Canadians: A guide to visa applications for those aged 35 and older

Are you a teacher who has been teaching in Canada for a few years and is looking for a change? Or are you someone who’s looked into teaching abroad and realized the Working Holiday Visa has an age restriction of 35?

Have no fear! We have some other great options below to help get you overseas and working in no time!

AUSTRALIA:

Australia is always looking for experienced teachers, especially in the more rural areas.

To start off, let’s take a closer look at some of the visa options:

Temporary Skill Shortage Visa – Subclass 482

With the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa there is potential for sponsorship by a school. So if you’re someone wanting your own classroom this may be your top choice. See details below:

Key Points

• You must have at least 2 years teaching experience
• Must be sponsored by an employer; this can be a specific school or a school group (eg: Catholic Education office which oversees a group of schools)
• Must start your new role within 90 days of arrival

Key Figures (as at July 2019)

• Lasts for 2 years with routes for possible extension
• Costs $1175
• Takes 2-3 months to process. For more information please follow the link: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-skill-shortage-482

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa – Subclass 489

If you are very keen on rural areas and are looking for a more long term fit this might be the right choice for you. Keep in mind this visa is dependent on Teachers being on the Shortage Occupation list at the time of applying.

Key Points

• You must submit an online expression of interest and have it approved
• Must be under 45
• This visa is linked to a specific regional geographical area and your work must be in this area
• Teaching is generally always on the ‘shortage occupation list

Key Figures

• Lasts for 4 years with no restriction on time frames for a single employer (unlike the 417 working visa)
• Costs $3755
• Takes 8 months to process
• If you work 2 years in the 4 year period you can apply for permanent residency. For more information please follow this link: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-regional-provisional-489

Let’s now take a closer look at where some of these opportunities may lie: 

We have offices in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Geelong.  Many of the regional opportunities lie in New South Wales and Queensland. It’s important to keep in mind that work in regional areas means living away from larger cities. The closest major city might be a few hours away. This is where sponsorships may lie and more permanent work opportunities.

UNITED KINGDOM:

The Youth Mobility Visa is one of the most popular visa’s that Educators use for working in the UK however it does have an age restriction of 31 which leaves those teachers over that age range wondering what other options are out there?

If you are over the age of 31 and would still like to teach in the UK, they are always looking for qualified and experienced teachers!

To start off, let’s take a closer look at some of the visa options:

British Dual Citizenship- Ancestry

If your family happens to have British heritage there is a chance you could qualify for a british passport/citizenship or the British Ancestry Visa. There are a few criteria you need to meet in order to apply for this visa. For more information on if you are eligible please visit: https://www.gov.uk/ancestry-visa/eligibility or information on Dual Citizenship: https://www.gov.uk/dual-citizenship

European Union Passport

Another visa option due to the agreement in the European Union (EU), is if you have, or are eligible for a European Union Passport (One of the countries in the EU)

For more information on eligible countries in the EU: https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea

Sponsorship with a School

In some cases schools have the ability to take a foreign teacher and sponsor them in a role that cannot be filled by a UK resident. This is sometimes the case for Math, Science, English or specialty teachers. Although schools in Northern England, Wales and rural areas do sometimes consider sponsorship to fill a range of roles.

For more information on this route please feel free to contact one of our team members. .

Let’s now take a closer look at where some of these opportunities may lie: 

We have offices in London and Bristol. Many of the current opportunities are lying in Northern England and Bristol. If you have a certain area in mind please contact us and we can assess what opportunities might be available in that region.

For more information on teaching in Australia, the UK or specifically working in regional areas please contact our Canadian office: ca@anzuk.education or give us a call 226 773 1955.