ESL Jobs Forum

[davidwest]

Hi,

I have decided, and I am heading for Brazil, North East. However, I don't see many positions advertised for this area of the country but I am willing to take my chances.

However, to get a work visa you require a job offer from a school in the country. If I turn up on a holiday visa am I likely to get the job if I find a vacancy? Is there any way around this without an offer prior to travel? Does everybody go on a holiday visa? Can the school arrange a work visa while you're in the country? Will I risk being asked to leave the country?

Any hints anybody?

Dave
_________________
Seeking secure teaching positions in Central/South America. Safe, small city/town, good school.

[Curica]

Hi Dave!
I was in the same dilemma before. But what I did was to go to the country on a Tourist Visa first and had this "exploratory trip." I tried to collect magazines and some directory about the schools around Croatia particularly in Zagreb. So, I went back home to the Philippines reviewing the schools listed on the directory. I found this Montessori school where I applied first and while I was in Manila, I applied online through email. Then I called the directress we were able to talk on the phone. She asked me to send some important documents required. And so I did through Fedex. However, due to some reasons we lost touched. But the bad part was I was already in the country when she missed contacting me. Gosh you just don't know how nervous and anxious I was. But I got the directory again and I found another school which accepted me. I just shared with you my experience so you would have an idea how I got my present job. On the other hand, I got this friend from the UK who had a difficult time looking for a job here as she just took the plunge so to speak. She had to renew her tourist visa from time to time as she was afraid to be deported because of overstaying without a job. So, it is your call. One important tip is to be familiar with the country's law about obtaining Working Visa.

All the best!
Curica
curica41@yahoo.com

[unionjack]

You are allowed to stay in Brazil for a maximum of 180 days on a tourist visa. You can get a 90 day visa before you go and then a 90 day extention, while you are in the country.

If you do get a job, you'll need a work permit and there would be no problem obtaining this in the UK where proper checks can be made. However, you would have to check, whether you can apply for a work permit, whilst you are in Brrazil.

[danielled123]

So you're experience is possibly different from mine, as you're British and I'm American and laws for my travel are generally more strict (in the retaliatory sense).

I had such a messy experience getting a visa in Brazil. My boyfriend (now husband, technically) is Brazilian, so I was working on a visa that way. But getting a visa through a school is almost impossible.

I have a blog about my experience teaching in Brazil. Here's an entry about the visa problems (if you look through the archives, you'll find more):

http://daniellebrazil.blogspot.com/2008/08/visa-woes.html

And here's my advice for teaching in Brazil in general (some visa stuff):
http://daniellebrazil.blogspot.com/2008/10/danielles-tips-for-teaching-english-in.html

I hope that helps! Good luck.

[KevinGBrazil]

Did you try to get a work visa in Brazil Danielle? I bet you came on a tourist visa and had not problems though. Listen, you don't need a work visa to work in Brazil. You can come on a tourist visa and you can find a job. There is a strict "don't ask, don't tell" policy with schools, so they won't even ask if you have work papers (they already know that you don't). You will get paid in cash every month, usually around 25-35 Brazilian Reals per hour in Sao Paulo, and you can expect to work around 20 hours per week when you get up and running.

[KevinGBrazil]

You will need to get a job with schools that give classes in company and not a franchised school on the street corner like Wisdom or Wizard. You will earn a lot more money and have no problem working without a visa.

I got all this information from a good website called:
http://teachingenglishinbrazil.com

Check it out and share your thoughts.

-K