Metropolitan School Frankfurt New Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt New Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Dear New Teacher,
Welcome to Metropolitan School Frankfurt, and to the Frankfurt am Main region!
Teachers, students and parents characterise our school as a friendly, family-centred place with a warm atmosphere of
mutual support and respect. With over 600 students on roll and moderately-sized classes we are able to focus on the
individual student.
Our international programme and reputation as a high-quality educational facility appeals to international families in
the region. Metropolitan School’s student representation of over 50 nations, speaking more than 42 different
languages broadens our international profile year after year. The language of our school is English and is taught by
highly qualified, native speakers from Australia, the U.S, Canada, England, Germany, France, Scotland, Ireland,
Zimbabwe and Norway.
We believe that the IB Primary Years Programme curriculum in our K – G5 grades, our Cambridge International
Programme in G6 – 10 (IGCSEs) and our IB Diploma Programme in G11 and 12 offer the best educational structures for
our student-centred teaching and learning.
Moving to Germany may seem like a big step for you but Frankfurt is such an open and diverse place that I am sure
you will soon feel at ease here and enjoy our “global village”. With just 700,000 citizens, Frankfurt is small enough to
commute by bicycle or public transport but large enough to offer a broad range of leisure opportunities. It is the most
international city in continental Europe, where every third citizen holds a foreign passport. English is integrated into
the local German cultural offerings with the English movie cinemas, Clubs, Irish, British and Australian pubs and the
popular “English Theatre” - I am sure you will find something to enjoy. Over 100,000 students attend Frankfurt’s many
universities: Goethe University, the University of Applied Sciences, several national Max Planck research institutes, the
University of Music and the Frankfurt School of Finance, all together creating a lively, dynamic atmosphere.
We seek internationally-minded, curious and energetic teachers who are team players with a sense of humour and a
passion and love for teaching. Our friendly, vibrant and fast-growing school offers many opportunities for your own
personal and professional growth in a stimulating, beautiful region right in the very centre of Europe.
I am looking forward to seeing you at Metropolitan School Frankfurt!
Sincerely yours,
Peter Ferres, Director
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Metropolitan School Frankfurt
Mission Statement
Metropolitan School Frankfurt is an IB World School
with a clear international profile offering an outstanding,
inspirational education.
Our students are inspired to become well-rounded,
independent thinkers equipped with the skills,
knowledge and understanding to master the
challenges of the future.
This is achieved by our engaging and passionate
teachers working in collaboration with parents and the
wider school community in a safe, student-centred environment.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Contents
Welcome Letter 2
MSF Mission Statement 3
About MSF 5
Compensation and Benefits 6
Contracts 7
Facilities 8
Getting Around 9
Insurance 10
Living in Frankfurt 10
New teacher Induction 12
Organisational Structure 12
Relocation Benefits 14
Taxes, Healthcare and Social Security 15
Visa 16
Appendix: School Calendar 17
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
About MSF
Metropolitan School Frankfurt (MSF) opened in 2007 as an independent, non-profit, co-educational
international school in the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. With over 600 students enrolled, MSF is one
of the fastest growing international schools in Germany. 64% of our students are international, coming from
50 different countries speaking more than 40 different languages. Faculty and staff are equally diverse with
the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada accounting for the majority of staff.
MSF is an IB World School, a Cambridge Examination Centre offering the Cambridge International IGCSE
exams in Grade 10, an IB Diploma School, accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and New
England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS),
member of the Association of German international Schools (AGIS) and also recognised by the German
government as authorised general education school (anerkannte Ersatzschule).
The school is organised in three divisions, each headed up by a divisional leader who all report to the Assistant
Director and Director: Early Years (Kindergarten and Transition) for children aged 3 to 6, Primary School for
students aged 6 to 11 (Grades 1 – 5), and Secondary School for students aged 11 to 18 (Grades 6 – 12).
