Job Discussion Forums

MRosa · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 14

Hi !

I'm new to this and recently some friends who have worked in Argentina, mainly in Buenos Aires have told me that there are lots of call centers over there and they hire English teachers directly so it cuts out the institutos and maybe English teachers get higher pays? Anyone has an opinion on this? I am checking out Argentina and Chile mainly. Thanks.

Maria Rosa

tortuga · Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 51

I contacted one, I think it was TeleCenter, and they said you have to have a DNI. Anyone had different answers?

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

i have also heard that you need a DNI. the pay isn't better than institutes, at some places it's quite a bit worse. HOWEVER, you get more hours in one place and it is stable, so it probably works out to be about the same or even better.

Stevie-G · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 58 Location: Rosario, Argentina

I don't know much about call centers in BA. I'm in Rosario and we have Apex America. I have spoken to them and they really want native English speakers, but you need a DNI. It's a six hour day, five days a week for 900 pesos a month. They said that this is "entry" level pay and that if you are a native speaker with Spanish skills you would be promoted quickly. I don't know what that exactly means....but hey when I get my DNI in a few months I might look into it.

Phil_b · Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Back in London

Cordoba is promoting itself as a the "polo nacional de la tecnologia" and there are a number of call centres - Apex being one of them...

I know a lot of people who work there - it�s not great, but then if you just want money to stay here it could be good (though you probably won't have a DNI) - They take on loads of people every month and get rid of loads of people every month....

vivaBarca · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 6:05 pm Post subject:

When I went to Apex a few weeks ago they told me I needed a work visa, not just a DNI....and I may be wrong but I think 900 pesos a month is pretty legit by local standards, I know a girl who works in another call center and I think she makes about half that.

YanquiQuilme�o · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 122 Location: Quilmes, Argentina

$900 pesos a month for 120 hours of work ... hmmm .... that's a measley $7.50 per hour. I sure as hell wouldn't accept that wage as a native speaker.

Stevie-G · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 58 Location: Rosario, Argentina

hmmmm...

You have to understand that Rosario is a pretty affordable city. BA is far more expensive.

If you have a DNI why would you need a work visa??????????

MRosa · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 14

Thanks to everyone who pitched in their opinions. I guess what you guys told me pretty much confirmed what I've been told by some call centers. I searched for names on the internet and I contacted some of the ones in BA. I was told many things:

Two call centers I contacted asked if I had experience teaching English, one asked fro a TEFL certificate, others wanted a native speaker with a DNI or work visa plus a high level of Spanish. Then the wages offered weren't much different from the ones you get going through an instituto. I still want to teach in Argentina, so maybe I'll check out getting a certificate, maybe try to work without any training at all, but again to be honest, I think I have a pretty good command of English but how do I teach my language?? That's another story. Thanks again and hope to meet some of you in BA.

Maria Rosa

Phil_b · Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Back in London

I think if you have a work visa you get a DNI with it (or an equivalent document) - If you have a DNI you wouldn't need a visa, because it means that you are a legal resident.

If you have a specific visa for one job you might get a limited DNI, but I don�t really know...

As for wages, $8 an hour isn�t uncommon in Cordoba for teaching, $7.50 without all the stress and preparation (and travelling all over the city because you work in 4 schools) can seem attractive.