Is it possible to teach English in DR now, and stay long term?

[MagicMan678]

Hi, I was thinking of visiting the DR back in 2019 but then the virus hit. So now, I'm going to give it a try. I'd like to stay for about 1yr and fund it by teaching English at a school in Santo Domingo - is that possible? By the way, I'm only interested in face to face teaching, so online only would not work for me. How about staying longer than the regular tourist visa, ie. longer than the 30 days plus extension of up to 180 days - could I do it for 1 year with visa runs or coverting the initial visa in-country to some kind of work permit visa?

Realistically would this be possible with the Covid situation now, are schools even open etc?

Thanks

 

[windeguy]

Hi, I was thinking of visiting the DR back in 2019 but then the virus hit. So now, I'm going to give it a try. I'd like to stay for about 1yr and fund it by teaching English at a school in Santo Domingo - is that possible? By the way, I'm only interested in face to face teaching, so online only would not work for me. How about staying longer than the regular tourist visa, ie. longer than the 30 days plus extension of up to 180 days - could I do it for 1 year with visa runs or coverting the initial visa in-country to some kind of work permit visa?

Realistically would this be possible with the Covid situation now, are schools even open etc?

Thanks

On a tourist card you can extend a stay legally up to a total of 120 days.

That does no allow you to work in the DR. That would require a work visa to start with(or legal residency). Possible? Yes. Easy? No.

Legal residency is started in your home country at the local Dominican Embassy. Not worth it if you are just here for 6 months.

Servicios - DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE MIGRACIÓN

Dirección General de Migración de la República Dominicana

migracion.gob.do

 

[chicagoan14]

Hi, I was thinking of visiting the DR back in 2019 but then the virus hit. So now, I'm going to give it a try. I'd like to stay for about 1yr and fund it by teaching English at a school in Santo Domingo - is that possible? By the way, I'm only interested in face to face teaching, so online only would not work for me. How about staying longer than the regular tourist visa, ie. longer than the 30 days plus extension of up to 180 days - could I do it for 1 year with visa runs or coverting the initial visa in-country to some kind of work permit visa?

Realistically would this be possible with the Covid situation now, are schools even open etc?

Thanks

I would recommend sending your resume to the school you'd be interested in teaching at. Some schools will assist in the visa process to bring foreigners to work at the schools. Someone will give you the necessary documents. Some schools have more pull than others with getting visas. It's not an easy process. It is possible, however. Some schools pay fairly well by Dominican standards if you happen to get into a good private school. Some offer benefits to foreigners like insurance, housing, plane tickets. The most important factor is getting hired from the states or you will get paid like a local. Salaries can range from 1000 to upwards of 4000 a month.

 

[windeguy]

I would recommend sending your resume to the school you'd be interested in teaching at. Some schools will assist in the visa process to bring foreigners to work at the schools. Someone will give you the necessary documents. Some schools have more pull than others with getting visas. It's not an easy process. It is possible, however. Some schools pay fairly well by Dominican standards if you happen to get into a good private school. Some offer benefits to foreigners like insurance, housing, plane tickets. The most important factor is getting hired from the states or you will get paid like a local. Salaries can range from 1000 to upwards of 4000 a month.

$1,000 to $4,000 USD per month for a teacher in the DR?

 

[NanSanPedro]

$1,000 to $4,000 USD per month for a teacher in the DR?

Color me skeptical on anything over $1500.

 

[SKY]

Color me skeptical on anything over $1500.

Would you be skeptical if I told you a student in the 8th grade pays $8,200 US for a year to study in the International School in Sosua?

 

[La Profe_1]

$1,000 to $4,000 USD per month for a teacher in the DR?

Over 20 years ago when I was newly arrived to the DR and living in Puerto Plata, I was told that as a native speaker with years of teaching experience and a graduate degree in education it would be easy to obtain a position in ESL.

Further, I was told then that it would pay around $1000 US a month. If that was true in 2001, I can believe that equivalent qualifications today would garner a respectable salary.

 

[Auryn]

The majority of international private schools anywhere in the Caribbean and South America are going to pay around $1500USD per month. There are a handful of exceptions that pay more.
For the DR specifically, that is a very accurate monthly salary for a well known private school. Many teachers in these schools are new with little experience, retired on pension with less need for work income, or have moved back home after being educated and teaching in the states.
These schools are often run for profit and that sometimes equates to lower teacher salaries.
If you have a Masters, significant experience, or a sought after Major, you can double that for the top 3 schools in the country.

Pay for a membership to The International Schools Review Forum and look at posted school reviews there. Some are very recent for the DR and May help you.

Source: I researched teaching abroad for about 2 years before moving, taught at a top school in SD, and had offers from 4 other schools in the country. I also joined a recruiting agency and was able to compare teacher salaries in different parts of the world through that agency.

I can also verify that you can make $4000USD per month teaching online. But face to face teaching, halve that without bringing some serious credentials to the table.

 

[Auryn]

Would you be skeptical if I told you a student in the 8th grade pays $8,200 US for a year to study in the International School in Sosua?

Thanks for the info. I’ve been very curious about teacher salaries there as they’ve had some recent staffing drama, if the forums are any indication.