Our classes have 18 students on average and are all taught by native English speaking teachers following a
child-centred, inquiry-based pedagogy. Instruction is in English and there are daily German lessons
throughout the school. The majority of our school buildings are new and purpose built.
Early morning care starts at 08:00, lessons commence at 08:30 and conclude at 15:30. An extensive after
school enrichment programme is available until 16:45 each day.
MSF is a not-for-profit school and is set up as an independent private school. It also receives partial
Government funding making up a third of the school’s annual income, whilst parents’ fees contribute the
other two thirds. This allows MSF to attract a socially diverse range of students seeking an international
education for their children. We believe that our school community’s ethos of mutual respect and support
and the IB Learner Profile offer the best learning framework for our students. The IB Learner Profile
encourages us to be reflective inquirers, thinkers and risk takers, and knowledgeable and principled
communicators who are open minded, caring and balanced.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Compensation and Benefits
All teachers are placed on the following salary scale depending on their completed years of relevant full-time
teaching experience. The “years of relevant experience” in the table below is determined by the Principal.
As teachers complete further full-time years of employment, they advance along the salary scale.
In addition to the step increases listed in the salary scale below, there is an annual inflationary increase.
There also may be an annual salary increase for all salaries listed below (i.e. an annual general pay rise) which
is at the discretion of the Director in consultation with the school’s Board. Over the past ten years the annual
pay rise for a typical teacher has been between 1.7% and 4.1% per year, including the annual two pay rise
elements (step increase and annual inflationary increase).
The following table includes indicative data for a single teacher, unmarried, without dependent children and
without a formal church membership (there is an optional church tax in Germany that is between
approximately 2% and 4% of gross income).
For married teachers and for teachers with dependents, there are tax benefits resulting in lower deductions
and a higher net salary.
2020/2021 MSF Salaries (all figures are gross salary figures before any stipend payments)
* After the initial 2 years of employment teachers receive a monthly private pension contribution of 238 Euro per month
= 2,856 Euro per year.
Experienced teachers usually apply for one of the numerous stipends the school offers for extra roles such
as Department Coordinators, Language / Mathematics Coordinator, IGCSE Examination Coordinator, Sports
Coach etc. These roles come with an additional annual stipend which ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 Euro gross,
depending on the scope of the role.
Education of Teachers’ Children Programme: A teacher hired from overseas working at MSF with a contract
of over 50% (over 20 working hours per week) may enroll their child/ren at the School under the Teachers’
Children Tuition Programme subject to the normal MSF admissions policy. Under that programme, School
fees for employees will be reduced or waived proportionate to their percentage of employment. A full-time
employee would be entitled to the following monthly tuition fee reductions:
● In Early Years, for staff living in Frankfurt, costs are 40 Euro snack fee per month. If the family lives outside
of the Frankfurt city limit, the tuition is reduced by 58%, therefore the amount payable per child is 415
Euro per month.
● In Primary School and Secondary School, up to G10, there is a 66% reduction in monthly fees, therefore
the amount payable per child is 345 Euro (Primary), 350 Euro (Secondary) and for G11 and 12 it is 535
Euro per month.
These tuition reduction benefits are “taxable benefits”, details of which will be given by the school’s or by
the teacher’s tax advisor.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
All teachers with dependents are eligible for the “Reduced Tuition Family Income Programme” which reduces
the regular monthly school tuition by 58%. Furthermore, they are able to apply for an MSF scholarships which
are granted to families in financial need. They reduce due fees by 50%. Teachers are responsible for any other
costs than the above listed tuition and fees including examination fees, resources fees and school trip
expenses.
Contracts
Employees are offered an initial two-year contract. There is a 6 month probationary period ending on 31st
January of the first year (when starting in August), where both sides may terminate the contract with a two-
week notice period. After that probation period, a termination is possible in writing with six months notice,
latest until December 31st for the end of the academic year. Two-year contracts become unlimited upon
mutual agreement.
Your salary for the month of August will start as of your first working day of employment, 10th August 2020.
