Job Discussion Forums

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

A gringo coordinator of a private school in Tuxtla claims his teacher records were checked by la migra

(but he drinks a bit) Razz

MELEE · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject:

I know two Irish teachers who were caught teaching while in tramite. They were give 5 days to leave the country of their own accord.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

They will do spot checks in some locations and will also act on complaints, probably in most locations. One teacher I know was denied his FM3 and deported (asked to leave within 3 days, I think). They did a spot-check on him while his FM3 was in process and found him working in the language school doing translations. He had applied for permission to teach, but Immigration maintained that translating is a separate "lucrative activity". So that's something to be aware of if you work in a school that asks you to do both. Apply for both permissions at the beginning. This teacher didn't get a second chance to rectify things.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I know of one teacher from the UK who was asked to begin teaching at a state university before his paperwork was started. When immigration got wind of this, they showed up on the campus and told him to stop working immediately. He was fined 5000 pesos and given a choice of filing his paperwork for an FM3 immediately or leaving Mexico within 5 days. He filed his paperwork and immigration took the full 30 days to complete his FM3. The university was also fined another 5000 pesos.

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

A friend of mine, who was teaching at 2 schools in Oaxaca (City), got caught. She does (and did) have her FM3, but only had one of the schools listed on it. The dreaded Migra showed up at the non-listed school for a surprise inspection while she was teaching her class there (I think she was only teaching one hour a day). Both she and the school were issued a fine (I think the school director stepped up and paid her fine for her), and she had to stop teaching there.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

There`s quite a bit of competition for teaching positions in the Yucatan,specifically in Merida, with locals lusting after ESL jobs held by gringoes. They have been known to successfully scuttle illegals� continued stay.

When I was there in 2006, rumors were rift of two such teachers. One was a German national teaching at the municipal adult education center, who was hustled out of the school by immigration officials in the middle of his class. They literally went into the classroom in front of all the students, ordered him out of the building, took him in their government vehicle to his apartment, watched and made sure he collected all his personals, took him to the airport and put him on the plane back to DDR all within the same afternoon!!

That story was told to me by the school director.

The other teacher was a Swiss national who was teaching German and French at two different schools and had been living illegally for 2 1/2 years in Merida. Immigration was more gracious to her, perhaps on account of her gender. She was given one week to leave and she did, as likewise, they made sure. I would have worked with her but she left a week before I got hired.

That story was told to me by the school owner/director.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I'd heard of a foreign teacher in a Mexico City Wall St Institute that got caught working without an FM3, apparently turned in by a jilted local lover. Besides that, I don't think I've heard of a random check or a visit by migra at any of the schools here. I'm sure it happens though.

MO39 · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:12 am Post subject:

Has anyone heard of someone teaching solely on h own (with no connections to schools or recruiters) being found out by la Migra and sent packing?

A question - if you're deported, who pays for the plane ticket?

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

mo39 wrote:

MO39 · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject:

I don't have to worry anymore about being ratted out to Migraci�n. I had a call from my lawyer's office this morning (much too bright and early) to inform me that I can pick up my shiny new FM3 on Monday morning!!

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

MO39 · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the warning, Phil. I'll make an effort to keep the tears back when my virgin FM3 is "violated" by the Migraci�n authorities Crying or Very sad

!

notamiss · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:29 pm Post subject:

Y vale la pena forrarlo con cristal.

AAAGGHHH How do you say that in English?

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

A group of teachers were deported a while back for working in the SLP Berlitz without visas. Migracion here has some sinister looking vans outside but I think they're more concerned with what immigrants from other latin countries are doing. The only people I've seen hauled in there were Guatemaltecos.