can find a job in about three days (if you are lucky), but pay is delayed by a month, and you might not find a job with a contract in that time.

I know for sure that both Bridge Linguatec and Norteamericano give contracts but not from abroad. They are far from the only shops in town. I have heard good things about English First (but I don't know if they give contracts). There are tons of schools, and depending on your need for high-quality work conditions or socializing, you may want to just look at the places and get an impression of who they are and what they do.

Contracts in Chile are strange in that they talk alot about the employer's responsibility to you, but not much about your responsibility to them. If you can read Spanish, get more info at www.extranjeria.gov.cl

The best time to look for work is April through Nov. Dec Jan and Feb are dead, and classes pick up again in March. You can get private students quite easily, but they can be undependable, life sometimes seems more important than English.

hth,

eileen

[orchidlove]

Hi Eileen (or anyone else who can answer!)

I notice that you mentioned you could extend your stay via the immigration office. Do you know approximately how long they will extend it for after the 90 day tourist visa? And what type of conditions they would approve this? I have a 90 day return, 1 yr open ticket (i wasn't able to get a one way from the agents i spoke to) and I want to stay longer (6 months altogther if i can) but want to know if this would be a good option if i do not get a contract when I am there. I checked out the website but I don't understand perfectly so I don't want to depend on my abilities yet!

[roaster]

Hey guys!

Just a wee question along the same visa lines- to get my 3 month tourist visa, do i need to have a return ticket? I was just going to get a one way ticket bc i wanted to stay probably for more than a year.

[DianaMa]

well when I was inquiring about air fare it was just cheaper to get a round trip ticket. I went with Avianca Airlines and I bought the ticket with a return near the end of December. With a $50US fine I can change the destination of the ticket and the date so I thought that was a good deal for me. As for your arrival this is what happened to me. I waited inline for quite awhile at immigration only to be told that I had to pay my entrance tax first, which makes sense now that I think about it because the kiosk is located before you arrive at the immigration line. So pay first then line up at immigration, as for my return ticket they didn't look at anything other than my passport so it was no problem. on your immigration form just right down that you'll be staying 90 days, which is what your legally entitled to and check the box for tourism, and they simply don't care.

good luck
Diana

[lauren3821]

i arrived with a one way ticket and had no problems with tourist visas or immigration

[-Stu-]

The British Institute hire from abroad and are one of the better payers out there. They also give contracts and pay for your flight.

That being said i wouldn't panic too much about work visas and contracts as lots of TEFL teachers here don't have them and just take the trip to Mendoza every 3 months.

[eileen]

a couple of answers to old questions:

usually extranjeria gives 90 days, but I have a friend who was given only 30 days one time, for some mysterious reason.

The round trip ticket hasn't been an issue for anyone I know who came from the states or Europe, but one person I know who came from New Zealand (US citizenship) had to buy an onward ticket to Argentina.

[roaster]

Cheers guys!
thanks for all advice with tickets/visas etc... all really helpful..

ps...anyone from Scotland?

[santiagoenglish]

My advice is to just come to Chile!

Country is great, the employers are terrible!

It wont be to difficult to get hold of a job here, but you do need to put the leg work. Go round the different institutes.

I know of people who have come here and worked here without a contract for 4 years. It is possible to do it.

The issue with Chile in general is that while the country is great, all of the institutes are money making enterprises, so be prepared for late or incorrect payment, I have never had the correct pay at the end of month I was entitled to in 3 years of being here!

If you wish to improve your career in TEFL than avoid Chilean run enterprises for example the british institute (now partly a university) as you will be messed around and lied to constantly.

Other problematic enterprises include Tronwell and Acpan (which i think is out of business)
International House was here but went bust when the (Chilean) manager ran off with all the money, they are now left with a (very) small school which is run by poms.

Also institutes wont pay for your flight here and back if you are hired here, you have to get hired outside of the country.

As for Qualifications, they tend not to check up those things, I know of teachers working for the biggest english language providers here that have fake degree certificates, wasnt happy when I found that out! Having put in all that hard work!

The Institites will be very impressed by the certs, but never check them, also they ask for things like police records, medical certs, when hiring from abroad but than dont actually ask for them for them when you arrive or turn up for interview.

Split shifts are also very comman here as well, 8am start 9pm finish. your left hanging about for 3 hours in the middle of the day

Chile is a beautiful country, the schools are depressingly unprofessional but dont let that stop you.

My advice is to do private work. Better pay, have been doing that for the past year and have had no problems at all!