Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Residency in Turkey, Visas, Work Permit Questions => Topic started by: kayakebab on June 21, 2011, 07:09:27 AM
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Please don't shoot the messenger as I was told this and didn't hear it first hand....
Apparently a host family declared their income from English & More on their residency application and were deported.
I signed up to have students but this is really worrying and I shan't be having any until I know if this is true.
Has anyone else heard about this?
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Perhaps you should contact English and More and ask them if it is true?The authorities are very strict about foreigners making any income.They would also maybe be faced with a large fine for employing the family.
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When I signed up it was a question I asked, of course they're going to say its ok, but in hindsight there was nothing in writing to this effect.
You have to give your tax number for tax to be deducted so it looked as if it was going to go through the correct channels.
I will try & contact them, they've just moved to Hisaronu I understand.
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Even residency does not give the right to work in Turkey. I wish you luck. Sorry to hear about the family being deported if it is true. I am sure they would not have meant to have broken the law.
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Thank you, I'm not going to risk it, waited too many years to get here to risk being deported!
I was attracted to it as you can use their huge pool in Calis and have free Turkish lessons, but these dont apply now they've moved anyway.
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I've had a look at their website and to me it looks like all you are doing is renting a room out to a stranger. So my question is - what is the difference between this and renting your property out as a holiday home? Surely not much. Are you actually employed by them or just supplying a room for a student? I can't see any reason why they would need to put you in their employment really.
Interesting that they take your tax details though but having said that you need your tax number to be able to do lots of things in Turkey so it might not be for employment purposes.
Maybe the Turkish authorities look at renting a room out differently to renting your home out - unlike the UK where you can do this up to a certain amount without any tax liability - and you are certainly not employed by the company that sets it all up.
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I also know a few families who have been doing this for a few years without any problems. I imagine there are many members on the forum who do the same. It would be a great help if some of those reply to this post in the hope that postive feed back is recieved.
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We have done this with English & More and we were not employed by them and it was legally allowed to rent a room to them and tax on that was paid at source by them. It will be interesting to see their reply to you but I suspect it's an urban rumour.
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I would say that the tax laws on letting in Turkey are similar to the UK. In the UK a letting agent is required by law to deduct tax at sourse andthat is probably why a tax number is required.
I would agree with Fiona in that it is the good old rumour mill in full flow and if someone was deported it was probably for something else and it is not in any way related to providing rooms to foreign students.
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I'm pretty sure that English & More will soon let you all know the situation however, in the meantime, and in an effort to dispel any rumours, I can shed some light on the situation.
The person involved was deported because, when completing her application for residency the wrong information was submitted, which suggested that she was a teacher, employed by English & More, and not a host family. As I understand it, the directors and accountants of English & More were quickly despatched to Gunlukbasi police station, armed with all manner of documentation to prove that the person was NOT employed as a teacher. Whilst the police accepted what was being said, unfortunately, it seems that once 'the order has been given' there is no stopping it! English & More were most helpful to the deportee who has been advised that, rather than having to stay out of Turkey for a year, as is the norm, if an application is submitted to the Turkish Consulate in London, it will be viewed most favourably. I haven't had an update yet as to what has happened with the Consulate in the past few days.
English & More are keen to point out that being a Host Family is quite acceptable by the Turkish Government and is not considered 'working' and thence there is no need for anyone to panic unnecessarily.
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quote:
Originally posted by Fastlady
I'm pretty sure that English & More will soon let you all know the situation however, in the meantime, and in an effort to dispel any rumours, I can shed some light on the situation.
The person involved was deported because, when completing her application for residency the wrong information was submitted, which suggested that she was a teacher, employed by English & More, and not a host family. As I understand it, the directors and accountants of English & More were quickly despatched to Gunlukbasi police station, armed with all manner of documentation to prove that the person was NOT employed as a teacher. Whilst the police accepted what was being said, unfortunately, it seems that once 'the order has been given' there is no stopping it! English & More were most helpful to the deportee who has been advised that, rather than having to stay out of Turkey for a year, as is the norm, if an application is submitted to the Turkish Consulate in London, it will be viewed most favourably. I haven't had an update yet as to what has happened with the Consulate in the past few days.
English & More are keen to point out that being a Host Family is quite acceptable by the Turkish Government and is not considered 'working' and thence there is no need for anyone to panic unnecessarily.
That sounds more plausible.
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Less interesting round the EPK table though you have to admit.
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quote:
Originally posted by Scunner
Less interesting round the EPK table though you have to admit.
:D
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Sorry 'EPK' table??
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Ex Pat Knobheads!
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Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
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Ahh....all becomes clear. Sorry, I obviously don't know any....(yeah, right! lol)
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Thanks for the clarification about why they were deported. What a horrible thing to happen and let's hope it all is resolved for them soon
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Am I the only forum member who is still slightly uneasy about this issue?
Fastlady "shed some light on the situation" but as yet English&More have not contributed the further information she suggested would be forthcoming shortly.
