Family Matters

Living and teaching abroad if you have a family, spouse or partner is much more complicated than if you are a single teacher. Travelling abroad with a family can open up a world of opportunity for you as a teacher and for your dependent family - your children will learn and grow when exposed to another culture. However, teachers with families face different challenges than single teachers and we will outline some of the considerations.

Dependents

Dependents are usually defined as children for whom you have full legal custody who are under the age of 18. Most countries will not recognise as dependents your parents, your siblings or children over the age of 18 even if they are financially dependent on you. If they are not recognised as legal dependents and need to accompany you, these people will need to secure their own visas and rights to work before you will be considered by a school.

If you do not require a visa or right to work to be provided by your new school, such as a teacher whose family members possess a European Union passport moving to a European Union country, then there is usually no problem. But if, like the vast majority of teachers, you require a visa or work permit, you will be in for a nasty shock when you find out that your extended family is not able to legally enter and remain with you.

Do not assume that you will be entitled to free visas, flights, medical coverage and tuition for your dependent children as each school has a different policy.

Spouse or Partner

Marriage provides a legally recognised bond between two people, and most countries make a provision for a spousal visa so that your spouse can enter and remain with you. Unmarried partners have no such legal bond and unmarried partners of teachers must procure their own work authorisation to enter and remain. Schools will usually avoid teachers who have an uncertain personal situation: what happens if your unmarried partner cannot find a job? You will probably decide not to fulfil your contract, leaving the school needing a teacher at the last minute. This is why we recommend that your unmarried partner find a job first, and then we can find you work in a school nearby. Further, living together in an unmarried state is actually illegal in some countries, particularly in the Middle East, and whilst some countries turn a blind eye be warned that this can change at any time.

Same-gender Partners

Most countries in which we place do not recognise same-gender marriages and your same-gender partner will usually have to obtain his or her own work authorisation. Furthermore, in some countries such as the Middle East and parts of the Far East, homosexuality is actually illegal. Please let your Teachanywhere consultant know so we can best advise you on what regions of the world would be best for you.

Pets

Most schools that provide accommodation do not own their own housing stock, rather they rent it for you. Attitudes towards pets vary around the world and in many countries, especially in the Middle East and Asia, dogs and cats are not welcomed. At best, you will be required to obtain a pet visa and bear the cost of transporting your pet, which can be non-trivial. But in most cases, your pet will not be welcomed. Because of the extra complications and cost, we usually recommend that you make arrangements to leave your pet with a family member or friend when you go abroad but if you are not able, make sure you let your Teachanywhere consultant know about your furry or feathered dependents!

Emotional and Logistical considerations

Teachers bringing a family along have a built-in support system and access to a wider social network which can make transitioning abroad easier. However, having a family represents one, two or three more people who can have cold feet about working abroad, have trouble adjusting to the new environment, develop culture shock or develop medical problems that require treatment back home. However, once families are settled, we find that teachers with families often stay longer in a position than those who are single.

Teachers with families are often homeowners and must consider the logistics of selling or renting the property for the period of the contract. What is the typical rental price for your property, how will you manage the property and do you have enough savings if the property is not rented for a few months? Teachers should think about these details before applying to teach abroad.

Financial considerations

If you are fortunate enough to have a partner who has their own employment package then you will not face the same financial difficulties as a teacher who is the sole/main breadwinner. If you are the main breadwinner then you need to consider the following:

• school provided housing is usually a shared or 1 bedroom apartment and might not be suitable for a family
• some schools will provide a stipend in lieu of housing but it's often not enough to cover the rent of even a 1 bedroom apartment. This is especially true in the Middle East - stipends usually cover half the cost of an apartment
• international schools serving a mainly local population might not be culturally suitable for your child - they may be the only expatriate child in their school, which can lead to adjustment problems
• schools will not usually pay for benefits for family members such as flights, medical insurance, etc.
• not all schools provide free tuition for children of teachers. Some, especially in the Middle East, provide only a discount and all schools would expect you to pay for uniform, books, lunch fees, etc. even if tuition is free.

So all things being equal, most schools will prefer single teachers who cost them less to support. That being said, there are some "family friendly" schools and advisory projects abroad which are usually open to teachers who have at least 3 years of teaching experience. Your Teachanywhere consultant can let you know if you are suitable for them.

We have put together the following real financial calculations for two real schools, one in Dubai and one in Spain, so you can understand the implications. Whilst everyone's situation is different, please use these figures as 'food for thought'.