This is my first time seeking International School employment. I'm registered for UNI and TIE Online, and have been applying to schools individually.
I have a long term girlfriend. She is planning on coming with me (assuming I get a job). But I've been telling schools I'm single with no dependents. Not sure how to approach it?
Say I'm single? Just get married!? Tell schools she's coming? Just have her fly in later and join me?
Any advice here would be appreciated.
Also, is it unreasonable to shoot for a tier II school? I have a masters, have taught 7 years in the states, and coach + other extracurriculars.
I have a girlfriend... but not a wife. Should I say single?
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overseasvet2
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:50 pm
Are you planning on the school paying dependent benefits for her? If so, you need to be up front from the beginning. Some schools may have tight budgets for housing and hiring or school board guidelines that prevent them from hiring teachers with non-working dependents. If you are not married, there are places where she would not be able to get a resident visa.
Do you really want to start the school year with your new boss thinking you tried to trick your way into a job? Honesty IS the best policy.
Do you really want to start the school year with your new boss thinking you tried to trick your way into a job? Honesty IS the best policy.
To further explain what overseasvet12 said.
In many, many countries, if you are not married, your partner cannot be considered as a dependent as he/she is not related to you (legally).
Due to this, claiming a boyfriend/girlfriend as a dependent will not fly with many, many schools as they will be unable to help your partner obtain a residency/work permit/whatever...
Moreover, for the same reason, many schools will not extend any benefits for boyfriends/girlfriends as, once again, why should they? It's not like it's your spouse...
I don't know what other people in the forum think (and I'd love to hear some opinions), but in my experience:
Either get married right now and let know any schools you apply that you are married, or don't get married but don't expect any schools to extend benefits to your partner and don't be surprised if your partner can only live with you for certain periods of time with a tourist visa...
I'm not an admin, but I do know a couple of them who simply laugh when they receive applications from non-married couples when only one of them is applying for a job...
In many, many countries, if you are not married, your partner cannot be considered as a dependent as he/she is not related to you (legally).
Due to this, claiming a boyfriend/girlfriend as a dependent will not fly with many, many schools as they will be unable to help your partner obtain a residency/work permit/whatever...
Moreover, for the same reason, many schools will not extend any benefits for boyfriends/girlfriends as, once again, why should they? It's not like it's your spouse...
I don't know what other people in the forum think (and I'd love to hear some opinions), but in my experience:
Either get married right now and let know any schools you apply that you are married, or don't get married but don't expect any schools to extend benefits to your partner and don't be surprised if your partner can only live with you for certain periods of time with a tourist visa...
I'm not an admin, but I do know a couple of them who simply laugh when they receive applications from non-married couples when only one of them is applying for a job...
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Cheery Littlebottom
- Posts: 207
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am
I am with the above poster. Good schools offer, generally, good packages of benefits. They are investing in you. There is a degree of expectation on both sides.
In some countries, notably Middle East, but a lot of Asia too (correct me if I'm wrong) the school cannot be expected to get a visa for your significant other to live there unless you are married, never mind extend benefits such as couples housing.
I think it would be a serious disadvantage to have a non-teaching girlfriend in many countries. It can be hard enough getting a job with a non-teaching spouse. Even if you were both teachers and recruited as a couple, the not-married thing can be a barrier.
European countries may be the most liberal on this. Once, a friend of ours went to a school in the UK and his same-sex long term partner was granted a visa and extended certain benefits, but this heart-warming story is incredibly rare.
Honesty MUST be the best policy. Don't start out with any sort of subterfuge or it'll bite you in the ass!
Good luck!
In some countries, notably Middle East, but a lot of Asia too (correct me if I'm wrong) the school cannot be expected to get a visa for your significant other to live there unless you are married, never mind extend benefits such as couples housing.
I think it would be a serious disadvantage to have a non-teaching girlfriend in many countries. It can be hard enough getting a job with a non-teaching spouse. Even if you were both teachers and recruited as a couple, the not-married thing can be a barrier.
European countries may be the most liberal on this. Once, a friend of ours went to a school in the UK and his same-sex long term partner was granted a visa and extended certain benefits, but this heart-warming story is incredibly rare.
Honesty MUST be the best policy. Don't start out with any sort of subterfuge or it'll bite you in the ass!
Good luck!
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escapeartist
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:39 pm
I was in a similar situation when applying for my first international teaching job. I wondered about the benefit of applying as a single versus gaining benefits for my partner. In the end, I decided that applying for a job was not a good enough reason for me to get married. In addition, my boyfriend had a plan to teach English as a second language, thereby taking care of his own visa requirements. I applied as a single with no dependents, and did not feel the need to share that I would be moving with a partner. Why would I? Additionally, I did my research--I already knew that pretty much all of the schools that I applied to did not offer benefits to non-married partners, they just were not of that calibur. Also, I had to cross out a few regions and countries--the Middle East was a no since it is illegal to cohabitate as a non-married couple, in Brazil and a couple of other countries it is virtually impossible to get a visa. I stuck to countries and regions where (a) my boyfriend could find work relatively easily, and (b) he would be able to obtain a work visa once securing a job.
I ended up in Latin America and informed the job of my boyfriend once I arrived. It was not an issue.
It is true that jobs are easier to find as a single. While I untimately decided that I was not ready for marriage, I also knew that applying as a teacher with a dependent would make finding my first international job that much more difficult. Later when I am marriage ready, I will also have a lot more experience to offer a school. In the end, a school would be more likely to hire me with international experience plus a dependent than without international experience plus a dependent.
Good luck to you and your partner in making your decision. It's an exciting opportunity. Hope this helped.
