The International Schools Review Forum

I still have another 1 1/2 year to finish up my contract in an international school in Africa. I am considering teaching in Europe next. I understand I am an expensive hire, given I have 3 dependents and know this will always make landing a job challenging. Though I am American, my wife and children all have Dutch nationality. Would this be an advantage if I was looking for jobs either in the Netherlands or other European countries? I would think different rules apply than if they did not have Dutch nationality. After this contract, I will have 6 years teaching experience with General and Special Ed certifications (grades 1-6).

Many Thanks

There is always hope but you will find it tough to find a job with three dependents in Europe. Most schools will not look at you. It is getting harder in the ME and Asia to find schools that will take a family of 4 with one teacher.

There may be a few that will and the later you look the better chance you have. Good luck.

The Dutch citizenship will definitely help because you could gain the rights to work through your wife, though the schools would probably not help you with any of it. Also, I look at Europe, especially western Europe, more like the United States in terms of hiring policies for any job. If you are the best candidate they will hire you and they are not too concerned about whether or not you can survive on one salary. Mostly this is because they don't really have comprehensive benefits packages anyway that would make you a more expensive hire over someone who has less 'baggage.' Your wife would need to work and the school would know that she is perfectly legal to do so, so no problem there.

If you can obtain Dutch/EU citizenship and an EU passport than it will make a significant difference. You will however be treated as a LH. As @Dredge indicated, an employing organization has certain requirements, such as a livable wage/salary when sponsoring an OSH employee. As an EU national/citizen you dont receive those additional protections, the assumption and expectation is that you will manage your income and resources on your own. If you are underpaid, your spouse can work, or you can get another job.

jboeh, if your kids are at your school tuition paid, that becomes taxable income. If you receive housing or a housing allowance? Taxable income. Flights home? Taxable income.

If you are planning on staying in Europe and will bite the tax bullet and have your kids attend local schools while you work internationally, it is doable. But don't expect a great package.

Its possible (and probable) the air lights can be considered an ordinary business expense and not compensation. However, I strong concur with @SJ, the fee/tuition waivers/places average a comp value of $10K/each and depending on the region with tax rates of around 40% the tax on them would be a significant portion of your salary. You can avoid this by sending your children to a municipal DS/IS.

@PsyGuy, so basically, all the benefits from dependents' free tuition/flights etc. would raise my tax rate? It is that there are not many other options to live in Holland at the moment unless I was to get employment there, even though I married someone with Dutch citizenship.

@jboeh2

It could raise your tax rate, you have to pay taxes on those bennefits and they contribute to your income which is used to set your tax rate.