Can A Us Citizen Teach English In The Philippines ?

[Cyrus]

I am a US citizen, with 2 English teaching certificates - a TEFL from Bridge in the US, and a CELTA from University of Cambridge in England, plus my university degree in International Affairs from University of Colorado in the US.

I would like to move to the Philippines and find a job as an English teacher, at least for a while,

Can get a work permit ?... so I would be working legally in the Philippines.

I would probably come there on a Tourist Visa at first, but would like to be able to stay and teach as well.

I would really appreciate any sort of information regarding the possibility of getting a work permit teaching English or perhaps even a work permit for any other type of job I may be able to find in the Philippines.

I could not find a forum post addressing this issue, so I decided to write this one, however, if there is already one and I am not aware of it, please guide me to it.

[mariposa]

try to find an employer first. your employer will be the petitioner for your (9g) working visa. They will give you contract of employment be it in 2 years or 1 year. Then you will apply for your Aep(Alien Employment Permit) in Dole (Department of Labor and Employment)depends upon where is your place of assignment (be it in cebu or manila. if it is in Cebu file your AEP in DOLE Cebu (you can google the requirements type in AEP) then after you get aep, apply for 9g working visa in BI (Cebu or Manila) you can google the requirements in BI website (In Re: 9g working visa). You need to have working visa first before you practice your profession there is a penalty for those foreigners without a working permit.

[Steve & Myrlita]

On a separate note:

If you are already married to a Filipino citizen and have a permanant 13A visa in hand, you are exempt from DOLE AEP requirements but are required to notify DOLE so they at least have a record of it.

[brad61]

Getting a work visa in the Phillipnes is like hens teeth...unless you marry a Filipina...or get paid under the table...I'm Teaching in China you won't have any prob there..

[i am bob]

I have read also on some government sites that to change from a Visitor's visa to a 9g Working Visa, you either have to (depending on the site's information) apply for the 9g from another country or take a short trip out of country and return with the 9g visa. These sites I got the info from were either Philippine government or Philippine law offices offering job assistance. Can anyone confirm what the actual conversion would entail? So if I decide to try and get work... Should I stay or should I go? (Hmmm... sounds like an '80s song by some Brit Punk band... :mocking: )

[JJReyes]

Finding a job teaching English in a school environment will be difficult. Besides, the pay is very low by Western standards. The best bet is a job as an English language trainor at a call center. If you get a job while still overseas, the pay is on the low end of the American wage scale. Many call centers, also known as Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), are approved by the Board of Investment. They are alloted a certain number of visas for management level and technical/supervisory positions. If the BPO hires you from the Philippines, the wage scale is local.

[TheMason]

When I lived in Baguio jobs teaching English in a school were fairly easy to find. I knew several expats doing that sort of work. Pay was about 30-35k per month for five 12-hour work days. There's a lot of Korean students in Baguio, so lots of schools cater to them.There were also many opportunities to work as an English tutor in Baguio. You can easily get 300 pesos per hour tutoring Korean college students.

As for the BPOs. JJR is correct. Try to get hired in the US by a BPO looking for a trainer. An English language trainer in Manila will get paid about 40-45k per month including benefits and allowances. The good thing about the language training jobs is that they're usually day time jobs so you don't have to work US or Europe business hours.

[luke]

I have read also on some government sites that to change from a Visitor's visa to a 9g Working Visa, you either have to (depending on the site's information) apply for the 9g from another country or take a short trip out of country and return with the 9g visa. These sites I got the info from were either Philippine government or Philippine law offices offering job assistance. Can anyone confirm what the actual conversion would entail? So if I decide to try and get work... Should I stay or should I go? (Hmmm... sounds like an '80s song by some Brit Punk band... :mocking: )

The first 7 years here in the PH was on a 9g visa. I entered the country on a 9a (tourist). The employer arranged the visa change from 9a to 9g. I remember the whole process took more than 6 months and i had to appear in the BI personally.

I don't know what has changed to date.

[davis27]

I'm bumping this topic because I want to know more about call center trainer jobs. I'm half Filipino, born in the US. I want to live in the Philippines for a little while, while I'm still young. I have a Masters in English, my concentration is "teaching English as a second language." I can probably get dual citizenship because my mom was a Filipino citizen when I was born. Is there any demand for native English speakers? How is the pay?

[JJReyes]

I'm bumping this topic because I want to know more about call center trainer jobs. I'm half Filipino, born in the US. I want to live in the Philippines for a little while, while I'm still young. I have a Masters in English, my concentration is "teaching English as a second language." I can probably get dual citizenship because my mom was a Filipino citizen when I was born. Is there any demand for native English speakers? How is the pay?

 

You mother is a Filipino-American, a person who was born in the Philippines who later changed her citizenship. She can apply for dual citizenship. It is not recognized by the United States government, but they recognized that some country offer this privilege. When returning to America, your mother has to use her US passport. You are an American of Filipino ancestry because you were born in the United States. I don't think the dual citizenship provision in the Philippine constitution applies. You may have visa issues. 

 

I have the problem that my two sons cannot inherit properties I own in the Philippines since both were born in the United States. If I were to pass away, the Philippines gives them a "reasonable time period" to sell the properties because they cannot own land.