Just Passing Through

October 22, 2006 10:57 PM

Posting for a friend: How can a Canadian get a job in a North Carolina middle school while his partner attends graduate school?

Is it possible for a Canadian with no interest in American citizenship or permanent residence to get a job teaching middle school/junior high in North Carolina? I’ll have a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto (major in English and Inner City Education) and I’d like to teach in or near Durham while my partner attends Duke for 4 or 5 years. (We're not legally married.)

I’ve looked into an international teacher exchange program called the VIF and though it looks promising, I’m not sure I’ll be accepted -- and even if I am the limit is three years before you have to leave the country for a year. Also, the Durham school board says they don’t hire teachers without visas. Are there other options?

posted by BackwardsCity to work & money (5 comments total)

Trust me, either way you do not want to teach in the Durham city schools. You will be in for a rude awakening to say the least. Look into Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools or maybe Cary....
posted by matkline at 11:05 PM on October 22, 2006

There are several private schools in the area that don't require certification--I'm guessing being a Canadian citizen wouldn't be a big deal either. Look into the Carolina Friends School, for instance.
posted by leesh at 3:57 AM on October 23, 2006

Being a Canadian citizen would not be a big deal to anyone. Not having work papers would be an enormous deal, even for volunteer positions.

The short answer is: you can't, at least not reasonably.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:37 AM on October 23, 2006

BackwardsCity's friend, look into NAFTA visas. They are pretty easy to get under certain circumstances, and don't require marriage. This looks like a half decent starting place, after a cursory glance.
posted by carmen at 8:54 AM on October 23, 2006

But AFAIK, TN-1's don't apply to K-12 teachers.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:18 PM on October 23, 2006