HDWill

I'm American, I knew a teacher here (South Carolina) who did a direct exchange with a teacher in Southwark some years ago (it was quite the experience for him). They took up each other's positions. I don't know what level of government funded it, or if it was privately funded. Worth researching I think.

hungryhorace

oh dear god, I had the misfortune to visit Lowell the other week. What an experience! I left as soon as possible.

Gillymonkey

As others have said a J2 dependent visa allows you to apply for an EAD (employment authorization document) once physically present in the States. This can take up to 90 days.

I am on a J2 and I got my EAD in about 10 weeks, only then could I apply for an SSN so it is a lengthy process especially considering you will only be here for a year. However, please note that to get a J2 EAD you have to be able to demonstrate that any income you receive is for social, leisure and cultural purposes only. This income cannot be used to support your family. In other words, you need to demonstrate that your rent and all other outgoings can be covered under the J1's salary. For us as a couple it has restricted where we could rent but in all honestly it has meant that it gives us a push to save so is not necessarily a bad thing.

I am pretty sure that it is a requirement of the J visa that the institution the J1 applicant is working at MUST provide medical insurance. This is something which should be made clear in a package to you prior to arrival.

Re. pay arrangements. Most of the larger academic institutions have an office which deals with all immigration issues etc. Please make sure you are fully aware of all tax implications as the J visa has some funky rules which don't pertain to most other visa types.

Bob

Saying that, the free folk fest they hold is actually pretty decent and the actual downtown bit isn't so bad, but it becomes very shit, very abruptly.

Still, much nicer than Leominster or some of these other crack towns

BigCraig

Another round of thanks to all those who have given advice and information. I am looking into teacher exchanges but its not looking too promising, but I'll keep working on it.
If anybody has any advice or suggestions about how a good honest, hard working bloke can earn a bit of pocket money while living on a temporary visa in the states, I'd be glad to hear it.
Thanks again everybody,
BigCraig

robin1234

We have friends who did the teacher exchange. They are a couple in their thirties from Germany, he was assistant principal in a German HS at the time, he exchanged with a social sciences teacher here in our local HS. It is a strange set up; they have to exchange everything, job, house, car even. The people this end did a dirty trick, they bought an old clunker of a car and that was what our German friends had to drive for a year. I think this is all run by some international teacher exchange agency, a non profit, not a government agency. Not sure how it works, visa wise.