Are you wondering what’s going on in the world of TEFL? TEFL jobs expert, Jordan, has been keeping track of the latest developments and went live on i-to-i’s Facebook page to share his knowledge on everything from the impact of China’s new regulations to changes to quarantine rules in Thailand. Watch the full webinar or read on for edited extracts.
TEACHING ENGLISH OVERSEAS
Can I TEFL in Thailand right now?
Thailand is an extremely popular place to teach English for obvious reasons: good pay, great benefits, lovely culture, amazing food, wonderful weather.
At the moment, Thailand has established quarantine Sandboxes where you spend 7 to 14 days quarantining when you arrive in the country. However, Thailand has declared that, by the beginning of November, they’re going to create a list of countries that won’t need to quarantine if you’re double vaccinated, which is fantastic news. We’re waiting for the list from the Health Minister in Thailand and will share that with you when it’s available.
This might seem like a small change in one location. However, we’re confident that, once Thailand sets up a list of countries where people who have been vaccinated don’t have to quarantine, there will be a domino effect on other countries – we’ve seen that happen with previous changes.
If you’d like to teach in Thailand, we have good TEFL job opportunities with a number of different organisations on the LoveTEFL Jobs board. On top of that, we have a paid TEFL internship package. It’s something you purchase but it comes with great benefits and support as well as a TEFL course if you’re not already qualified.
What is happening with TEFL in South Korea?
We’ve spoken to individuals in South Korea who’ve suggested South Korea is moving towards a ‘living with Covid’ approach. Our understanding is that South Korea is going to introduce changes which will allow more people, such as TEFL teachers, to come to the country and where people will be able to do more things within South Korea. At the same time, they will take steps to help people to try not to contract Covid.
If you’re interested in teaching in South Korea, we do have some TEFL posts advertised on the LoveTEFL Jobs board. We have a paid TEFL internship for South Korea too, so do take a look at that as well.
Is it safe to teach in China during Covid?
As with everywhere around the world, we have to be aware that we are still in this Covid period. However, China has taken Covid very seriously and is as safe as any other country to teach while there is a pandemic in place. Our colleagues and graduates who are based out there have informed us that there have been lockdowns in specific cities but also places that really feel free of the Covid grip.
If you want to teach English in China we do have a lot of jobs advertised on the LoveTEFL Jobs board. However, please be aware that, due to changes in legislation for Covid, it’s currently more difficult to get the permission letter (PU letter) from the government that you need to teach in China and this can stall the process. The organisation you apply to, the school’s location and the school’s relationship with the government will have a massive influence on whether you get the PU letter. This is likely to be a temporary situation but it’s important to know about it if you want to teach in China.
Are there any TEFL jobs in Dubai and Saudi Arabia?
Prior to Covid, we had a number of TEFL job opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. We have reached out to these organisations to ask about current TEFL jobs and we’ve received nothing back.
We believe this is down to the Covid pandemic. It’s put a lot of restrictions in place and made it difficult for individuals to apply for jobs right now. On top of that, some organisations have changed their requirements and are now asking for a PGCE rather than a degree and TEFL / CELTA qualification. However, we did have one job advertised for Saudi Arabia recently and I’m sure there will be more opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the future. It just needs more time.
When will the TEFL market re-open in Turkey?
That’s a difficult question to answer. Turkey has kind of opened up but we’ve not yet had any confirmation from the organisations we work with there about what is going on. We’re trying to get as many jobs as possible on the LoveTEFL Jobs board but we want to make sure that they’re legitimate and current.
At the moment, it looks like the TEFL market in Turkey has temporarily dried up. We can send you links to schools that we’re aware of but we’re not advertising jobs in Turkey until we’re confident that they’re definitely recruiting.
What is the situation with TEFL across the rest of the world?
We look at the lists of what countries are opening up, which ones are on the red lists, which ones are on the green lists. There are lots of changes all the time. At the moment, the red list from the UK government includes a couple of Caribbean countries and a lot of South American countries. South America is often a very good nugget for TEFL teachers who don’t have a degree but please do be patient if you want to teach in a country that’s red-listed for Covid as it’s not very safe right now.
With regards to TEFL job opportunities, we’re seeing lots established in Asia. If you don’t have a degree, Europe is also beginning to open its doors – Spain, Italy. Have a look on the LoveTEFL Jobs board as we’re expanding those opportunities. We’re very transparent with regards to employer information. If you want to find out more about the organisation you’re applying to, take a look at the employer information next to the job advert and you can see what they’re all about.
TEACHING ENGLISH ONLINE
What are the changes to teaching online in China?
A few months ago, China put some regulations in place regarding profit-making organisations tutoring children outside of school hours. These organisations were charging a lot and the Chinese government wanted to ensure that families were not spending lots of money on courses, as they had increased the number of babies each family can have and wanted to lower the cost of living to ensure people have more expendable income.
The online TEFL companies in China were a massive part of the online teaching community. With these legislation changes a lot of these organisations are now closing or turning non-profit. It’s been a very scary time: big organisations with lots of TEFL teachers were all of a sudden telling these TEFL teachers there was not any work any more due to this internal law change within China. We’ve written an article that goes through the changes of the new Chinese regulations in more detail if you want to find out more.
