Help for Job Seekers

Students who want to work abroad can get help in obtaining a work permit through the Council on International Educational Exchange.

The council is a private nonprofit organization involved in international education and student travel. It was founded in 1947 to help re-establish student exchanges after World War II.

Last year 5,000 students participated in the council’s “Work Abroad” programs. This year it will help students get permits for temporary work in Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

Although the council does not find jobs, it does give participants handbooks that include information about countries, job hunting and accommodations.

Orientation and Advice

Participants are invited to a meeting upon arrival in the country in which they wish to work, conducted by an affiliated foreign student travel service. Bureau members only act as advisers if problems arise.

The fee for the program is $82.

The foreign student travel services also can help with information on tax exempt situations. For example, if you live less than 84 days in Britain you gain a tax-exempt status. The usual tax deduction would be about 25%.

Contact the British affiliate BUNAC (British Universities North America Club) for more information.

The Irish student travel service (USIT) can help with temporary budget accommodations. It operates a new central accommodations center called Kinlay House. It can be used as a base.

Even with tax breaks and budget accommodations, chances are that you won’t be paid enough to save for the next school year. For example, last year’s average weekly wage in New Zealand was about $150 U.S. An English teacher in Paris earned about $250, a bank clerk in Galway $170 and a secretary in London about $305.

If you speak English you won’t have to worry about the language in Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand or Jamaica. But if you want to work in France, West Germany or Costa Rica you must know at least an intermediate level of French, German or Spanish.

The Great Britain program is available any time of the year, for up to six months. The Irish program is open all year, and you can work for up to four months. The French program is also available at any time of the year, but you can only work for three months.

The West German program operates from June 1 to Oct. 1, the New Zealand program from April 1 to Oct. 31. The Jamaica and Costa Rica programs operate from June 1 to Oct. 1.

For more information, contact CIEE’s Council Travel Services, 1093 Broxton Ave., Suite 220, Los Angeles 90024; (213) 208-3551.

Helpful Books Available

Vacation-Work, a British publisher, has several new editions of books for temporary job seekers, due out shortly.

“Overseas Summer Jobs” lists employers, job descriptions and sample salaries for casual work in about 40 countries. The 1989 edition is due this month, for $9.95.

Also due this month at the same price is the similar “Summer Jobs in Britain.” A new edition to the series this year is “Au Pair and Nannies Guide to Working Abroad” by Susan Griffith and Sharon Legg ($10.95).

Vacation-Work’s 1989 edition of “Work Your Way Around the World,” also by Susan Griffith, will be available in February for $10.95.