A valid residence and work permit, police clearance certificate from your country of residence (CRB for last
2 years of residence), and German school authorities’ clearance (granted after arrival based upon your
degree) are all mandatory for the validity of the contract.
For EU Citizens, a residence/ work permit is not required. For all others, residence/work permits are obtained
through MSF during induction week when you apply for a residence/work permit at the visa authorities
(Ausländeramt). MSF will support you in filling in the required forms and in arranging appointments with the
relevant authorities / consulate. The School will also assist you in preparing for, and obtaining, the school
authorities’ clearance.
There are on average 185 teaching days during which teachers will teach up to 1300 minutes per week, giving
each teacher significant planning time during working hours. Teachers arrive between 08:00 and 08:15.
Teaching starts at 08:25 and ends at 15:30 with a 50 minute lunch break. Teachers may leave at 15:45, with
the exception of Mondays when there is a one hour staff meeting at the end of the teaching day.
Outside of teaching duties, there are supervisory duties, information evenings and bi-annual parent
conferences and community projects that teachers are required to attend.
The extracurricular after-school “MSF Clubs” programme requires teachers to either run a one-hour club per
week (17 hours in total during one school year), join one of the school’s committees such as the Language or
Mathematics committee, or contribute to other MSF extracurricular programmes for the same amount of
time. The club could be a chess, craftwork, poetry/reading or sports club or anything else that you enjoy.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
MSF 10th Birthday Celebration with 900 guests (October 2017)
There are 3.5 internal professional development days during the school year and an average of 1 to 2 external
professional development days which may include International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge
International Education training in Germany or abroad.
Some teachers may want to arrive during the first days of August in order to settle into their apartments,
schedule bank appointments, visit the city authorities in order to register etc. New teachers are required to
attend the MSF Induction Week beginning on Monday, 10th August 2020, which runs the week prior to the
first day of school. You will have the opportunity to meet all other new teachers during the first few days of
Induction Week, and then meet the returning teachers who arrive mid-week. The first teaching day will be
Monday 17th August 2020.
The school holidays are approximately 13.5 weeks in total, which are highlighted in yellow in the attached
school calendar. In addition, there are approximately 6 public holidays and bridge days where the school is
also closed (see attached school calendar).
Teachers’ leave entitlement is restricted to the school holidays. Exceptional leave may be granted by the
Principals for up to 2 personal days per year. For longer periods of time, requests for additional unpaid leave
may be granted on approval from the Director. Reasons for such leave could include births, marriages, a
funeral of a close family member, religious celebrations and ceremonies or moving house (NOT for extended
vacation). Leave may be granted with or without pay depending on the individual case. Employees will also
be granted leave to attend recruitment fairs or interviews only after they have submitted in writing their
notice of contract termination.
Facilities
MSF is located in northwest Frankfurt and is the only international school offering the IB PYP and IB Diploma
within the City of Frankfurt boundaries. Conveniently positioned, the school is easily accessible within 15
minutes by car or 20 minutes by public transport from the city centre, as well as from the surrounding suburbs
of the Taunus hills. For those teachers living in Frankfurt, commuting by bicycle is easy and safe and shops
and restaurants are walking distance away.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
With modern, state-of-the-art facilities and over 10,000 m² of space, MSF offers more space per student than
any other school in the Frankfurt school district. Our buildings contain large, bright classrooms, all equipped
with Smart-Boards, a spacious Secondary school library, a separate Primary/Early Years library, a well-
resourced music room, three science laboratories, a multimedia centre, a dedicated visual and performing
arts floor, a food technology studio, a large sports hall the size of three basketball courts, a large multi-
function room, and three after-school care rooms. In 2020, we will add a roof-top sports pitch and fitness
room to our facilities.
We opened our new Secondary Centre and Sports Hall building in August 2013. It offers a modern cafeteria
for school lunches and parent coffee mornings. Our cafeteria is appealing to students, parents and teachers
alike, who come here to meet, have a coffee and chat before or after school.
