Job Discussion Forums

[TIKITEMBO]

1. So, I�m looking for work in Ecuador, preferably Quito and I would really like to find work with a non-profit or NGO, but it�s been little to no luck so far. Is my only option a for-profit school? I know that �for-profit� does not necessarily mean �evil�, but it�s definitely the case that many of these larger name language schools exist for the money and not for the students. I have a CELTA as well as a teaching license for English from the states and prior experience teaching.

2. Additionally, and this is important, I�m running into the problem that some schools are interested in hiring me, but that the fact that I�m here on a tourist visa is a problem. I�ve been offered to be put on a Cultural Exchange visa by one well known school, since I would be able to learn spanish there as well, but I�d also like to work at a University once the next semester rolls around. My question is, does anyone know if the cultural exhchange visa allows you to work with another school than the one that originally sponsored you? If not, what are some pointers for working at a University? None of them seem to want to deal with sponsoring on the visa situation...

Any thoughts on either of these quandries would be very much appreciated!

[just_a_mirage]

Technically, you are not supposed to work for another entitity while on a cultural exchange visa....but....I was on a volunteer visa and not supposed to work either, but did for two years until I got my permanant visa. I am also working with someone who is here on a student visa, and has jobs in a university and a high school.
Non-profits and NGOs are difficult, as they typically try to stick to volunteers to fill their needs. I would prefer to work for one too, but even with a permanant resident visa and permission to work, I have not been able to find one that will pay me enough to live on. And I dont have extravagent tastes...so the pay is VERY low.
You may want to try a bilingual high school. Ive worked for one for five years along with my jobs in an English academy and a university. The high school I am at is very well operated, and has great support for teachers. I have really enjoyed being here, and although Ive seen others that pay more, I love my job enough to stay.

[latif]

I would also prefer to work for a non-profit/ngo type org. I have some flexibility, and could also volunteer, if the position was interesting enough... any recommendations on NGOs?

[TIKITEMBO]

Yeah, NGO recomendations would be great. All the one�s that I�ve persued thus far haven�t been interested in English teachers (but I might have had a language barrier in trying to explain to them what it was that I wanted to do). It�s surprising to me how many big name places aren�t interested in dealing with the visa situation and it�s a real shame because I�m sure it keeps many qualified people from being able to work in the country. As for working on a volunteer visa, I don�t know, I might be open to it, but I�d really like to be protected in some way. If I was working her illegally on a volunteer visa and something were to happen (they tried to take advantage of me, I fell down the stairs, they didn�t want to pay me, ect). I don�t think I�d have much leverage to be able to fight for myself.

[just_a_mirage]

You really arent working illegally on a volunteer visa, because you are able to get a RUC (social security ) number which puts you legally into the SRI system. Keep in mind though, that even when you are totally legal, you can end up working for an institution that may not pay you. Case in point, I worked for a university for the better part of a year. They paid irregularly, and for the last two months I was not paid at all. They are still in business, and still hiring and losing teachers. Legal recourse can take YEARS! And I have permanant resident status.
I am in Guayaquil, and am mostly familiar with NGOs in this area, but if you are interested, let me know and I can give you some names.
As far as why they dont want to hassle with visas, really, they dont need to. There are many gringos here with legal status to take available jobs if they are insisting on a native speaker. Also, Ecuador has some fantastic Ecuadorian teachers here. Luckily there are many professional development opportunities for low cost, and free teacher training, so many of the natives are very good at teaching English. And dealing with the visa issue is also a HUGE headache for these institutions and expensive, as they need notorized documents, and in some cases must pay for a lawyer to draft documents. Also the government requires all English documents to be apostilled and notorized, which is very time-consuming and expensive.

[TIKITEMBO]

Ah, so that's what the RUC is. I've heard about that as well as the Factura. Does anyone know if you have a cultural exchange visa and then your employment ends if your cultural exchange visa becomes void then? I plan on having a good relationship with the company that would give me that visa, but it's good to know just in case.

[just_a_mirage]

The RUC is the equivelent of a social secuity numer. To get it you go to the SRI office.p, present your passport and visa with copies, and a planilla (water or electric bill for your address) and a notorized copy of the rental contract where you live. You are then given a RUC number and you can take the paper to an SRI authorized printer to have invoices or facturas made with your name, what areas you teach such as secondaria (high sschool) or superior (university)and RUC number. You then use the facturas to bill your employer, usually monthly. You must then file taxes twice a year. Facturas usually expire after a year so you must file taxes (rarely would you hav to pay anything) to be allowed to print new facturas.

[naturegirl321]

YOu can heaps of opps here
http://volunteersouthamerica.net/

[TIKITEMBO]

That is a lot of places! I do know that a lot of the ones on there are on the WANGO website as well and they really are just looking for volunteers. While I would love to volunteer, I have some bills to pay that keep me addicted to money =D.