after accepting offer from ISS website...

[himalayal]

I end up with a strange situation: I apply a job via ISS and accepted the offer. After I emailed the signed document back to HR, I have not heard from them. The head of the school who interviewed me didn't even welcome me to the board. later, the position was re-opened. After six weeks, HR email me giving me instruction (document lists and flow chart) to apply working visa. I told them this is a very complicated process which I have never done, can the school handle it? (I think working visa is the school's responsibility). I didn't hear from HR. So I told ISS I have bad feeling about this job and asked them to re-active my profile so that I can look for new job. They said they can't do that unless the school release me, said they will contact the school and get back to me. I have been waiting and keep emalling them, but no answers!!! I am losing my time, while the recruiting season going to an end. I had already lost lots of opportunities and even turned down offers.

Does anyone has similar expecience? How do I deal with it? I don't think ISS will get back to me.

[mamava]

Schools rarely process your visa for you. It's pretty typical that you get guidelines/flowcharts/instructions about how to proceed and the timeline for getting things done. That seems to be what you've gotten. Depending on the country you're currently in, your own nationality, and where you're going, it can seem very overwhelming. It's too bad that the school is not very responsive--this is an HR department's busiest time as all new teachers are starting the process and not all schools have people working that are personally familiar with all the ins and outs of these processes.

Start with your flowchart/instructions--direct questions to your new school about very specific questions and keep everything short and to the point. And start early. Our last visa to our current school took 6 (overnight) trips to the embassy via plane or private driver, and uncountable phone calls. But a previous one required 100 pages of documents but 15 minutes at an embassy. Starting early, be patient and kind, and it'll all come together.

Good luck!

[himalayal]

"Schools rarely process your visa for you"---Is this a general caae for ISs? In my previous jobs, I entered the country with a tourist/temp visa, after arrival, the school helped to get working permit /working visa---this is a way complicate situation than a tourist visa, dealing with gov. and laboring dept., it is beyond my capability. I believe this is the school's responsibility, right?

Given the dramas, I loss my interests for the job. I doubt if the working environment would be positive for me.

Will I be put in the list and get bad mouthed?

[TeacherGal]

My two cents:

1. First off, my limited experience with ISS goes back roughly 15 years ago. I didn't think they could care less about teachers. Once they got their money from you they were done.
2. In the past schools have helped me procure visas. But they couldn't do everything. Ultimately I had to visit the embassy or consulate. I believe the schools always paid for the visas but not for the transportation to and from government offices. And they didn't reimburse me for my degrees and documents I had to have notarized by a lawyer. That was sometimes more expensive than the visa itself.
3. I've experienced some pretty unbelievable incompetence from some schools when trying to get my visa, everything from spelling my name incorrectly to making an assumption as to what city I lived in in a huge country and then expecting me to fly to that city when I could have more easily completed that task at a more appropriate government office in the city in which I actually lived!
4. Ultimately, in one instance I contacted the school director to tell him that as things stood I would not be arriving in the country with a work visa. That got the ball rolling and got some people at the school to pull their head out of their ass.

You could always try to post a veiled negative review about the school at ISR in hope of getting them to get their ass in gear. Otherwise, be sure to post once you've left!

[sid]

The other posters are right - schools usually do what they can, but there is a ton of work that a teacher has to do in the visa process. I've been it a bunch of times myself, and am doing it again right now. It never changes. More documents, different formats, repetition and replication of efforts, vague and even contradictory directions. In the end, a visa emerges.
It's not always possible to enter on a tourist visa and convert. In some countries, it's downright illegal, and in others, just a bad idea that makes things more complicated rather than simpler.
It's unfortunate that the school is being less than responsive. However, I agree with ISS. You reached an agreement with the school, and now you have to live up to that. The school has sent you instructions on getting a visa. Start there. Step 1, and keep going.
Keep your chin up. Many a rough start has improved over time to a satisfying position. Remember that you're dealing with HR now, and while ideally they'd be on the ball, when the time comes and you're actually at the school, you won't be dealing with HR much at all. So don't judge your future colleagues and future happiness on this one team.