School facilities also include 2 large staff rooms with kitchen facilities for staff as well as ICT equipment.
Before-School Care and After-School Care have age-specific dedicated spaces where students can relax at the
beginning and end of each school day to complete any set homework they may have. Our 300 square metre
Multi Function Room (MFR) serves as a performance centre and assembly hall.
The school campus offers a schoolyard with climbing frames and wall, marked ballgame zones, football zone,
quiet zone and a dedicated Early Years play area with water features, trampoline and sand pit.
Getting Around
Flights are available from Frankfurt International Airport to over 4000 destinations across 107 countries
worldwide. Reasonably priced Ryanair flights now depart from Frankfurt International Airport as well as from
Frankfurt-Hahn airport which is reachable by bus in 90 minutes.
Germany is a highly developed industrial country with a very efficient transportation network. By train, you
can reach many cities relatively quickly at reasonable cost. Intercity bus services offer a nationwide network
to all major cities at an extremely reasonable price.
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Metropolitan School Frankfurt Teacher Welcome Brochure 2020
Within all German cities you will find a modern bus and/or tram system that is a safe and easy way to travel
locally. Bicycles are the preferred means of transport for many of our teachers living a bit further away from
our school.
Travelling by car means that you need either a valid EU country driver’s license after 6 months of residence.
Please check your home country/home state license agreement to see whether your home license will
transfer upon application. This must be done within the first 6 months of residency, otherwise, you need to
re- apply and pass the German driver’s license test.
Insurance
There will be an insurance information meeting during Induction week, where an expert will explain in more
detail the following insurance policies:
When you rent an apartment, your landlord will insist upon you having third party indemnity insurance
Haftpflichtversicherung. It protects you from any damage you may cause to the apartment and it also
protects you from damage you could be responsible for outside your home, e.g. in daily traffic. In 2017, the
typical cost for Haftpflichtversicherung was 60 Euro per year.
If you plan to travel frequently outside of Germany, where your mandatory health care insurance covers you,
you should register for an international health care cover (Auslandsreisekrankenversicherung). Please ask the
Office for additional support in this case.
The school covers you with a general third-party indemnity school insurance policy against any claims that
students, parents or others might have against you while you are doing your job.
Living in Frankfurt
Frankfurt citizens and visitors love Frankfurt for its high quality of life. In global city rankings Frankfurt always
scores amongst the top 10 most livable cities in the world (Mercer 2019 Frankfurt was # 7).
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● City dwellers will enjoy the vibrant Westend atmosphere around the many skyscrapers with restaurants
and nightlife.
● Arts and music lovers will enjoy 30 different museums, including the classical arts museum, the sculpture
museum and the museum of modern art. The old opera house stages classical as well as modern music
concerts while the main opera house was just voted the #1 opera house in Germany.
● For history buffs, Frankfurt is one of the oldest cities in Europe with a vast “old city” where German
emperors were crowned for over 300 years. It is also the birthplace of German democracy. This area is
packed with pubs and small restaurants.
● Bohemians will fancy the two city campuses of Goethe University home to over 60,000 students who
give the university areas of Frankfurt a special atmosphere.
● Nature lovers can walk or cycle along the extensive bike paths along the quiet Nidda river or the Main
river which flows through Frankfurt. Or go hiking and mountain biking in the Taunus region just north of
Frankfurt, one of Germany’s largest forests of Germany that stretches from East to West. Just half an
hour away, is the world famous “Rheingau” wine region with picturesque villages, offering open-air
summer concerts, weekend wine tastings and some of the best restaurants in the country.
● Sports fans will love to watch major league football (soccer) matches of “Eintracht Frankfurt” as well as
the “Lions” ice-hockey team or watch national league tennis matches at the “Safo” club, an MSF
cooperation partner. Popular active sports include hiking, running, swimming (10 outdoor and 7 public
indoor pools in Frankfurt), bowling, tennis, football, fitness/workouts, volleyball; all played in clubs that
are part of the local municipal life in the many little communities in and around Frankfurt.