 

[MagicMan678]

ok, thanks for all the replies - it looks like it could be possible to do here. I'm not that fussed about a big salary, even 800USD/month would be ok - just want to experience the country for 1 year with some teaching work to keep it real. I have degree, Celta, experience so that should help.

Next question, what happens after the 180 days are up - can you do a visa run to Haiti or are those days long gone? cheers

 

[Nobody]

At this point in time, a trip to Haiti could well turn into a one-way trip.

 

[SKY]

ok, thanks for all the replies - it looks like it could be possible to do here. I'm not that fussed about a big salary, even 800USD/month would be ok - just want to experience the country for 1 year with some teaching work to keep it real. I have degree, Celta, experience so that should help.

Next question, what happens after the 180 days are up - can you do a visa run to Haiti or are those days long gone? cheers

If you get a job in one of the International Schools you will start when school starts and not have to worry about any of the things you hear on this forum about staying. The school takes care of all that. And you can get confirmation simply by calling the school I recommended to you and asking................

 

[chicagoan14]

The majority of international private schools anywhere in the Caribbean and South America are going to pay around $1500USD per month. There are a handful of exceptions that pay more.
For the DR specifically, that is a very accurate monthly salary for a well known private school. Many teachers in these schools are new with little experience, retired on pension with less need for work income, or have moved back home after being educated and teaching in the states.
These schools are often run for profit and that sometimes equates to lower teacher salaries.
If you have a Masters, significant experience, or a sought after Major, you can double that for the top 3 schools in the country.

Pay for a membership to The International Schools Review Forum and look at posted school reviews there. Some are very recent for the DR and May help you.

Source: I researched teaching abroad for about 2 years before moving, taught at a top school in SD, and had offers from 4 other schools in the country. I also joined a recruiting agency and was able to compare teacher salaries in different parts of the world through that agency.

I can also verify that you can make $4000USD per month teaching online. But face to face teaching, halve that without bringing some serious credentials to the table.

I work at one of the prestigious private schools here and make well over 1500 a month. My colleagues at perhaps the most expensive ones who are foreigners are making about 3800 a month.

 

[chicagoan14]

$1,000 to $4,000 USD per month for a teacher in the DR?

Absolutely. I speak from experience. I am currently working at one. Tuition at the school I work in is about 600,000 a year per student. All Dominican teachers here make at least 60k a month. Foreigners receive a lot of benefits.

 

[chicagoan14]

ok, thanks for all the replies - it looks like it could be possible to do here. I'm not that fussed about a big salary, even 800USD/month would be ok - just want to experience the country for 1 year with some teaching work to keep it real. I have degree, Celta, experience so that should help.

Next question, what happens after the 180 days are up - can you do a visa run to Haiti or are those days long gone? cheers

800 dollars a month is very easy to obtain, especially in the capital. I would start at 1500. Ask if they offer housing as well.

 

[bob saunders]

There other options than just regular school as well. https://www.facebook.com/YDLanguageCenter1/

 

[Auryn]

I work at one of the prestigious private schools here and make well over 1500 a month. My colleagues at perhaps the most expensive ones who are foreigners are making about 3800 a month.

Yes, as did I. Included was one flight home per year as well as a furnished apartment, utilities paid.
The Canadian Embassy provided extensive work visa support and told me that the school was top 3 in the country.
Most private schools will not pay more than $1500 per month.

SKY- these schools often do not release their employee salaries unless they are obligated by registration with teaching agencies. Even then, only teachers paying for registration have access to see salary ranges.
The reason is that they pay local hires very differently and some even pay foreign hires on different scales .

 

[SKY]

I am aware of what is posted above. I knew teachers at a private school in the DR and have discussed this previously. And they all had apts paid like you mentioned.

 

[Auryn]

Flights, apartments, and other perks are expected for decent international schools, worldwide.
In SD I had a gym membership as well as a weekly maid, security, etc. Those types of perks are a given. One school offered a discount card for Jumbo and a country club membership, but I didn’t take that position.
Teacher friends in top tier international schools have had a laptop of their choice , and in one case, even car provided after a certain tenure. There is often a staff liaison for foreigners to assist with everything from setting up a bank account to recommending weekend destinations.
Carol Morgan used to offer a settling in allowance of a couple thousand dollars to purchase furniture and household items. That is frequently offered, and I have seen this amount at $10,000 for schools in Europe/Asia.
That is less common for the Caribbean and Central/South America. Not many schools on this side of the Atlantic are highly sought after from a teacher’s point of view, but there are a few.

 

[Auryn]

ok, thanks for all the replies - it looks like it could be possible to do here. I'm not that fussed about a big salary, even 800USD/month would be ok - just want to experience the country for 1 year with some teaching work to keep it real. I have degree, Celta, experience so that should help.

Next question, what happens after the 180 days are up - can you do a visa run to Haiti or are those days long gone? cheers

Do you have a B. Ed or other degree? I ask because the bigger international private schools typically have students from privileged families who will not need ESL/EAL interventions unless the children are Pre-K/K age.
That being said, a teaching degree is not always required and you may have luck with CELTA alone. Some schools are more impressed by where your degree came from rather than the degree itself.

It would be worthwhile looking at universities as well because they may be looking for English teachers. They could very well pay a salary that you’re comfortable with too.