[himalayal]

Thank you all for your comments on working visa. I was lucky with my previous schools who had liaison to deal with it and I didn't have to do much.

I believe HR gets direction from the head. Visa is just one of the issues. I don't feel good about the job from the beginning: not greeted by the head, not hearing from HR, the position was re-open (why ?), ect... I don't know what to expect on the job, will they keep all the promise? will I be picked up, have a place to stay on arrival... Once on the job, they can put me in the meat grinder easily if they want. Not sure if I worry to much, but I have my reasons to worry, don't I?

[shadowjack]

Himalayal - you keep saying "the position was reopened" but nowhere does it seem that's the truth. What I suspect happened is another opening for a second teacher came up. Many departments will have two or three MS English teachers for instance and the job description will be the same.

You are assuming that the job reopened when obviously it hasn't, or else HR would not have been in touch with you.

Just my two halalas,

shad

[sid]

So true, Shadowjack.

[himalayal]

Shad--I won't have solid evidence, of course. this is not a big school, the number of teachers, especially foreign teachers are low. Teachers teach multiple grades, no two have the same assignments. They may have the thought to replace me, and then realize I "sign the contract". Who knows...

[TeacherGal]

Yes, I think you should follow through with the job you've accepted.
I had the experience where I was not told what was going to happen after I landed at the airport in my new host country even though the school was in another city 10 hours drive away. The only thing that put fire under them was when 48 hours before I was scheduled to board my flight I emailed my school and said I would not be able to board the airplane unless they told me exactly what was happening between my landing and my arriving at my new home. That did the trick.

[himalayal]

If this is a normal situation, I have no problem to follow through. With all the concerns I have, I just don't feel comfortable to take it. It is better than break the contract in the middle of the year, although I have seen people do that.

[himalayal]

I meant it's better not to take it now rather than running away after being mistreated. Am I being unprofessional by doing that? How will that affect my career? Will I still be able to use ISS in the future? Updates: ISS did email the school more than once but no answer.

[shopaholic]

Sometimes you do have to do a lot of work for the visa yourself, and this isn't the school's fault. I'm moving to a very good school next year and am currently dong more work to obtain all documents for visa purposes than I have done for any other school/country in the past. This isn't the school's fault, but the regulations for this country are just tougher than others.

In my opinion, it would be very unprofessional for you to break contract now. I don't think you have been mistreated, and I don't see any red flags here. This is a busy time of the school year and it is important to remember that people at your new school are occupied with getting kids ready for May exams and other spring procedures.

But I would advise that you be sure about a school before signing a contract in the future. Coming in with a bad attitude about the school, or feeling prepared to look for mistreatment from the start, is not going to get you off to a smooth start.

[himalayal]

I totally understand you points, but " be sure about a school before signing a contract in the future" seems another topic and doesn't apply here. It is not something in contract, but the school's behavior gets me concerned. While we teachers are trying hard, there are some schools (admins) are just not competent. It is scary when reading those comments. I feel I am not welcome by the (head of ) school to begin with. When the school head does like you, what can you expect on the job?

[shopaholic]

"When the school head does like you, what can you expect on the job?" The school head doesn't KNOW you yet. He doesn't like or dislike you at this point. You are a recently recruited teacher they expect to start in the autumn.

But it sounds like you have already decided that, despite the reassurance and advice of multiple posters, you are being badly treated and you plan to break the contract. In my opinion, this is a mistake, and it could/should hurt your job prospects for the future. It is unprofessional to sign a contract and then back out. Next time, ask about the visa process after they make you an offer and before you sign the contract. I suppose you will be unable/unwilling to work in any country whose visa process requires you to do some extra steps, but at least you'll know.