Our international community loves the fact that Frankfurt is the most international city in Germany offering
a multi-cultural environment in the city centre and a quieter, village-style life around our school here in
“Rödelheim”, near the river “Nidda”.
In case you want to travel, Frankfurt is:
● close to the Alps (4 hour drive) the highest mountain range in Europe with a broad spectrum of
skiing/snowboard locations including glaciers that allow all year skiing/snowboarding, or
● not far from the North Sea (5 hour drive) with plenty of beaches in Belgium and the Netherlands
It is also worth noting that Frankfurt is a growing city that attracts young, urban citizens and more young
families with young children than any other city in Germany (highest birth rate) which shows when you walk
the wide pedestrian streets of Frankfurt along with its department stores and shops.
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New Teacher Induction
Moving to a new city, a new school and in most cases a new country can be somewhat daunting but we want
to make this transition as smooth and exciting as possible.
Upon arriving at Frankfurt Airport, new teachers are greeted by a driver and taken to their interim
accommodation. A welcome bag with an assortment of groceries, a map of Frankfurt, a monthly commuter
train/bus ticket as well as a laptop and wifi passcodes will be provided.
The first week of the academic year begins with the teacher induction week, one week before students come
back to school after their summer break. This is a time for our newly recruited and existing teachers to get
to know each other, be introduced to MSF as a whole, our curriculum and to settle into Frankfurt.
The Relocation Manager is on hand during this week to assist with apartment searches and to set up
appointments for banking and insurance organisations. We will invite you for a walking tour through
Frankfurt and organise group lunches for all teachers. There is enough time to enjoy Germany in the
summertime and sample the local cuisine in some of Frankfurt’s beer gardens with your new peers.
Organisational Structure
The school is organised in three divisions: Early Years, Primary School and Secondary School, each managed
by a divisional leader. The School Leadership Team (SLT) meets regularly to review school policies, strategic
initiatives as well as operational matters.
The SLT comprises:
● the Director
● the Assistant Director
● the Early Years Leader
● the Primary School Principal
● the Secondary School Principal
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The ‘Extended School Leadership Team’ includes all members of the SLT and the Admissions Manager,
Marketing Manager, Human Resources Manager, Business Manager, the IB DP Coordinator and the Primary
Years Programme Coordinators (PYPC’s).
The MSF Board comprises the Director, three external school heads who contribute international and local
school management experience, two elected parent representatives and one lawyer and tax consultant. The
Board advises the Director and school leaders in strategic matters and approves school policies for the entire
school community.
As of January 2020 our teaching team comprises:
Early Years: 22 teachers +
Primary Years: 30 teachers
Middle School 38 teachers
Office/Support Team: 24 staff
Teachers’ age range: 24 – 55 years
Teaching experience: average of 6-8 years
Countries of origin:
Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, El Salvador, United States of
America, Zimbabwe.
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Relocation Benefits
Full-time teachers relocating to Frankfurt to commence work at MSF will be reimbursed for relocation cost
depending upon your country of residence and marital status. All listed costs are being reimbursed upon
submission of relevant original receipts:
● Flight and moving costs: Flight costs + transfer from your current residence to your first accommodation
in Frankfurt in order to commence work at MSF includes airfare Economy Class up to:
Group/Zone I (Europe/Germany)= 400 EUR
Group/Zone II (USA/ Canada)= 800 EUR
Group/ Zone III (rest of the world)=1,600 EUR
In addition, there is a 500 Euro reimbursement of baggage transportation cost.
For the teacher’s spouse (married partner), half of these amounts will be reimbursed only if the spouse
is not going to be employed in Germany during the first 5 months after arrival. The teacher may choose
to book a return flight ticket in which case s/he will be taxed on half of the flight ticket cost at a tax rate
of approximately 25%.
● Moving allowance: 750 Euros gross, this is a taxable benefit, please refer to specific details in the
contract.
