During this period, the teacher turnover rate in North Carolina was 11.5%, slightly lower than the national average of 12%. However, this represents a 47% increase over the previous school year in the state.

Public school teachers in North Carolina left the profession in increasing numbers last school year, according to data from the State of the Teaching Profession 2022-23.

During this period, the teacher turnover rate in North Carolina was 11.5%, slightly lower than the national average of 12%. However, this represents a 47% increase over the previous school year in the state.

A total of 10,300 teachers from the state’s public schools made the decision to leave their positions between March 2022 and March 2023.

Amidst this situation, international teachers have emerged as a valuable resource, significantly contributing to North Carolina’s educational system.

“We have seen, because of the state is having difficulty in staffing schools, we’ve seen an increase in school districts reaching out to international teachers to fill vacancies,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, to Enlace Latino NC.

The number of teachers employed in North Carolina under the Visiting International Faculty program rose to 1,893 during 2022-23. This increase marks an impressive leap from 1,382 teachers compared to 511 the previous year.

Outstanding presence of international teachers in North Carolina

Most international teachers in the United States hold J-1 visas, which allow them to work temporarily in the country.

In 2022, a total of 5,800 teachers obtained these visas in the United States, a notable increase compared to 2,800 in 2017, according to the Department of State.

Through this visa program, teachers from developing countries like Jamaica, Colombia, and the Philippines are recruited for ‘cultural exchange,’ enriching perspectives in classrooms.

North Carolina is among the main destinations for these visas, as are other southeastern states like Georgia and Florida.

This trend continues to rise. For instance, in Guilford County, the third-largest school district in North Carolina, 42 international teachers were hired last year, the largest group of this kind in the district’s history.

Enriching the educational experience

For Yolanda Gómez, a Spanish teacher at South Graham Elementary in Graham, North Carolina, the role of international teachers goes beyond filling vacancies.

Interactions with students represent an opportunity to share the cultural richness of her home country, Mexico.

Gómez highlights the importance of this cultural interaction for second and third-generation Mexican students who have never visited their family’s country of origin.

Additionally, she mentions, it benefits American and students from other cultures, who sometimes have misperceptions about the place.

Like most international teachers in the United States, Gómez was recruited with a J-1 visa through a sponsor approved by the Department of State.

In South Graham Elementary’s bilingual program, teachers come from a variety of Latin American countries such as Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica, and others.

“I believe that multiculturalism is essential for opening minds, shaping more tolerant and patient individuals,” Gómez told Enlace Latino NC. “And that is something that is clearly perceived in a school that welcomes and celebrates diverse cultures.”

Direct impact on students

Fredy Romero, a Colombian teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2002, highlights how connecting with diverse students drives their progress.

“International teachers break down communication barriers,” Romero told Enlace Latino NC. “There is no affinity between some students and their non-Spanish-speaking teachers. So when they see a teacher just like them, the connection is very strong.”

Romero currently holds an H-1B visa, less common for teachers, but still allows foreign professionals to work in the US for a specific time. Some teachers with j-1 visas transition to H-1B to stay longer in the country.

His work specifically benefits English as a Second Language (ESL) students, who face unique challenges in adapting to a new educational environment.

For the past three years, Romero has been “co-teaching,” attending English language learners’ classes to ensure they advance at the pace of their peers.

Then he collaborates with teachers to adjust curriculum, guides, vocabulary, and assessment strategies.

“When you have a conversation with the teacher and tell them ‘this is happening with this student’, or talk to the family and they say that in their country, they did not attend school, and here they arrived and were placed in tenth grade just because of their age, that makes teachers reconsider the methodology and content,” he states.

Challenges for international teachers

The journey with the J-1 visa is not without its challenges. Documentation and visa costs, cultural adjustments, and homesickness form a complex web.

“As Hispanics, we are closer to family and friends, but people in the United States are more independent, they need their space more,” Gómez said. “That’s the part that might be a bit more difficult for me.”

Additionally, during their time in the United States, most international teachers are restricted from taking on any other employment.

The interviewed teachers find it challenging not to have other sources of income, especially in a state with teacher salaries below the national average.

Visa restrictions limit talent retention

International teachers have shown to be a valuable contribution to addressing the shortage of teaching talent. However, visa time constraints force them to leave their positions, even when their performance is outstanding.

J-1 visas allow teachers to reside in the US initially for three years, with an optional two more years. While those with an H-1B visa can extend up to six years in total.

“The length of the visa is a challenge in particular because it is such time limited, and a school may have a phenomenal international teacher, but the way that the visa is structured, causes a teacher to have to leave,” Kelly said. “And so, school districts, you know, struggle to retain high-quality international teachers because of those provisions of the law.”

In 2022-23, around 319 of these international teachers left employment in North Carolina public schools, representing 16.85%.

Both Gómez and Romero suggest a more effective way to ensure visa sponsorship after several years of teaching.

“Not only are there shortages of teachers, but we also lack an adequate, functional, and timely immigration channel that allows an international teacher with good performance to stay here working in the United States, since available sponsorships are practically nonexistent,” Romero said.

J-1 visas are geared towards cultural exchange, not work, which complicates the process for permanent residency in the United States.

As a result, many are forced to return to their country or seek out places with more flexible visa policies.

“Some teachers who came with a J-1 visa managed to complete their paperwork and stay,” Gómez said. “Some switched counties or states. Everyone is looking for their own way. Everyone has a different story.”