What is the impact of the Chinese regulations for online TEFL teachers now?
Some of the online TEFL companies are still advertising for teachers for Chinese students. From what I understand, they have contracts that they need to fulfil and need teachers to complete classes for those customers. For instance, Magic Ears is doing a massive push for South African teachers to teach on their company website right now.
However, we can also now see online TEFL organisations stepping forward and making changes. One of those organisations is VIPKid which is huge organisation based in the US that caters to Chinese students. They have announced VIPKid Global. It’s early stages but it sounds like they’ll be catering to a global market, not just Chinese students.
This is very telling of the market. I’m sure we’re going to see more organisations pivot to try to grasp the audience on a global scale. I am also confident that the TEFL networking sites, like Cambly and Preply are ingesting a lot of the TEFL teachers, now that they are free from the contracts with Chinese organisations. We’ll keep you informed of any changes going forward and put jobs up onto the LoveTEFL Jobs board as they emerge.
How easy is it to get an online teaching job?
We’ve put 87 new jobs on the LoveTEFL Jobs board over the past couple of weeks. That’s not 87 positions but 87 different organisations with opportunities ranging from one teaching post to lots. This includes a lot of online teaching opportunities.
How easy or difficult it is to get an online teaching job depends on how much work you put into your application. I’ve seen a lot of applications recently that have put in CVs that are too general, too long, too informal, not very neat… It’s up to the individual but if you’ve crafted a good resume and you meet the application requirements, we have such a plethora of jobs opportunities on the jobs board that it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find work.
If you’re having difficulty finding a job, get in touch. We’re more than happy to help you and offer you some advice and support.
Is online teaching lucrative?
There’s quite a range of pay for online TEFL jobs. For some posts, the pay is quite low but they can still be good places to work when you start teaching. For other TEFL posts the pay is much higher.
You can earn more if you look at niche markets, such as coaching IELTS or teaching business English, especially if you’re looking for work on networking platforms like Preply and Cambly. We offer specialist courses that cover these subjects, if that is something you’re interested in.
The other option to applying for posts with companies, is to set up as a freelance TEFL tutor and set your own rates.
Can I find an online TEFL job without teaching experience?
There are some opportunities on the LoveTEFL Jobs board for online TEFL teachers that don’t specify experience. Alternatively, have a look at volunteering online. It’s a great way of building up your experience and confidence and adding real weight to your CV.
Nevy’s Language on our LoveTEFL Jobs board is a brilliant organisation that employs TEFL teachers voluntarily to teach English to students who are migrating to an English speaking country. The great thing about Nevy’s Language is they will also coach you, observe you and offer you advice and support. It’s a good way to build up experience and get a real feel of what it’s like to be a TEFL teacher. You can do it alongside your TEFL course if you want to and you can then feel confident when you’re applying for your next TEFL opportunity.
TEFL JOBS SUPPORT
Can I teach online while I’m studying for a degree?
Absolutely! Online teaching is a bit of a favourite for students. It’s a really great way to earn money whilst you’re studying. There are plenty of organisations on our LoveTEFL Jobs board that don’t request a degree so you can earn money while you’re at university. Once you do have a degree, that will open the door to even more opportunities.
Do I need a degree to study or teach business English?
No! You’re not required to have a degree to do the business English course that’s included with a number of our Diploma courses or to take it as a specialist course. The course covers what you need to teach business English.
It’s also not necessary to have a degree to teach business English. For example, I’ve seen TEFL teachers on networking platforms like Preply who have completed the business English course but don’t have a degree.
Do I need a PGCE to teach other subjects in English?
A PGCE can open doors to teaching in countries where the native language is English, such as the UK or US. However, if you’re looking for an overseas or online teaching opportunity and the job information asks for a degree, you normally just need to have a degree in any subject.
There are jobs for TEFL teachers to teach multiple subjects, like maths and science in places like Thailand and Vietnam as well as online. If you’re able to cover those subjects, that definitely opens up more opportunities. Have a look on the LoveTEFL Jobs board or get in touch and we can help you investigate your options.
Can i-to-i help with my CV and cover letters?
Absolutely! Send us an email with your resumé and cover letter.
As a bit of advice, a lot of people are applying for jobs in the TEFL market using a CV they had for a different job, such as administration or customer services or sales. TEFL employers will see that the resumé has not been really aligned to their industry and will ditch it. On top of that, there will be loads of transferable skills from your previous work that you won’t have identified if you just put forward the same resumé.
The TEFL market is very particular. TEFL employers really want a snapshot of your education, career history and who you are on that first page. You need to clearly show your relevant skills on your resumé to make sure that you look like a good TEFL teacher. Check out our articles about building your perfect CV for more tips and advice.
NEXT STEPS
These webinars are going to be regular forums where we can have a chat about what’s going on in the marketplace.
Send us a question for our next webinar
Find your dream job on the LoveTEFL Jobs Board
Book your TEFL course and start your TEFL adventure today
