Seoul, South Korea. Photo by Trey Ratcliff, licensed by Creative Commons.
So you’ve made the decision to Teach English Abroad. Welcome! The following 10 places are among the best in the world for finding work, making a living, and having a great time doing it!
10. Brazil
Brazil’s effort to internationalize yields many opportunities to teach English, in both business and traditional school settings. However, you must have a lot of patience to legally obtain a work visa. CEL LEP and Alumni School are good places to start looking.
9. Saudi Arabia
The Middle East is where you will find some of the highest paying jobs offered for native English speaking teachers. This is not for the faint of heart; you must be interested in life in the Middle East and well versed in cultural differences to appreciate the experience. Bayt Recruiting is a good job reference.
8. Italy
Cheap travel and fantastically inexpensive gourmet food are just some of the benefits of living in Italy. There is, however, an annoying amount of red tape. It is recommended to go through a TESOL online certification program in which the school you are paying guarantees you job placement.
For a list of recommended programs, visit Transitions Abroad .
7. Thailand
Thailand is as close as you get to paradise. The American University Alumni (AUA) Language Center, the oldest and largest language school in Thailand with almost 400,000 graduates, is a nonprofit school with an excellent reputation in the country. The AUA is always looking for TESOL teachers.
6. Japan
Asian nations are practically begging for English teachers and you can find work via the Internet quickly. Most recruit year round, and provide successful applicants with visa sponsorship, apartment, partially-paid national insurance, etc.
The largest schools in Japan are with AEON. You can also find work with JET or The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.
5. Russia
Old stereotypes of an economic system fueled by vodka and general lawlessness have made native English teachers scarce in Russia. The demand for teachers far exceeds the supply, making it easy to gain employment with the benefits of visa support, accommodations and often airfare reimbursement.
The largest schools in the area are BKC International and English First are by far the best places to find employment.
4. China
With great compensation packages including salary, apartment, visa sponsorship and sometimes airfare, China is becoming a popular choice for English teachers. Journey East offers links to internships, paid positions and other information.
3. Mexico
If you’re looking for sun and comfort, Mexico is the place to be. In general, the minimum academic requirement for English teaching positions in Mexico is a university degree and a TESOL certificate.
Jobs are difficult to find pre-entry, but are plentiful upon arrival. One option is to look for work in a University. If you have any teaching experience, this is the way to go. Visit ESL Employment for more details.
2. South Korea
Offering many perks such as airfare, housing, insurance benefits, decent salaries and a low cost of living, South Korea offers the ability to travel and make good money. A good place to start is the job board at Dave’s ESL Cafe. Contracts are usually for 1 year and a bachelor’s degree is required.
1. Czech Republic
Chosen for its idyllic location, amazing scenery, high demand and relative ease of entry, the Czech Republic—specifically Prague—is the traveler’s dream come true. The Prague Post, a weekly English language newspaper, is the best place to look for possibilities from home.
One final note: if you don’t get the salary, housing options and benefits that you are seeking, politely negotiate, or decline.
Editor’s Note: Since the original publication of this post (9 Jan 2008) we’ve created a new blog Matador Study, dedicated to study and teaching abroad programs and opportunities. Please check it out for more in-depth profiles and resources.
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39 Comments... join the discussion!
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If you are a native English speaker looking to teach in some of the countries above it may be worth your while checking out our website at http://www.linguaphonegroup.com/ as we have licensed partners in over 20 countries in the world who are always looking for eager new teachers! Good luck!
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Great article. Very informative!
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Solid! I can personally recommend JET – a really high-class program run by the Japanese government.
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Great post! Would love to see this expanded even more too.
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Taiwan is ahead of Korea, China, and Japan. Few places (no place?) can match Taiwan’s cost of living vs. pay ratio. You should check this out.
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I’ve spent the last five years travelling and teaching in NZ and Europe. I have to say it’s much more fun finding a company that’ll send you places than signing those terrible 6+ month contracts!
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what companies send you places to teach? i would like more info on them if you have it.
