Top 10 TEFL Opportunities for 2024

As schools and recruiters begin scheduling interviews for teaching positions starting in early 2024, our Job Placement Service team has researched where the most plentiful job markets are likely to be in the new year, both in terms of number of openings, and benefits on offer.

As is the annual tradition here at Oxford Seminars, we’re happy to share are our top 10 choices for where you should be applying to teach English overseas in the next year.

China

With the pandemic clearly in the rear-view mirror, visas available for English teachers across the country, and salaries remaining at the highest levels they’ve ever been for English teachers, China has bumped South Korea out of the top spot on this year’s list of top teaching destinations.

Positions are available at public and private elementary and secondary schools, English training centers for adults and all ages, and post-secondary institutions. As the application and visa process can be lengthy in the best of times, it is recommended to be applying about 4-6 months before your desired departure date. Schools and recruiters are well into interviewing for February/March 2024 starts, and will likely start considering candidates in April for potential fall term (August/September 2024) starting positions.

Quick Facts for China

Monthly Salary: 12,000-30,000 CNY

Accommodations: Usually included or allowance given

Airfare: Reimbursement (full or partial) usually given

Healthcare: Supplementary healthcare recommended

Holidays: Usually paid

For more information on teaching in China visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

South Korea

South Korea remains among the top TEFL markets for 2024. Salaries for first-time teachers in Korea have increased somewhat year over year, with some schools paying as much as 2.5-2.7 million KRW/month for newcomers to Korea. Free apartments and at least one-way airfare remain standard benefits for English instructors and the savings potential is as good as ever.

Private language schools are interviewing for yearlong contracts starting in the first term (February/March) of the 2024-2025 school year, and those wishing to depart in the first quarter of 2024 should be applying soon. The government’s flagship EPIK public school program is now interviewing for the February intake, and various provincial public school offices of education will continue interviewing for April, May, and June starting positions in the coming months through designated recruiting agencies. The Job Placement Service has contacts hiring for the Chungcheongnam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do provincial offices of education, and can answer any questions Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL/TEFL certificate graduates have about these public school programs. Those wanting to go to Korea for the start of the second term (August/September) should plan on interviewing April through June.

Quick Facts for South Korea

Monthly Salary: 2,000,000-3,000,000 KRW

Accommodations: Usually included or allowance given

Airfare: Reimbursement (full or partial) usually given

Healthcare: Included

Holidays: Paid

For more information on teaching in South Korea visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Hong Kong

As China has opened up, regarding visa sponsorship for foreign teachers, so has Hong Kong. The demand for English language education has continued to increase in Hong Kong over the past year, especially in the early childhood education market. In addition to kindergarten positions, positions are on offer at primary and secondary schools, private language centers, and K-12 bilingual schools.

Depending on school type, applicants are encouraged to begin applying between 2-6 months before they’d like to depart for their new job.

Quick Facts for Hong Kong

Monthly Salary: 15,000-26,000 HKD

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Sometimes included

Healthcare: Usually included

Holidays: Usually paid

For more information on teaching in Hong Kong visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Vietnam

Vietnam remains one of the top English teaching destinations for those who want to save money. Private language schools, public schools, and English-curriculum international schools around the country, including Dong Nai, Ha Noi, and Saigon, are on the lookout for well-qualified candidates. Many Vietnamese employers will pay very competitive wages, sometimes as much as five times an average local salary, which makes for great savings potential, considering the relatively low cost-of-living. Schools offer help with visas and work permits, paid vacation, and assist with finding apartments (sometimes rent-free).

We recommend applying about 2-3 months before your desired departure date for private language schools, which tend to hire for yearlong contracts throughout the year. Elementary and secondary schools typically offer contracts ranging from 9-12 months in length, beginning at the start of the Vietnamese school year in August.

Quick Facts for Vietnam

Monthly Salary: 28,000,000-68,000,000 VND

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Rarely included

Holidays: Paid

For more information on teaching in Vietnam visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Japan

The sheer quantity of English teaching positions available in Japan each year keeps it well within the top 10 TEFL markets for 2024. The private language school industry continues to attract a high volume of students of all ages, from mom and tot classes to business professionals and retirees seeking lifelong education in English. Employers tend to provide rent-subsidized apartments, which helps to ease the transition into Japan’s restrictive rental systems, and generally assist with enrolling in state healthcare. Other benefits include paid vacation and contract completion bonuses.

The application and visa process for Japan can still be quite lengthy, so it’s recommended to be applying to private language schools in Japan about 4-6 months before your desired departure date. The Job Placement Service works with a number of well-regarded private language school chains in Japan, as well as international school options, for those with the right combination of education and experience.