I ended up in Latin America and informed the job of my boyfriend once I arrived. It was not an issue.
It is true that jobs are easier to find as a single. While I untimately decided that I was not ready for marriage, I also knew that applying as a teacher with a dependent would make finding my first international job that much more difficult. Later when I am marriage ready, I will also have a lot more experience to offer a school. In the end, a school would be more likely to hire me with international experience plus a dependent than without international experience plus a dependent.
Good luck to you and your partner in making your decision. It's an exciting opportunity. Hope this helped.
I was where you are a couple of years ago. I thought that, like many anglosphere countries, surely the rest of the world would recognise a de-facto marriage as a marriage.
I found out the hard way that there are few countries in the world where you can bring along a defacto partner as if she were your wife.
In the end, we ended up getting married so that we could make a visa to where we are gainfully employed.
Truth is, being married is the same as living in sin, but you just wear a ring.
I found out the hard way that there are few countries in the world where you can bring along a defacto partner as if she were your wife.
In the end, we ended up getting married so that we could make a visa to where we are gainfully employed.
Truth is, being married is the same as living in sin, but you just wear a ring.
I agree with most of what's been said, except for the advice that you not mention your girlfriend in the recruiting process. True, the school won't extend benefits if you're not married, but if they understand your situation they will be in a better position to set you up. Such as by putting you in the housing area that has more committed couples, instead of the apartment block that's all partying singles. Such as by passing her name on to friends who might be able to employ her. Such as by giving you advice about how to navigate legal situations and social norms. Even as simple as telling you, 'hey, that's no big deal here', or 'whoah, living together in xyz country is really hard'.
Not to mention the very obvious tiny detail that when they pick you up at the airport, they'll be prepared for 1 person. Having a girlfriend in tow will make you look like you've been hiding something, which suggests dishonesty. Not a great start.
Not to mention the very obvious tiny detail that when they pick you up at the airport, they'll be prepared for 1 person. Having a girlfriend in tow will make you look like you've been hiding something, which suggests dishonesty. Not a great start.
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You have to tell them your single because well you are single. girlfriends mean nothing. Most countries (a few european exceptions) only grant dependent/spousal visas to those that can produce a marriage certificate. They dont recognise cohabitation, as a spouse.
Many schools will not extend benefits to a gf/bf, some bennefits would not be possible ebven if the school was willing, such as insurance, where the insurer has strict definitions of what constitutes a "couple". The only exception I have seen outside of europe are when an unmarried couple has a child together.
Your idea to bring her as a dependent is interesting, youd have to adopt her, which would/could make for a very unusual situation.
If you really do mean "bring her with you": as in accompany you on departure, then i would agree with Sids advice you should tell the school so they can at least plan on bringing a bigger vehicle. More importantly if they are providing you housing, and shes going to live with you (and this isnt illegal in the region) then they need to know. You dont have to tell them until shortly before departure though, she could be a new girlfriend, she could have been paning on staying, you might have been thinking of getting married and its really none of their business. I wouldnt keep her a secret though. If shes not accompanying you, and its not provided housing then they dont really need to know, teachers dont have to inform their school when their dating someone, and you dont either. Once you have arrived though their is little reason to keep her a secret, and a school can be a great resource of information in helping her find work and other issues.
Many schools will not extend benefits to a gf/bf, some bennefits would not be possible ebven if the school was willing, such as insurance, where the insurer has strict definitions of what constitutes a "couple". The only exception I have seen outside of europe are when an unmarried couple has a child together.
Your idea to bring her as a dependent is interesting, youd have to adopt her, which would/could make for a very unusual situation.
If you really do mean "bring her with you": as in accompany you on departure, then i would agree with Sids advice you should tell the school so they can at least plan on bringing a bigger vehicle. More importantly if they are providing you housing, and shes going to live with you (and this isnt illegal in the region) then they need to know. You dont have to tell them until shortly before departure though, she could be a new girlfriend, she could have been paning on staying, you might have been thinking of getting married and its really none of their business. I wouldnt keep her a secret though. If shes not accompanying you, and its not provided housing then they dont really need to know, teachers dont have to inform their school when their dating someone, and you dont either. Once you have arrived though their is little reason to keep her a secret, and a school can be a great resource of information in helping her find work and other issues.
Along the same topic
Hi. Sorry for jumping on your thread but I feel like my question doesn't require a new thread. What do you do if you are a non married teaching couple? Apply as singles? or as a couple? We are both specialist subject teachers and have taught K-12 about to finish 2 years in the ME.
I feel like schools would welcome shared housing to save costs but I don't want to mention we are a couple if it gets in the way of us even being looked at. Hope this makes sense.
I feel like schools would welcome shared housing to save costs but I don't want to mention we are a couple if it gets in the way of us even being looked at. Hope this makes sense.
Reply
Apply as "joint single teachers" meaning your basically single teachers applying as a group or pair.
The reason has to do with immigration laws, and other laws. In some countries (ME) you cant cohabitate. From an immigration standpoint if the school hires both of you you will each have a work visa and there isnt an issue bringing you both into the country. If they only hire one of you, they wont be able to get you a dependent visa for your partner.
Essentially you need to make clear to a school that your a package deal, but apply honestly which in this case means single. You dont want to appear to be dishonest or that your hiding something.
The reason has to do with immigration laws, and other laws. In some countries (ME) you cant cohabitate. From an immigration standpoint if the school hires both of you you will each have a work visa and there isnt an issue bringing you both into the country. If they only hire one of you, they wont be able to get you a dependent visa for your partner.
Essentially you need to make clear to a school that your a package deal, but apply honestly which in this case means single. You dont want to appear to be dishonest or that your hiding something.