GETTING TEACHER MIGRATION & MOBILITY RIGHT
These responses indicate that 80 per cent of teachers who report paying fees incurred upfront costs less than U.S.$5,000. Twenty per cent of respondents reported fees in excess of $5,000, with the majority of those falling somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000. Notably, nearly all of those who report fees in this highest range were from the Philippines. While the recruitment industry in India is well established, nearly half of respondents from India declined to provide information regarding fees that they may have paid. This is consistent with feedback from other researchers, who indicate that Indian teachers are reluctant to disclose any specific details regarding their recruitment arrangements. Of the teachers who used a recruiter, 80 per cent were required to sign a recruitment contract. More than 80 per cent of those with recruitment contracts indicated that the terms of the arrangement were clear to them and they felt that their contracts were fair. However, nearly half (47 per cent) indicated that they risked monetary penalties if they were to terminate their contracts early. Almost one in five, or 18 per cent, of survey respondents reported that their recruitment contract was unfair. Of these, more than half are from a low or lower middle income country, using World Bank designation, and fully 47 per cent are from the Philippines (a lower middle income country). Teachers from lower middle income countries are over-represented among those who perceived their contract as unfair, and teachers from upper middle income and high income countries are underrepresented. Recruiters’ roles were significant on many levels: • 32 per cent of teachers were interviewed by a recruiter. • 35 per cent of teachers said a recruiter helped secure their housing and travel arrangements. • 57 per cent said a recruiter provided an orientation. • 31 per cent said their recruiter offered professional development. • 20 per cent indicated that a recruiter was responsible for evaluating their job performance. For those teachers fortunate enough to be working with an ethical recruiter, this level of involvement in all aspects of their teaching experience abroad could be quite helpful. However, more exploitative agencies can use each of these various levels of interaction to exert or maintain control, and also to extract fees. Notably, one in ten respondents indicated that their recruiter was also their direct employer. This suggests that the temporary staffing or supply agency model is a significant force in the international teacher recruitment industry, although perhaps not as dominant as it is in other sectors, such as healthcare.
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