Job Discussion Forums

SAILO · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 7

Hello,

I have some questions about job prospects for a teaching couple and visa legalities...

My boyfriend (age 24) and I (age 22) have recently obtained our TEFL certificates (120 hour course with 6 hours of observed teaching practice) and we both have B.A. degrees (his in business and mine in literature). However, neither of us has any teaching experience but both are very serious about careers in this field. We would prefer to teach children but are open to teaching adults as well.

We want to teach English abroad but don't know where we seriously start considering - prospects for him may be different that prospects for me as I am American and he is Argentinean (his English is excellent but he has a slight accent). Neither has an EU passport.

Any ideas for where we should start to focus our energy? We would be ready to start working by mid-september (we will be working in an English summer camp in Spain beforehand so we are open to anywhere in Europe; and no, we didn't get a work visa for the job in Spain - it's a 2-month gig and is considered a volunteer position as the monetary compensation is, umm, small). Neither of us wants to work in Asia as we both spent the last year traveling around the continent and would like a new experience.

Considering that we both need to be able to obtain proper work visas (or find a country where they don't mind if you work on a tourist visa), what are our options?

Another question I have been researching is which countries allow you to do the paperwork and obtain a work visa once you actually arrive in that country? For example, I know that in order to work legally in France you must obtain a work visa in your country of origin. I have heard, though, that for the Czech Republic, one can obtain a work visa in the country after getting hired by a local school/company. For two young teachers with not much in the way of savings, returning to our home countries to get proper work permits is prohibitively expensive.

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you for your help and sorry if this has been posted in the wrong forum!

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

The general answer (to your general question) is that you can get a work permit in the 'new' EU member countries, like the Czech Rep, Poland, Slovakia, etc.

One possible problem to consider in your plan, though, is this: US citizens get 90 days inside the entire Schengen zone (you can google a list of countries, but it's essentially the whole region these days) and then you have to exit the zone for 90 days before re-entering.

If you are teaching in Spain for two months, you have only 30 days to land a job and get the paperwork filed for legal working papers before your time is up...

You might not get caught, but again, you might...officials are authorized to run checks at any border if they wish. There are regular passport checks at the train station here in the town where I work in the the Netherlands, for example. And any airport is obviously quite likely to 'catch' you overstaying your 90 days. The penalty is a big red stamp in your passport banning you from the Schengen zone for 10 years...

May be worth taking a chance, but you should know that there is a bit of a risk.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Latin America might be good. Does your boyfriend have a passport from an English speaking country? If not, he probably won't be able to get a visa.

You said no to ASia, but it's probably the easiest as far as visas go. Countries vary about work visas. But I'd personally rather enter on a business or work visa, something that connects you to the school.

the CZ, I'm pretty sure makes you get it from your home country, so get it before you go

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You may want to consider the JET Programme in Japan.
http://www.jetprogramme.org/

Now, I suppose you are going to complicate matters, no matter where you choose to go, by insisting that you live in the same place...?

Also, what is your time frame?

SAILO · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 7

My boyfriend doesn't have a passport from an English speaking country but could get an American one (his dad was born there - I think that qualifies you, right?).

Thank you for pointing out the limit for US citizens in the Schengen area - I don't think I will risk overstaying my 90 day limit there...so not worth the risk. However, does the 90 day limit apply to Argentine citizens as well?

I suppose we could go to Asia, it's just that part of the idea of teaching abroad is being exposed to new cultures and we have spent so much time in Asia that we would just like something new.

Perhaps teaching in his home country is a better option? We are open to going almost anywhere: central and eastern Europe, Latin America, the Balkans... (the Middle East I am not so jazzed about)

Yes, we would like to live together (so I am assuming things like the JET programme are out, as they place you anywhere).

Timeframe: we will be able to start work as of September, 2009 (summer camp in Spain finishes August 22).

Thank you for all of your help!!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

SAILO · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 7

Awesome, thanks for your help!

In Asia I have been in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Japan. I am open to teaching in Asia, it's just not my first choice, and after all we are all allowed to have preferences, right?

I will look more seriously into Argentina - Europe doesn't seem to be all that possible. Especially since my boyfriend's job in Spain lasts for 4 months (a clear overstay of the 90 day limit) so he will be illegal as it is!!

If anyone has anymore ideas/advice, I am more than happy to hear them!!