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Index
● Looking for jobs? Go to The LA Job List.
● Want information about teaching in Peru? Go to A Country Guide to TEFLing in Peru.
Updated 19 April 2009
This article has also been featured in the ELT Times.Choosing a country will depend on what you want to get out of teaching English. In addition to the useful info you can find below, check out these questions you should consider before choosing a country. Be aware, that going out to a small town to get away from it all might be nice for a vacation, but living there is completely different. Likewise, the constant life of a city might be nice, but it tends to take its toll after a while. Weigh the pros and cons of living in a city and living in the country carefully, because a year contract can seem like an eternity if it's in a place that you don't enjoy. If you're looking for money, you won't go to the same country as those who are looking to surf or ski. Experience and education will also be a factor in your decision. Since money is often a factor, let's address that issue first.
Money Matters
No matter where you go, there are good jobs and bad jobs. Look at Getting a Job with a High Salary for info on how to get a well paid job. Don't forget that there are other ways to earn extra money while teaching, read Supplement Your Teaching Salary to get ideas on how to earn a bit more each month. The first thing that you have to know about money is budgeting. Once you have a budget, you can save anyway. However, the amount you can save greatly varies. Take a look at Creating a Budget for more tips and tricks.
The second thing that you have to know is the exchange rate. If you have loans or bills to pay back home, they exchange rate will be crucial. Don't take a recruiter or language school's word for the exchange rate. You're going to have to do a bit of investigation yourself. Recruiters for Korea often state that you'll be making 2.0-2.2 mil won and they'll tell you that it's 2000-2200 USD. However, due to the current state of the won, it's really only 1333-1466USD. XE has currency exchange rates. Yahoo finance has exchange rates as well as a graph that let you see how a currency has been doing over the course of a year. Onda allows you to see day by day exchange rates for the past 200 days. Bank of Canada allows you to see day by day exchange rates for the past 10 years.
Don't forget about cost of living. Let's say you have a job in Korea that pays 1333 and a job in China that pays 1000. China might be the better option because of its lower cost of living and stable currency. Read more in this article about Cost of Living.
Best Countries to Save
If you're looking to save you might try heading towards Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, some African countries, or the Middle East. Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are also easy for newbies to get a good paying job with great benefits. In the other countries, you'll need a combination of qualifications, experience and connections to land a great paying job.
At the moment, the Korean won is devaluing and has lost 50% of its value over the past year. So if you're looking for some place to go and save a lot in a year, Korea might not be your best choice at the moment. If you plan on staying long-term, that's a whole different matter, because the won is predicting to start going up in Summer 2009. Take into account that visa laws are very strict. If you're on an E2 visa, you can only work for one institute and even teaching private classes is illegal. If caught, you could be deported. If you have at least 2 years experience try contacting Gangnam UCR. They place you in public schools and pay starts at 2.5 mil won. They advertise on ESL Cafe a couple times a year.
China usually has a lower salary than many places, but if you can get 8000 - 10000 RMB a month plus benefits you probably will be able to save a decent amount due to the low cost of living. Contrary to fact, there are places in China that pay well. Here's a list of good schools.
Taiwan tends to pay higher salaries than China, but less than Korea. Taiwan has a high start up cost as well. But if you're there long term, you can save.
Japan had its heyday a couple of years ago, but even though things aren't what they used to be, you can still save. Typical starting salaries are about 250000 yen a month, which roughly works out to about 2550 usd a month. Take into account that you won't be getting free housing. The school might pay for a portion of it, but that will be your biggest expense. Just like Taiwan, start up costs are a bit high.
Hong Kong may be a more difficult market to get into. The NET (Native English Teacher) Scheme is the best, money-wise, but you will need experience and a background in teaching. Like the two above, start up costs are high.
With Asia, you'll have to do a bit of research about a potential employer as new places are popping up all the time and not all of them are good.
There are a couple of countries in Africa, such as Libya, that offer positions teaching for oil companies. Salaries usually start at 2500 GBP, but often they only accept people from the UK or Ireland. Check TEFL.com for more jobs.
Lastly is the Middle East, where salaries can range from 30 to 60K USD a year. Saudi Arabia is at the top as far as money's concerned. However, you will need experience and a MA degree just to get your foot in the door. Also, keep in mind that life in the Middle East may not be as foreign friendly as other countries. Some limitations that you might encounter are: needing special permission to leave the country, alcohol limitations, and little interaction with the locals. Read more about teaching in the Middle East in this article here.
Living in Paradise
If you're looking for a laid-back atmosphere, try Thailand, Mexico, or Argentina. Although you will probably be paid less, sometimes a more relaxed atmosphere outweighs the pay.
Thailand is located in South East Asia, has great weather year round and lots of beaches. It's also a top tourist destination, so you'll find many of the amenities there that you will find at home.
Since Mexico is part of Latin America, you will be treated to two-hour lunch breaks and siestas. Argentina has more of a European feel to it than Mexico, but the Latin American mindset still goes strong. Read more about teaching in Latin America in FAQ about Latin America here. You can find lists of schools at The LA Job List.
What about Europe?
Europe may be perfect for as it's exotic and has beautiful architecture and a fascinating history. Pay seems to hover around 900 to 1500 USD a month. Many people want to go to Europe, but the truth to the matter is that visas may be hard to come by. Getting a visa in the new EU (Central and Eastern Europe) is much easier than trying to get one in the old EU (Western Europe). Just be aware that pay might not be very good, but you will make enough to live provided that you don't live beyond your means. The good thing about Europe is that a trip to another country is only a short train ride away.
If you're interested in teaching in Europe, do a little family background research as you may qualify for a passport from a European country. Italy is probably the easiest to get a passport from if you have family from there. If you lack the passport, try reading Europe for non-EU passport holders to find out other options. You might also be able to go to Europe for a bit as a camp counselor. Try reading Summer and Winter Camps to learn more. For information about specific countries in Europe, read this article.
International Schools
If you have a background in teaching, experience and qualifications, money and visas won't be an issue for you. You pretty much have the world at your feet. The majority of international schools will pay just about the same as schools in your home country, you'll have benefits, including relocation allowances, and schools will get you a visa. Most places require a one or two year contract. You can learn more about teaching in international schools in this article.
Ready to take the leap?
If teaching abroad sounds like something that you would like to do, then start by reading the following articles.
Writing a Teaching Cover Letter
Writing a Teaching CV
Find links for jobs in the Job Sites article.
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