Which visa for teaching ESL in the U.S.?

[Ute]

Hello,

I hope somebody can help me. I'm in the U.S. right now and want to become an ESL Teacher. I'm from Germany and here on an H4 with my husband. Do you know, if language schools or colleges sponsor visas? Which visa would I have to apply for? Would be making an TESOL Certificate enough for getting a job?

Thanks a lot,
Ute

[stromfi]

Hi Ute,

As if I was reading my own story! From Europe on an H4 visa in the US wanting to teach English? Yes, yes, that’s me, too! I’m a CELTA certified ESL teacher and I’ve been on an H4 visa for the past two and a half years. Prior to that I had a J2 visa with which I worked as a full time ESOL teacher. Since my visa status changed, however, I haven’t done any paid work. The reason?

Well, first of all there’s a financial factor. The chances of finding a school/college/language program that would hire someone who not only cannot be employed immediately, but also needs financial sponsoring before doing any work is rather slim.

Then, there’s the not so rosy student-teacher ratio. In the last couple of years the number of international students, just like the number of refugees, has dropped due to stricter visa and immigration regulations. With the decreasing student number the need for ESL teachers has also dwindled. Schools, colleges and other ESL programs have had to see some of their teachers go because of the declining numbers of international students.

On the other hand, there are endless waiting lists for state sponsored ESOL programs for newly arrived refugees and immigrants. However, these programs are also struggling because of budget cuts. To “make ends meet” they cut down on classes and staff, i.e. teachers.

So, there’re a lot of ESL teachers out there but not a lot of positions. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t scare you off. If there’s a will, there’s a way. If you and your husband are planning to stay in the US for years, you might consider applying for a green card. It’s rather pricey, but you will get a work permit which is not as restrictive as an H1 visa. If you’re staying for only one or two years, then your outlooks might be a bit murky. You would want to change your H4 to H1 but because of the reasons I mentioned above, it won’t be that easy. You can still get your TESOL certificate, however, and start teaching on a voluntary basis. This way you get experience, which will look great in your resume. Every cloud has its silver shining, you see! :-)

Stromfi