Stoops reply adddressed the legality of letting rooms, but I understood meals were also provided to students. Does this not alter the situation?
This sad deportation is being mentioned in another thread to promote paid assistance in completing residency documentation.
Would it not be helpful if English&More shared the official documentation authorising the paid hosting of students ?
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I have to agree - the issue (and this topic) has not been concluded and CBF members with English & More connections have chosen to read it, remain silent and move on. I'm not particularly interested but they should be - they are trying to find temporary homes for students and which ex-pats are going to risk their dream retirement in the sun to help them now? It appears to me that the person accused has had their life and future obliterated and even though they were only giving a legally acceptable service, they were thrown out like a criminal.
English & More should explain why their language skills weren't good enough to help this poor individual. Would you take the risk of giving a student somewhere to stay now? I certainly wouldn't, now or ever.
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Does anyone know where the 33,000 sqm campus in this area is? just been reading the web site there seems to be some strange comments such as ''native English speaking teachers''[?]'native English activity leaders''[?] They also claim that a host family are trained,experienced, drawn from the 7000k population living in the area[?]
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They've just moved from Fethiye to Hisaronu so no idea if the 33,000sqm is the old or the new place. Can't help with the rest of your questions, sorry!
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So what you are saying you do not no the answers to none of my questions :) thanks ;):D
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the new site is between Hisaronu and Kaya
I don't know anything about native speakers but they have recruited a lot of new staff this year from overseas to teach English and also to run activities with the students out of teaching sessions.
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Nichola, the site claims they are employing 'native' English teachers and activity staff[?] a summer camp of 33,000sqm with quote basketball,tennis,courts,swimming pool, football pitch,and a sports hall[?] just wondered where it was[?] before or after the move and what traning the/a host family had been given[?] ;) 8)
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The true story is that one woman was taking students and then applied for residency but decided to do it herself instead of getting help. Her Turkish boyfriend filled in the one form which had to be in Turkish, he was supposed to put her down as a carer, as that is what it boils down to but apparently there is no Turkish word for carer so he put down teacher, thinking that it would do. When the police rang up the school of course they found out that she is not a teacher there and promptly deported her for giving wrong information. No one who is taking in a student need to worry, it's just that the school want their students to sample the English way of life.
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We were told that the new campus was in Ortakoy(spelling might not be correct) which is just as you get to the top of the hill to Ovacik there is a turning right and down there they have bought an old hotel and grounds.
The idea being that most students will be staying on site so I don't think there will be much call for Host families this year apart from maybe the Ovacik/Hisaranou area.
Native English speaking teachers...well there are a few that I know who are now Turkish Nationals so are therefore legally able to work there but there are also lots of locals expats "employed" as teachers which is not legal. As far as I know those people must be aware of the consequences of "working" but I guess like many people here they'll take the risk.
Letting rooms is legal and poses no threat of deportation to host families, as has been already explained.
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They still need host families in Calis, offered me 2 this week, but I declined.
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quote:
Originally posted by Firo
Letting rooms is legal and poses no threat of deportation to host families, as has been already explained.
Yet a woman who let a room is now deported. Misunderstanding or not, she let a room and no more. Once again I have to say that in the absence of a "Turkish word for carer" [joy2], I find the chance of losing your retirement dream for a few quid to be a truly ridiculous risk.
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When applying for Turkish Residency, most people wouldn't need to inform the authorities that they are receiving money from E&M for renting out a room. Turkish Residency is granted to people who can show they have the means to support themselves whilst they are living here. Generally production of a bank statement, showing either savings in the bank, or a regular income from the UK (ie pension) is enough. Unfortunately, the person who was deported also stated that she was receiving income from E&M - which is where she became unstuck, as has already been explained. There doesn't need to be a Turkish word for 'carer' as host families are not employed as such - a more appropriate definition would be 'landlord', for which E&M are paying the appropriate tax, on behalf of host families, and therefore (according to E&M) is acceptable to the Turkish authorities.
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Fastlady, what is your connnection with e&m? You seem to be defending them but overlooking how awful this 'misunderstanding' must have been for those people who have now had their lives turned upside down.
I posted originally to get facts which might hopefully prevent others having the same misfortune.
I think until e&m comment then no one should be telling host families its safe as it clearly wasnt for these people.
There's certainly nothing in the paperwork they gave me that explains the legalities.
Oh & someone mentioned host families receive training in an earlier post.
I was surprised when I read that as I didn't receive any & nor did any other families I spoke to.
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I think that host families should contact the school where I'm sure michelle the host family manager will be able to help I don't think they should look for their answers on this forum and also I don't think it's helpful for people to scaremonger about something they know nothing about or wish to be involved as with all succesful buisineses there always seems to be people who knock it just for the sake of it if you are a host family with concerns talk to the school
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quote:
Originally posted by tracey1398
I don't think it's helpful for people to scaremonger about something they know nothing about
True. I'd base on what I do know about - that someone offering the service got deported, due to one word being incorrectly used. Sorry Tracey but that's enough for me, and I hope others to consider whether to risk their dreams.