Job Discussion Forums

Ray 2 · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Posts: 5

Hi there

I have been applying online for teaching positions since February this year.Since then ,I have been told by various employers that I dont qualify for getting a visa in Turkey.What confuses me though ,is that all of them have different reasons for it. One has said that in order to get a visa ,one needs to have a degree and Celta,another said that one needs to have a degree and a teaching certificate,the other said I just need to come over with no visa ,jump the border and start teaching at their school.He also said that I dont need to sign a contract ,as the employer believes that trust is a vital component within a working arrangement(which I found to be very crazy).I have a Social Science degree,a one-week Intensive Tefl certificate .I have also taught in Asia for two years .I checked out some websites on visa requirements in Turkey and they all say ,its just a degree and a Tefl certificate.So ,now Im really confused and would deeply appreciate any help.Im wondering if it is better to just come over and look for work there?Or is it actually possible to find something online?and if so ,could anyone recommend a good website to go to ,to find work online.

Would really appreciate a response.
Cheers.
Ray

justme · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul

1) The school who told you that you don't need a (work) visa is right. You can come here on a tourist visa and work illegally, which most have done at some time or other. You just have to cross the border into (usually) Greece or Bulgaria every 3 months to get the tourist visa renewed. The school may or may not pay the expenses for this. You just have to decide if you want the uncertainty of working illegally.

2) Stay far, far away from the school that said they don't need a contract, based on the loving and trustful relationships between schools and teachers. It's not like most contracts with foreign teachers are worth much here in any case, but a school that claims mutual trust between the teacher and the school is the key to a good working relationship is, well, scary.

3) They say you need a CELTA because that's the certification most people have. Other TEFL certifications work too, though I can't say whether yours does or not. The Ministry of Education seems most familiar with CELTAs, though it seems they may be happy with anything that says 'Certificate.'

4) You might mention which schools you're communicating with online-- someone here's likely to know about them, or have had experience with them, or at least heard some interesting rumors...

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

It seems that the face of tefling here in Turkey has changed over the last few years. The money used to be better and it has become more difficult for schools to get work visas for their foreign teachers.

As I understand, a school can more easily get the visa if the teacher is already working here or living here and has a resident permit. A new teacher has to come then go back to their country of origin to get the visa. Expensive. And, of course, this being Turkey, there is a mountain of paperwork. Bottom feeder schools can't be bothered.

The bottom line is many, many teachers are working illegally. My last two jobs were illegal and I hated it. If there is something wrong, the teacher has no recourse. Rolling Eyes

Low pay, no health insurance, no support, and probably lies from the employer. Why new teachers come for that I don't know.

To finish me morning rant- I've been in Turkey a long time, met some GREAT people(married one of them), seen some wonderful sites...etc blah blah... but I think tefling here has slid into a pit. Turkey is for the short term. School won't get you a visa? Then after the visa run to Bulgaria, split to the south coast, because, hey, you'll be a tourist so go do tourist stuff and enjoy Turkey! Very Happy

justme · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul

Great avatar, tekirdağ!!!!!

Anyone see the İbo Show this weekend? He shaved that caterpillar off his lip! What a funny little man!!

I know, it's terribly shameful that I was watching the İbo show but really, we were just flipping through the channels and we stopped there for a laugh and then we were like, 'Who the hell is that guy?!' and it was freakin' İbo with no moustache...

Sigh.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:24 am Post subject: Oh PLEESE!!!!!!

Yes he is a funny little man ,and a rich one to boot .But can he help you with your visa ?*

yaramaz · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:59 am Post subject:

He probably could, esp if you agreed to be one of his wives.

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

well....saddam wan't doing it for me so i change me ole avatar to something that better represents me... Laughing

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

.. a victimised dustbin .. don't be so hard on yourself ... Razz

brissygirl · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 13 Location: Brisbane, Australia

justme · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul

Once you're here, some schools will spring for a residence permit, which will save you the trouble of border runs every 3 months. You can get them for varying amounts of time. Other schools may help you with the paperwork but expect you to pay for it and make some trips to the horrible foreign police to sort it out. Still, this would be a residence permit and not a work permit or work visa-- it's legal for you to be here, but still not legal for you to work. Not that anyone cares about it, but it makes your position very uncertain, and like tekirdağ said, you have no recourse if someone decides to cheat you.

When I got my first work permit, the school handled the paperwork and part of the cost. They timed it so that I could get the visa when I was making my yearly trip home anyway (I live in the Western US which is also too expensive and too far to hop home for a week).

Once you're here, I don't think you can change your visa status from 'Tourist' to 'Work.' You can only do it from your home country.

Hope that helps...

corall · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 270 Location: istanbul, turkey

the visa stuff changes all the time. i just got mine in november. when i first got hired at my school they sent off copies of my documents to the ministry to see if i could get a visa. in a week it came back that i was eligable. 2 months later the paper work was ready to go. my school handled all of it (all i had to do was give them 12 passport photos) they sent me to canada (and paid for the flight) just to drop off the papers at the turkish embassy. at the same time, a guy from my school flew down to ankara to drop off the schools part of the papers. then the waiting started. 2 and a half months later they called the embassy and we were told that i was accepted. i flew to canada again (they also paid for that flight) and got a stamp in my passport which only took a couple of hours. within the month i had to get a residence permit or else the workvisa would become invalid. (again which they paid for)

it is possible to get a visa while being in the country, but all the paper work has to be done properly, if anything is missing, you are back at square one. if they reject you, you have to wait for a year to re-apply. it is a hassle, a lot of phone calls and a bit of lying as well. "no, i don't work in turkey right now, i'm really only on holiday, honest!" you do have to go back to your own country to do it if only for a couple of days each time you go.

also i had a ba in english and a tesol certificate. it doesn't matter how long the course is that you took they need to see that a certificate that says certified teacher of english or what ever. i have heard that not having a english degree or something related to english could get you rejected for a work visa though. but the rules change all the time

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

I think Corall and Justme said it all. Wow, Corall, I'd say your boss is a pretty good one, chucking the bucks for flights to Canuck land and all. Me likes to hear stories like that. Warms me heart. Very Happy

I guess you're not at a dershane.

justme · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul

corall, I can't believe your school sprung for all that! Wonderful!

As for the certificate thing and the Ministry, I had some trouble when getting my first work visa-- the Ministry didn't like the MATESOL because it doesn't have 'certificate' written on it somewhere!

corall · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 270 Location: istanbul, turkey

nah, i'm not into dershane work. i work at private school. i am quite lucky. at first i didn't think that they were going to pay for all of it, but they insisted and who am i to argue with that Wink

Ray 2 · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Posts: 5

Hi there

To answer Justme question, the schools were Kultur 2000,English First and SDM English to name but a few.I really appreciate all your responses.So what I can gather now ,after Corall's entry is that there is the possibilty of striking it lucky ,however it would probably be very hard to get an employer who would sponsor me for all this .Almost like looking for a needle in a haystack.So that leaves me with flying down and working illegally with bad pay,bad working hours and no paid accomodation .This would be ofcourse until I can get connected and set up the right contacts.I was wondering in terms of the pay at these schools,Do they pay you enough to live a fairly comfortable lifestyle?That is,Can I pay my for all my basic living conditions,plus partying and safe up for some travelling after?
Once again,you have all been absolute stars ,thank you so much.
Cheers