Job Discussion Forums

[DZNZ]

Hello,

I am an American currently working on my CELTA. I have a BA in English and have been a Tech Writer/Trainer in Washington D.C. for the past 9 years.

Introductions aside, I am a bit bummed that I need a EU passort to teach in Europe. Please, someone correct me if I am wrong. If I am not, then does anyone know of ways to circumvent this problem? I am not thinking of anything illegal here--just any possible legitimate way(s) to teach in Europe as an American.

I have researched this question at length on this site but thought I would ask directly to obtain, well . . . a direct answer.

Thanks guys and gals

[EnglishBrian]

Hi

You don't need an EU passport to work in Europe anymore than I would need a US passport to work in America.

It's just that within the EU (which includes the UK and Ireland as suppliers of 'native English speaking' teachers), nationals can move and work without needing work permits, so it's just not attractive for employers to go through the bureacracy necessary to get work permits for Americans. In some countries like Britain the employer has to prove that you have a skill that can't be supplied by a local too. It's like me trying to get a US employer to give me a job and get me work permits to work in America as an English teacher - what chance do you think I'd have of that?.

I suppose this is why so many Americans on these forums are delighted the US now allows dual citizenship, and they're all scrambling to prove that they have some relative that might give them a chance of getting citizenship of a country in the EU.

For what it's worth, some schools are so short of people they might be willing to try and get you a permit - especially as you got a CELTA, and have some experience that I'm sure you can cleverly relate to English teaching - though some real EFL work would give you a better chance. These might not be in the higher paying western countries though. More unlikely, but you never know, is to find somewhere that just by chance is specifically looking for someone with exactly your experience.

Good luck to you anyway

[EnglishBrian]

One extra thought, though I don't expect it will grab you. Voluntary work? We have a Canadian based 'Christian' college in our town that's basically another local university. Mostly staffed by North Americans, but they are volunteers. Could be a way in?

[stillnosheep]

[junkmail]

You can (particularly with your qualifications) get a work permit in an EU country; Poland for example.

[perdita]

You really don't NEED to be an EU citizen. All it really means is that EU citizens don't have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and therefore will be preferred over you. You can always claim that your particular cultural/linguistic background provides an important contrast from the Queen's English. Do you know where you'd like to teach? The EU may have its regulations, but work possibilities differ greatly from country to country.[/i]

[DZNZ]

Thanks! Great info and potential leads here.

Thanks again,

DZNZ

[gmjones]

I spent over 2 years working in Germany with American, Canadian and Australian colleagues. None of them had any problems there at all, all they needed to do was to buy medical insurance which was relatively cheap and then fill in the work permit and visa forms (which had to be signed by their employees) and take them to the relative office. Its was really quite an easy process and I knew noone who was refused for any reason. I also knew a huge amount of American teachers in Spain who just entered and enjoyed, and noone said a word about this when they passed through immigration a year or so later to return to the States.

[svenhassel]

apply to wsb nowy sacz, they're connected to nlu in chicago and very open to american native speakers, all assistance provided.

[CMB]

Depending on the country, if you come on a student visa you can work legally part time. In Spain, for example, if you enroll in a course lasting 3 months which entails 20 hours a week of study (like intensive language courses or university courses) you can also work for 20 hours a week.

[Teacher in Rome]

[3plus1]

[spiral78]

Sure, fine, but the work they find will be under the table. Illegal, to put it bluntly.

[DainaJ]

My DH worked legally in Germany. I had a work permit there, which was difficult to obtain, so I don't agree with the poster above - you have to prove that there is no EU citizen who can do the same job. I am a translator and my employer was able to prove they needed US English for business reasons. The residence visa in my DH's passport had a rider that said he could work as an English teacher for a particular language school. So this was sort of a gray area, because according to tax law, he shouldn't have been able to do this, but according to the residence permit people it was OK.

Maybe you can try the Baltic states - good standard of living and very European atmosphere. People there are also friendly, not to mention ecstatic if you learn a few words of the local languages.

PS To the other poster above - the US has permitted dual citizenship for a long time. The policy is that dual citizenship is "not encouraged, but is tolerated." You bet internationally oriented people are scrounging their family trees to get citizenship - I applied for Latvian citizenship back in the early 1990s looking forward to the EU when it wasn't even sure Latvia would be able to join. That ended up paying off.

[spiral78]

Please note that Germany has recently tightened its laws.