Job Discussion Forums

JoshuaJ · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:57 pm Post subject: Upon Arrival in Madrid, Spain

Should I be arranging housing and job placement before I get to Madrid, or should I wait until I get there?

I want to stay for maybe 2-3 years and will obviously overstay the 90-day welcome of a Tourist Visa, but as you know I need a job offer before I can even think about getting a Work Visa.

How likely is it to get a teaching position via internet (while I am physically still in the U.S.)?

Moore · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 730 Location: Madrid

The chances are very low: if a school offered a job to a non-EU citizen over the internet then that would basically be admitting officially that they employ illegals.

JoshuaJ · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject: Upon Arrival in Madrid, Spain

well, not necessarily because if I were to be offered a position,
the business that wants to hire me would then request a Residence and Work Permit on my behalf before the Spanish authorities,
thus qualifying me for a valid Work Visa (having that job offer) before I even leave the U.S., that way I would never even get a Tourist Visa.

Also the term "illegals" is very problematic because people themselves cannot be illegal. It is not against the law to be my person, however my citizenship status is what my be in violation.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's extremely unlikely that any school would make the effort to sponsor you (not you personally, but any North American teacher) for work/residence visas. Check the Spanish Embassy website (Washington, DC) for requirements. Some EU member countries specifically state in law that teachers of English from outside the EU are simply not admitted, regardless of their qualifications (I'm speaking from personal experience here).

The issue is that you are competing against large numbers of well-qualified British citizens, who require no special paperwork. Spain is a very popular destination for teachers, and while there is always a market for more, it's a hirer's market, not a worker's market.

Also, it's very rare that any reputable school in Europe will hire in advance. While there are obviously many, many professional, responsible teachers out there, there are also a fair number of people who are not. Many schools were burned in the past hiring sight-unseen, with teachers who misrepresented themselves and their qualifications, never showed up, or who simply didn't work out. The way to get a job is to show up with your qualifications in hand, looking and sounding professional and responsible.

However, you should be aware that the VAST majority of North Americans teaching in Spain are working/living illegally. You could read through some earlier threads on this forum for more details about this.

jr1965 · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 175

lastmanineurope · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 22 Location: HK

Unless you have a work visa or an EU passport you will have to work illegally. This is do-able but you will have to turn up on the spot and approach a number of schools - some are likely not to ask you about your work permission. It's unlikely that they will sponsor you for a work visa because they can more easily get an EU worker (unless you are very highly qualified and your school is a big one).