how do I procede if I want to apply for a teaching job in Oahu? (2013, home)

[TantePe]

Hey there!
I found this forum yesterday and I've been reading a lot but still haven't found anything that will help my specific situation. To fill you in, here's some details about me:
I'm a German and currently still live in Germany. I'm an English and French teacher and I'm trying to find out how to procede if I want to work at a school (private or public) in Oahu. My boyfriend is a local from Makakilo and we want to try a future together in Oahu as we've already failed here in Germany.
I've already had contact with the Teacher Recruitment Unit and they told me that I need to check if my diplomas are equivilent to Hawaiian education standards. So I will check this out asap.
What I'd really like to know is, if ever I get all the documents needed, when do I have to apply the lastest for the coming school year? And is it only possible to apply at the Teacher Recruitment Unit or can I apply at the school directly? Would it be also possible to start within a school year or is it only possible to start working in September?
Thanks in advance for your help!

[vahnessuh]

Do you even have the visa to work and live in the US? That's the first thing you need to look into before you can even apply.

To be honest, unless you have a very specialized skill and experience, I doubt whether you'd be able to find a teaching job in Hawaii. My mother-in-law used to be a school principal before she retired and now volunteers for the school board... and my husband's cousin is a school counselor... from what I hear from them, there had been some lay offs and they are now in furlough. With that, I don't think they'd be looking into hiring somebody from abroad who they need to apply a visa for.

I think one way for you and your boyfriend to be together in the US is to get married. That way you can get a visa to live here.ve

Either that or you can both move to Japan or Korea and become English teachers there. Even if your boyfriend doesn't have a teaching degree, it's fine. My husband has an accounting degree but he was an English teacher in Japan for about a year or two. That way, you two can be together without getting married yet.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by TantePe

I'm a German and currently still live in Germany. I'm an English and French teacher and I'm trying to find out how to procede if I want to work at a school (private or public) in Oahu. My boyfriend is a local from Makakilo and we want to try a future together in Oahu as we've already failed here in Germany.
Would it be also possible to start within a school year or is it only possible to start working in September?

The teachers will be quick to correct me but I think the school year starts late July/early August - not in September.

Since you are German you cannot work in the US.

Furthermore - for those seeking to marry a US citizen. You don't get an immediate automatic right to work in the US. You have to fill out a mountain of paperwork and it may take 6 months to 2 years to be eligible to work in the US.

If you've already failed in Germany - Hawaii as one of the most difficult places to succeed in the US might be a challenge.

I'd advise finding a good immigration forum and figure that out first.

[TantePe]

hey again!
first of all: thanks for ur replys! We want to get married next year so I will also be able to work in the US. I just checked the school holidays and you're right, the new school year starts in August already. That will be tricky fo me as we work till end of July but anyways...
The reason we failed in Germany was that he has three kids at home and he missed them too much to stay here. So the only possibility is to try it in Oahu where his kids are.
But the idea of looking for a good immigration forum is great. So thanks again
@Vahnessuh: well, it depends what you think is very specialised... I speak three languages, I'm a fully trained teacher here. I studied for 5 years and had 2 years of teachers' training. Now I have 5 years of work experience in a middle school. Is that specialised?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by TantePe

We want to get married next year so I will also be able to work in the US.

In case you missed it in the earlier post - although many people believe you can - you aren't automatically granted the right to work in the US by marrying a US Citizen. There is a lengthy application process and the process takes much more longer since 9/11. It is generally anywhere from 6 months and up to 2 years before you will be granted the visa required for you to work. So, if you don't get married until 2013 it could be 3 years from now before you can legally work in the US.

[vahnessuh]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

In case you missed it in the earlier post - although many people believe you can - you aren't automatically granted the right to work in the US by marrying a US Citizen. There is a lengthy application process and the process takes much more longer since 9/11. It is generally anywhere from 6 months and up to 2 years before you will be granted the visa required for you to work. So, if you don't get married until 2013 it could be 3 years from now before you can legally work in the US.

I'd like to chime in and provide specific information about marrying a citizen since I'm someone who moved to the here because of a US citizen spouse.

There are 2 ways that you guys can go about it: Fiance visa or a Spousal visa.

If you go fiance route, boyfriend files paperwork and go through process. Usually this takes about 6 months from start to when you can enter the US. Once you enter the US, you have 3 months to get married. Once you do, you then file for adjustment of status to apply for your conditional permanent residency. You then also apply for a work permit which you get much faster. Then you get a social security number which you need in order to work. After 2 years of marriage, you apply to remove conditions on your permanent residency. A year after that, you can apply to become a citizen.

If you go spousal visa route (which we did), you get married outside the US then your bf files paperwork. This takes about a year or two depending on your country. Since you're in Germany, I'm guessing it should only take a year (Canada took us a year). You get your visa and you enter the US. If you're married less than 2 years you enter as a conditional permanent resident (which you can remove to become full fledged permanent resident on your 2nd year wedding anniversary). If married more than 2 years, you automatically enter as permanent resident. Once you're inside the country, you can then apply for a social security number. Once you get that, you can then work. After 3 years of being in the country, you can apply as a citizen.

To be honest, your experience doesn't seem specialized enough. Unless you can find a school needing a German or French teacher that bad. But remember that even if they do, they can always hire a person from the mainland who can do that. They wouldn't need to apply for a visa for that person.

[eureka1]

You claim to be qualified as an English teacher but there are FOUR major spelling errors in your post. What's wrong with this picture?

[vahnessuh]

Originally Posted by eureka1

You claim to be qualified as an English teacher but there are FOUR major spelling errors in your post. What's wrong with this picture?

Well, she's from Germany and not a lot of people speak English there so I'm guessing the standards are lower (and I mean that with no offense)... I'm from the Philippines and a lot of the English majors and teachers there would make you cringe and pull your hair out if you hear them speak it.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by vahnessuh

Well, she's from Germany and not a lot of people speak English

Having lived in Germany that is not true. English is mandatory in German schools. Most speak English from the country to the cities and it only gets challenging to find English speakers in the former East Germany for older people.

[zigster1000]

Very few people who speak English as a second language are actually able to write or speak the language perfectly, in my experience (having worked all over the world). I'm guessing it's the same for other languages – but I have heard that English is particularly tricky. You can disagree with me on this, but please consider that I've been a professional writer for over 20 years and my standards for perfection are much higher than the average native speaker. I've worked with several people over the years that – in their own opinion – speak English perfectly as a second language, but are far from perfect speakers. I would catch them making little mistakes almost daily, sometimes for publication. I rarely told them about these mistakes because when I did they would ARGUE about it. Incredible! Folks, don't argue with a native English speaker about what is correct English – particularly if that person writes professionally. It's absurd. You think you're not making errors because your teacher didn't speak perfectly either, and then passed those errors down to you. Just because you were taught something doesn't mean it was correct. The world is currently very saturated with lousy English teachers.