Visa for Canadian with EU spouse

[rkvp]

Hi everyone,

My wife is a newly qualified teacher from Canada. We are
currently housesitting in Europe with our 7 month-old son. We
arrived 3 months ago with the intention of
eventually landing a teaching job in the UK. We're ready now!

Here's the scoop:

I have an EU passport, as does our son, but my wife does not.
This, along with having a dependent, made it impossible for her
to obtain the most common/accessible visa (youth mobility) for
Canadians teaching in the UK. Consequently, I'm trying to
exercise my treaty rights for a few months in order for her to be
able to work in the UK (also known as the Surinder Singh route).
This is proving to be more difficult than we thought, so we are
looking at alternative courses of action. Preferably an option
that involves my wife being able to teach as soon as possible.

We are aware of the fact that some UK schools sponsor Tier 2
visas, and we have started contacting them directly. My
question is: does anybody know of any placement agencies that
sponsor or deal with schools that sponsor Tier 2 visas?

Thanks for reading.

[PsyGuy]

I would first start with getting your wife an EU passport based on your marriage, laws vary but this would make a lot of issues moot.

What is your spouses teaching area of certification?

If shes a maths/physical science/ICT DT then there are DSs that will sponsor a visa for her.

[rkvp]

We've been trying to obtain her right to work, and that's been very difficult. It's not like it used to be. Being married hardly does any good for us (in more ways than one). Joking of course. In all seriousness though, we expected a lot less bureaucracy since being married, and while does make things a little less complicated, but by no means does it give her an automatic EU passport, unfortunately.

My wife's area of certification is primary and French.

[PsyGuy]

@rkvp

I can understand that, different countries can have vastly different spousal immigration policies. Some countries such as Italy and Switzerland its very easy, other countries such as the UK not so easy.

Unfortunately primary (KS1/KS2) is saturated, your spouse as a newly qualified DT isnt going to be in demand. French isnt going to be much better.

[rkvp]

@PsyGuy,

We're planning on doing the Surinder Singh thing in Malta. It's fairly cheap and apparently English is widely spoken.

So you think that even as a UK citizen I would have an easier time obtaining rights for my wife in Italy or Switzerland? I'll have a look into that. Thanks.

[PsyGuy]

@rkvp

My apologies for the misunderstanding. My intention was to communicate that were you a Swiss citizen and married a Canadian that getting EU/Swiss passport for your spouse would be much easier.

[expatscot]

rkvp - your wife is a primary teacher? Get thyself to Scotland, I say! If you're prepared to consider a move to one of the more remote areas (and by remote, I mean Highlands & islands / Aberdeenshire) then you're more likely to have a chance of getting a job. The Canadian and Scottish systems are very similar (many Canadian teachers get their qualifications at Scottish universities such as Strathclyde and Edinburgh) so although she'd have to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (www.gtcs.org.uk) she'd have a good chance of getting something because primary is a shortage subject in those areas.

[rkvp]

@expatscot Yes! Getting ourselves to Scotland is exactly what we're trying to do! Once I am exercising my treaty rights for at least a 3 month period outside of the UK (stupidly enough), we can apply for a family visa so that my wife is able to work legally in Scotland. Currently there are no agencies that sponsor Canadian teachers' Tier 2 visas. The youth mobility visa is another one that Canadian teachers commonly get, however, having a son disqualifies her from that option.

We are currently trying to decide between doing three months in Ireland or Malta.

[JustBean]

Just to put it out there, marrying a Swiss does not equal an easy Swiss passport (especially if you don't live in the country at the moment). It can take years until they consider you for a passport (and you need to speak one of the main languages as well). :)
Good luck on your job search in Scotland!

[rkvp]

JustBean wrote:
> Just to put it out there, marrying a Swiss does not equal an easy Swiss
> passport (especially if you don't live in the country at the moment). It
> can take years until they consider you for a passport (and you need to
> speak one of the main languages as well). :)
> Good luck on your job search in Scotland!

Thanks for the tip. We're currently on the hunt for a flat in Ireland. I think we made up our minds. Then, unless we find ourselves in a great situation in Ireland, it's off to the UK.

[expatscot]

Rkvp, teaching jobs in Scotland generally aren't advertised through agencies - have a look on myjobscotland (Google it, I'm afraid I can't remember the full address!) and all jobs in Scottish state schools are advertised there.

Before you go, though, I would strongly suggest speaking to GTCS about what your wife has to do - there are registration requirements which are significantly different to England which you will have to go through. Good luck!

[PsyGuy]

@JustBean

Easy is relative. Switzerland is easier than the UK.

@Rkvp

You can also find a number of Scotland posted vacancies on TES, I agree with @expatscot the registration requirements for licensure are different, it is not as simplified as England (Teachers College), the two main differences are:
1) The GTC basis certification on content academic/Uni preparation. They will award registration based on what you studied (majored/degree) AND what you are certified in, you must have congruency of both a license and academic degree/major. This is different than England were QTS is awarded based on completing a PGCE or equivalent program of study in meds/peds and professional "teaching" and focuses less on content proficiency.
2) GTC doesnt except work based, ACP, or non traditional routes/pathway to teacher licensing. They want traditional academic educator preparation that is based in academic study and course/credit units that are equivalent to a PGCE.

Lastly, GTC has a specific residency requirement for FL (Foreign Language) DTs which requires you to have resided in a region for 6 months in which the FL is the primary language used.