The International Schools Review Forum

My husband is not a teacher, but if we moved abroad, he may be able to work from home - and he makes more than I do/would as a teacher. Would international schools still consider him a dependent, since he's a non-teaching spouse, even though he'd be a main source of income for us? Would most international schools be willing to hire me in this situation, do you think? I'm a certified ESL teacher with an M.Ed. and seven years teaching experience. We have two young sons that would obviously be coming with us.

We are not planning to move for 2-5 years, but I'm just thinking ahead...

As long as the school sponsors your visa and you don't work for them I think he is.

I'm not sure, but I think he would still be a "trailing spouse." Most schools' contracts that I've heard of require them to provide visas and airfare for all your immediate family, so it still impacts the school even if he doesn't really "depend" on you for anything.

If the reason you are moving overseas is a job you are hired to do at an international school, then he would be considered a trailing spouse and a dependent. Otherwise, you might be considered a local hire and receive fewer benefits.

Yes, he is considered a dependent. Though flights aren't always a guarantee--though it is nice if it is--the school does have to mess with visas for him and your kids. It is likely he would be a cost for the school for medical insurance as well.

It is not a complete roadblock to hiring--it wasn't for me-- but it makes you less attractive.

I do think the fact that he will be earning a wage is relevant, though, so I would be sure to have that info featured prominently somewhere.

There are really two issues that schools care about when there are tailing spouses. One, much does it cost the school. As people said, that is mostly flights, visas, and perhaps more expensive housing (my school gives a higher housing allowance for couples/families than for an individual teacher). Two, they may consider how a dependent/trailing spouse will impact the stability of the teacher they go to hire. Will the trailing spouse want to leave? Now, if that spouse can continue their career, then that makes potentially for a more stable family so the teacher is potentially going to stay longer. Retention equals savings for most IS.

I have a colleague who has a non-teaching spouse. The spouse has been able to continue to work abroad with minimal disruption to the person's career from what they have shared with me.

Now children as dependents, that is a bit more complicated. Though I have a number of colleagues who are single parents.