Non-Teaching Spouse

[Fast]

Which countries' international schools make it easy and which ones make it difficult to bring a non-teaching spouse along?

I have found so far that schools in Brazil will not hire a teacher with a non-teaching spouse. The visa issue is too complicated and if a couple is not married the non-teaching one would only be able to stay for 6 months and then have to leave for 6 months before being able to enter Brazil again. Under virtually no circumstances would the spouse be allowed to work legally.

Egypt, on the other hand, makes it very easy. Tourist visas can be extended indefinitely and many of the schools will hire non-teaching spouses as assistants.

If I mention to the school heads that my fiancee will be joining me, that automatically disqualifies me in some countries. Which ones? In which countries do schools welcome non-teaching spouses and in which countries are they put off by the paperwork/complications involved with hiring teachers with them? My fiancee has a career that can be set up anywhere, so we're not worried about her finding a job, just worried about the policy.

Also if you have any advice for a teacher in my situation please share it. For example is it best not to mention her until after the contract is signed? Or should I wait until we are both in the country I'll be teaching in before I mention that we're traveling together?

I am particularly interested in Vietnam and Thailand, but please don't restrict your answers to these two countries.

[overseasvet2]

I'd be very cautious about interviewing and signing a contract without being up front about a non-working spouse. This could make for a very bad start in your relationship with a school. Each country has its own laws and if you could lose the job if you cause legal problems for the school.

Having said this, many schools do accept teachers with dependents, especially if you teach in an area of need. If you're an elementary teacher or a social studies teacher, it's less likely.

Hang in there, you can find a school that's the right fit but I'd be as up front as possible. You may wish to save the info for the end of an interview - after you have convinced the school they need YOU! :)

[Fast]

Thanks for the reply. Ultimately it seems to come down to the country. Some countries are very strict and require a great deal of paperwork and hassle, while others are very lenient when it comes to getting visas, extending visas, and working with only a tourist visa.

This is why some schools will not hire teachers with non-teaching spouses, for example, Brazilian schools, where immigration is much more of a hassle than it is in some parts of the world.

If anyone has information about the specific countries you're familiar with, please post it.

[Zsejanko]

To be quite honest, I have been through a couple of fairs and member to a couple of job sites. I have noticed from such that the schools who accept non-teaching spouses are usually :
- 2nd tier schools with some to great difficulties in filling teaching posts ( Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador etc )
- decent schools in terrible, politically, socially tough locations ( e.g. Eritrea, Egypt, Nigeria )
- schools in Europe and North America ( Austria, Belgium, Finland, UK )
- more " liberal " established schools ( top schools in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand etc )

You can avoid the following countries ( you can still try during " desperate hiring months " around July and August where some of the schools may give in and actually bend a little on their hiring criteria )

- Most countries in the Middle East ( esp. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman )

- Some areas in Asia ( with the case of Asia, it actually depends on the type of school. For example, schools with a high national population and run by mostly national administrators will not hire teachers with non-teaching spouse bc of cost and of course, strict religious or traditional beliefs. Or in Japan, for example, schools in more suburban areas tend to be strict about non-teaching spouse while international schools in the city tend to be more easy going ).

- Any job with QSI ( Quality Schools International service schools in over 25 countries, mostly in central Asia and eastern Europe ). They tend to be really strict on little things like smoking ( they do not hire smokers ), but also couples that are unmarried.

* Ultimately, it's not really so much the country but the type of school. You have to find out what type / calibre of school they are :

- The more "international", established and non-profit ones will hire non-teaching spouse couples ( they can afford it and they have no qualms about religious or cultural restrictions )
- The more "national" the student body and staff are, the more stricter they are in adhering to religious and cultural practices, thus affecting the hiring process of non-teaching spouse couples.

[Fast]

Thanks for putting together all that detail. That's a lot to work with, and it should be a great benefit to others on this forum as well.

I figured We'd be fine with Western Europe. My fiancee has an EU Passport, so we shouldn't have any problems there, and W. Europe is actually my first choice, but competitive.

Any information about Vietnam or Thailand, down to specific schools if anyone is familiar with any of their policies on non-teaching spouses? It seems from the above that it isn't all about the country, as I had thought.

[Zsejanko]

I used to want to get into Western Europe to teach, until I found out that there are very little savings potential unless you're one of the very few lucky ones to get into a really good school and have a few years of experience up your sleeve ( as in reaching the 10 years mark ). So far, the most rewarding experiences I have had ( salary, benefits, housing, students, parent-teacher relationship, quality of schools, location, travel opportunities, adventure / travel hub ) have been in Asia, at decent schools ( 2nd tier going onto 1st tier, or 1st tier to premier ). However, I also see myself exploring North Africa and South America soon. I also wouldn't mind exploring the Pacific islands with the NZ curriculum and all.

[buffalofan]

It's all down to the country and, in some cases, the school policy. Many of the really money hungry profit-driven schools won't consider you with a non-teaching spouse (this is not always a bad thing, and might save you headaches later).

I can tell you that during recruiting season this year I interviewed with schools in Japan, Vietnam, Serbia, Costa Rica, Korea, and a few middle eastern countries. Never had any issues when I mentioned a non-teaching spouse and I eventually accepted an offer. On the other hand, I talked with 3 schools from China at the job fair signup and was turned away immediately each time when I told them my spouse wasn't a teacher. I never did find out if this was due to Chinese government policies, or school polices.

I didn't know about Brazil, interesting info.

[adminpaul]

Be sure to check out the ISR blog on Trailing Spouses.

http://internationalschoolsreviewdiscus ... solutions/