● Visa: The school reimburses the teacher for up to 250 Euro of Visa costs (normally covers the visa) (1st
Request and 1st renewal).
● Accommodation upon arrival: Two weeks accommodation in a nearby hotel or apartment will be
supplied at the school’s discretion for up to 1,200 Euros. The teacher saves rent for these two weeks but
will be taxed by approximately 25% on the cost of such accommodation. During this period, teachers
normally find a permanent residence. The Relocation Manager will help the teacher select apartments,
arranging viewings, etc.
● Language support: The school will pay for up to 200 Euros of language course in a language school that
the school selects or alternatively the school offers a professional German teacher to deliver initial
language training regularly for a one year period.
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● Public transport support: The school will purchase an initial monthly public transport ticket for the
Frankfurt city area to commute to and from the school within the Frankfurt city region at the cost of
approximately 90 Euros.
● Interest free loan from the school: The school grants employees an interest free loan of 2,400 Euros.
This loan is repayable in 12 equal installments during the first year of employment
All of the above benefits are available only during the first 6 months of employment. Any later application
for reimbursement is not possible. Unclaimed budget-related relocation costs cannot be demanded or used
for other purposes.
Taxes, Healthcare and Social Security
After you have found accommodation and have registered in Germany, you will automatically receive a tax
identification number. Our school accountants will then take care of all obligatory tax and social security
payments including state pension, health care and sick leave cover, unemployment insurance and nursery
insurance. Approximately half of all contributions of these so called “social security” payments come from
the school and the other half are paid by the employee. These mandatory monthly deductions from your
gross salary are listed on your payslip each month. Shortly after your registration with the social security
system, you will receive a social security identification number by letter.
Tax rates in Germany depend on your marital status (single or with spouse) and your number of dependent
children. At the start of employment, individual tax class should be checked with HR.
At the end of the calendar year, the school will help you find a local tax advisor who will prepare your annual
tax return. Please save all receipts and everything that is a moving-related cost for your tax return. Tax
rebates (if applicable) usually occur in February the year after your arrival in Germany.
Currently state child support of 184 Euro per month per child is paid for each dependent child (190€ for the
3rd and 214€ for the 4th child). This is determined by local rules and guidelines. Request to the authorities
for this payment is mandatory.
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The German health care system is one of the best in Europe. In Germany, as in most European countries,
joining the national health care system and social security system is mandatory. On your payslip, you will find
these monthly mandatory deductions which are a fixed percentage of your salary (see salary table above).
The German health care contributions are paid by both the employee and the school in approximately equal
amounts. The cover you receive includes GP visits, specialist doctors referred to you by your GP, all necessary
hospital treatments including operations, basic dental work and all prescription medicine (5 euro surcharge
per prescription). It covers employee’s and his/her spouse and children without extra cost.
Similar to the health care payments, social security payments are also split between employee and employer.
The system protects you with a pension system upon retirement and cover against unemployment (see
details see www.arbeitsagentur.de) and invalidity (after a certain waiting period).
Teachers are required to provide an immunisation certificate before commencing work. Please note, it is
compulsory, according to German Law effective 2020, that teachers and students are immunised for measles.
Visa
European member state citizens may enter Germany and work in Germany without any visa.
Non-EU citizens need a visa. Once you are in Frankfurt, we will assist you in obtaining a residence and working
visa from the German Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. This is a standard process and by
law all international teachers coming to Germany to teach in a state-recognised school like MSF, are
automatically entitled to receive a working visa.
If, for some reason, the local embassies and consulate do not issue the required visa in time for your arrival
into Germany, you can enter on a tourist visa and receive your teacher’s working visa after arriving in
Frankfurt.
In such cases, it is advisable to take a signed copy of your employment contract with you when you pass
through immigration. If an immigration officer insists on seeing a return flight ticket, you should inform them
that you have applied for a working visa based on a signed employment contract with MSF.
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School Calendar 2020-2021
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