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Craig, I’d love to talk to you. I too have worked all over the world as a foreign correspondent but am going backwards now back to TE ! I have a lot of credentials and have been looking for companies to work for that would appreciate what I have to offer and who I would be an asset to.
sbjorkgren at yahoo.↵ -
great list. and they pay very good in japan as far as i know
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I totally agree with the Taiwan comment. Too bad people don’t know enough about hidden parts of the world to include them on a list.
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Please don’t say more about Taiwan. We don’t want loads of foreigners making a bum rush over here.
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If you are looking for an opportunity abroad teaching English. Have a look at TeslJobs.com.
It’s free!
You never need to register and has hundreds of postings monthly.↵ -
Your next post should be about teaching italian abroad, because I’m not that good at english…
What’s the red tape you talk about when writing of Italy?
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This is mt dream, what are the best programs to go through? Does anyone know?
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Those who are interested in teaching abroad should check Dave’s ESL Cafe out. There are lots of useful stuff and experienced people.
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In Korea, the GEPIK program is a good way to get started. It’s in the province that surrounds Seoul (Gyeonggi), so usually you’re only a subway ride from the city, and since it’s run by the government, they honor the contract. Hagwons (private language academies) are hit or miss. Some are great, some fire you without paying. Be sure and find a reputable recruiter if you go the language academy route.
Busan is a city not on most people’s radar, since most end up in Seoul. But having visited there a few times, I like it more than Seoul, and could definitely see myself teaching there. Besides, it’s only a 2 hour train ride to the capital if you need a bigger city on the weekends…although Busan is plenty big!
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I was just looking for some information about this! Great post!
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I strongly disagree with the inclusion of Saudi – unless you are after money exclusively and are experienced and informed. For the past two years I have enjoyed life in Bahrain and currently in Dubai, but Saudi is a whole different situation. I DO NOT recommend ESL teaching there unless you are already accustomed to life in the middle east, the local “ways” including what it means to be under strict Sharia law.
(This is not a condemnation of the Saudi people – those that I have had the pleasure of meeting are kind and generous, my intention is simply to inform westerners to do *in depth* research before signing a contract in Saudi.)
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Thanks for this post — I’m looking to teach English abroad after I graduate (seeing as I probably can’t find a writing job that pays haha).
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hey. nice post . very informative for job seekers. I would like to know if you know anything about Singapore. I am very kieen to visit in live in Singapore. I am an Indian with a Masters Degree in English Language and Literature. Will I be able to get an ESL job in Sinagpore?
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Thailand has cracked down on visa regulations for foreign teachers. It is difficult for a first-timer to get a legal job.
Your information on China is almost laughable. Having lived and worked in China for 4 years I can say good compensation packages are few and far between. China should be listed as 10th on you list.
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I do not have a degree, my highest level of education is Australian HSC& Dip in Project Managment.
Can some one please give me advice on what course I need to do – TESOL, CELTA/ DELTA?
And also with out experience, what countries would except me?
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Forgot to mention Hong Kong…well, for certified teachers anyway…
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Oh by the way, Anne, I just read your comment…
To teach in South Korea or Japan you need at least a B.A or B.S.
Most EFL teachers holding a TESOL/CELTA certificate, end up working in countries like the Czech Republic, Russia, Thailand, China (excluding Hong Kong), and Vietnam, as well as some Latin American countries (Mexico, Costa Rica, Equador etc..). These countries do not require teaching experience, but they do expect you to have either your CELTA or TESOL certification.
CELTA and TESOL are pretty much considered the same thing, and you can only obtain a DELTA certificate after completing a CELTA course. As the author of the article mentioned, there are some TESOL courses that guarentee placements in certain countries once you have completed the course.↵ -
i’d be interested in seeing more info on pay scale/ability to support oneself in each of these places…i’ve heard that it’s really, really hard to make a decent living doing esl in brazil and mexico…
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I’m leaving soon to teach in Vietnam for Teachers for Vietnam, its a great place to teach and the program in particular is amazing. They only send a handful of teachers so not only do you get a teacher’s salary but your flight, Tet travel, and housing is paid for!
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Great post! I’ve been wading through books on the subject, and the time spent does not always feel so illuminating. This was short, sweet, and direct. Does anyone know of any south american countries (besides Brazil) that offer some kind of pay/living stipend? Most of what I have found on the continent are volunteer opportunities.
