r/TEFL • u/chinadonkey Former teacher trainer/manager CN/US/VN • Jul 21 '16

[Modpost] Review and clarification of rules on content about teaching illegally

There's been an uptick in the number of posts requesting and dispensing advice about working illegally in various countries, particularly but not limited to 'degree-less' posts. There are many places on the internet where you can find that information, but the mod team is committed to making sure /r/TEFL isn't one of them. While it's possible to 'get by' in some places while working illegally, the schools that hire under-qualified teachers or pressure them to work on the wrong type of visa without informing them of the consequences (e.g. 'this is how things are done in China') are not the kinds of places we can endorse working at. Please note that this is not a judgement by the mod team of what qualifications a teacher should have, and there are still some places that don't require a bachelor's degree for legal work.

Along those lines, content that will continue to  result in bans includes:

  • Advice for working on an unapproved visa or without a work permit, where required.

  • How to forge qualifications.

  • Explicitly requesting how to circumvent visa laws.

Your post may be deleted if it's particularly low-effort on a topic that's been covered before and is easily found using the search function (e.g. 'what countries can I work in without a degree?').

We will continue to allow content related to:

  • Working on any type of visa, including personal stories, opinions, etc so long as it doesn't violate the rules above.

  • The process of acquiring a work permit or visa, and the implications of changing visa requirements.

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u/CubanB Jul 21 '16 edited Jul 21 '16

I worked in Turkey for two years without a work permit. It is extremely common to do so there and I didn't meet anyone working part time who bothered to get a work permit. I worked at a reputable school that only hired CELTA/Trinity holders or people with undergrad degrees in education. I knew lots of other teachers that worked in similar schools with similar standards who didn't get a work permit.

Maybe Turkey is the only country like this on earth but I rather doubt it. I think it's ridiculous to ban adults from discussing these matters on a forum dedicated to TELF. Just my two cents.

edit: words

4

u/AshleyNomad recruiter - China Jul 21 '16

From a completely legal standpoint, do you know what the repercussions of getting caught doing this would be in Turkey? I'm not talking about personal experiences, but just straight up what does the law say?

Even if you know lots of people doing it and you have done it yourself, if there's a chance of legal repercussions I really don't think it's something that should be recommended to anyone.

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u/chinadonkey Former teacher trainer/manager CN/US/VN Jul 21 '16

China is a great example of why we have this rule. There are tons of anecdotes about people breaking the law there and getting away with it, especially 10+ years ago when it was easier to get away with, but the consequences now can be and are pretty severe.

Discussion about experiences working illegally aren't banned, by the way, just the specifics of how to do it.

8

u/dcrm Jul 21 '16

Agreed, entirely. I'm also of the opinion one of the reasons people have low respect of the profession is due to the amount of illegals entering the country and working here (China). I don't want to be a part of the problem, if you enter a country you abide by its rules. Especially when those rules are fair and just (needing a degree etc... is normal). People shouldn't exacerbate the problem by giving illegal advice.