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I’ve been in South Korea for the past seven months, and would like add that while Korean ESL jobs are plentiful and well paying, travelers need to remember one thing:
If you work at a hagwon (private language school), you’re vacation is pretty much limited to 10 days per year, and good luck getting a full week.
Public schools and universities offer more vacation time, unis up to a couple months. Some public schools offer up to a month during winter break.
Korea makes an excellent base to explore Asia, but only if you have time off to do it.
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I’m also interested in specific wage info like Tom mentioned. I wonder if there is an online resource that gives rough wages for each ESL employer. You could do the cost of living chart of your own and see what lines up.
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This article presents teaching abroad in an overly simplistic manner.
The truth is that while there’s a lot of demand, doors aren’t just gonna be swinging open- and those that do, you may need to be weary of.
First, teaching in Europe is usually restricted to residents of the EU, so it’s hard for americans or canadians to get a job there (many other places as well- the writer mentions Brazil- I tried there).
Second, developing countries like China, Russia etc. should be approached cautiously. If you’re interested in teaching in places like that which offer all kinds of benefits, it’s extremely important to assure they are legit, because all types of abuse can occur (holding the teacher’s passport, return flight tickets, transferring the teacher to a different city etc). Furthermore, they pay in places like that is not great if you don’t have a specialized degree (the same applies to all Latin America). DOn’t expect to be living it up, unless you take money with you.
Next, places like Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Arab countries usually require a Master’s degree.
Last, places which are reliable for ESL work with decent pay: Japan, Korea, Taiwan-often have a slightly more demanding work ethic that many North Americans may consider overwork, employer abuse etc.
I highly recommend travelling and teaching, but first understand what you are getting into : )↵ -
I think the main criteria for choosing where to teach, would be whichever country had the best looking girls.
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Does anyone know if I need a TESOL certificate to teach in another country if I have a Master’s degree in ESL? I also have an SEI endorsement. I would assume that would be more than enough but with all the talk of a TESOL cert. I’m wondering if it’s required.
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Though it may be a more difficult application/selection process, applying for to Fulbright as an ETA is a really good option (if you are a US citizen). You don’t have to be certified to teach, you don’t teach full-time (but receive a great salary for the hours worked) and it’s a reputable program. They place assistants in many countries, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
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I totally agree with doohdoohhead, the notion that ‘the world is your oyster’ for English speakers is a fallacy and getting a job is a lot harder these days – a white face just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Most of the countries listed, like Mexico, Russia, Brazil, pay a pittance and can be dangerous especially for women.
Jobs in the Czech Republic dont’ offer housing so negotiating won’t help so this will eat away half your salary. Jobs in Japan are scarce and now, with the economic crises, and are mostly offered to people in Japan.
Of the places listed, Korea and China stand out for the amount of opportunities and pay versus cost of living but both have pitfalls – namely dodgy employers.
Of the places not listed, Taiwan and Vietnam are good options but you will be teaching young kids, paying your own housing and will need start up capital.
Good luck for where ever you choose – oh and be ready to work hard!↵ -
JET and the Japan Exchange Teaching Program are the same thing, and you definitely didn’t give them enough of a writeup here. $40,000 a year tax free plus airfare and often accomodations is what you can expect from a job with JET.
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Thanks for writing this article it’s awesome and really helped me narrow down which places I am most interested in teaching abroad! Do you have any insight on people who get certified online versus people who get certified in classrooms? I have noticed that there is a major price difference so I was wondering if preference is given to teachers who have been certified through an official classroom course. Also, I was surprised to see Saudi Arabia on your list. I say that because I have family who live in Saudi Arabia and it doesn’t seem like an easy country to go and work in! I would like to find out more information on that. Again, thanks for the useful article!
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I’m just beginining to research teaching English as a Second Language and this website has clarified much for me. Does anyone what opportunites there are for an English Literature Ph.D. with a CELTA in South Amerca, particularly Brazil? I’m in the writing up stage of my doctorate and I’m really looking to go abroad once I’m finished. I have quite a few years teaching experience at Adult Level, including two years in a university department and six months ESOL experience, but I don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese. I noticed above that there might be opportunities in Mexico, but what about generally? This is an initial enquiry but any information would be appreciated.
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