Quick Facts for Japan

Monthly Salary: 225,000-300,000 JPY

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Usually included

Holidays: Paid

For more information on teaching in Japan visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Thailand

With easy access to tropical beaches, ancient temples to explore, exotic wildlife, popular Thai cuisine, and the availability of shorter 1-term (4-5 month) contracts, Thailand continues to be a major destination for teacher travelers. Most English teaching positions in Thailand are in public or private elementary and secondary schools, which will offer paid vacation and assist their teachers with finding suitable apartments nearby (sometimes rent-free).

Schools and recruiters in Thailand are just finishing up hiring for second term 2023 (November) openings, and will begin interviewing for first term 2024 (May) starts in January onward.

Quick Facts for Thailand

Monthly Salary: 30,000-50,000 THB

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Supplementary healthcare recommended

Holidays: Paid

For more information on teaching in Thailand visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Italy

Ever since the times of Brexit, people have been wondering if it will become easier for non-European citizens to break into this highly popular Western European teaching market. While change has come slowly, it does appear that private language schools in Italy are taking on more teachers without an EU passport in recent times, as the supply of teachers with legal working rights in the EU cannot keep up with the demand for ESL teachers. While those with legal working rights in the EU are still at a significant advantage, schools have also been able to sponsor work visas for teachers from the UK, and are hiring those in possession of (or who are willing to acquire) a Working Holiday Visa for Italy. This puts young Canadians at a significant advantage, along with EU passport holders, for securing these English teaching jobs in Italy. Canadian Working Holiday Visa holders are allowed participate in the program twice, meaning they could potentially work in Italy for up to two years on a WHV.

The majority of teaching jobs available in Italy are in the private language school sector, with dozens of schools posting job ads on popular TEFL job boards on a daily basis. Many schools hire new teachers year round, with the most popular start dates being September and October.

Quick Facts for Italy

Monthly Salary: 900 – 1,600 EUR

Accommodations: Rarely included

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Rarely included

Holidays: Sometimes paid

For more information on teaching in Italy visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Colombia

The number if teaching jobs available in Colombia remains extremely high heading into 2024. Positions remain available in all sorts of schools, from early childhood education centers to elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as language training centers and companies providing business English courses to adult professionals. Well-qualified subject-specific teachers for classes such as math and science in English may even get offered positions with free housing and airfare, which is generally a rare benefit for teachers in Latin America, and/or very high salaries, by Colombian standards. Applicants should begin applying about 2-3 months before their preferred start date in Colombia, and those looking to teach in K-12 settings should target January/February or August/September starts.

Quick Facts for Colombia

Monthly Salary: 2,000,000-12,600,000 COP

Accommodations: Sometimes included

Airfare: Sometimes included

Healthcare: Included

Holidays: Usually paid

For more information on teaching in Colombia visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Mexico

For those seeking work closer to home, Mexico is a great option to consider. Wages do not usually compare to the stronger employment packages offered in many Asian nations, but the educational requirements are also lower, making Mexico a prime target for high school graduates or those looking to gain experience on shorter-term contracts. And with Mexico being just across the border, relocation costs should be much lower.

Language programs that hire foreign teachers typically assist with finding a suitable apartment, in line with their teachers’ wages, or provide free accommodations in some cases. Private language schools tend to hire new staff throughout the year, as positions open up, whereas elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions typically bring in new teachers for the start of the school year in August.

Quick Facts for Mexico

Monthly Salary: 5,000-20,000 MXN

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Rarely included

Holidays: Sometimes paid

For more information on teaching in Mexico visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

Costa Rica

Rounding out the top 10 TEFL opportunities for 2024 is Costa Rica. The number of in-person teaching positions has increased significantly year of year, but hybrid online/classroom teaching roles remains high, especially in the teaching business English sector, as students have become quite accustomed to the idea of remote learning. Wages on offer are typically a bit higher than what’s available in other countries in the region, and schools will most often assist with finding suitable accommodations.

Hourly rates increased for business English teachers during the pandemic, to attract more online teachers based outside of Costa Rica, and generally wages for in-person teachers in Costa Rica have kept pace in the local currency. Most paying positions are with language schools focusing on business English for adult students, or general English for all ages, which hire as openings arise throughout the year. Teachers should plan to start applying about 2-3 months before they hope to arrive in the country.

Quick Facts for Costa Rica

Monthly Salary: 370,000-750,000 CRC

Accommodations: Sometimes included or allowance may be given

Airfare: Rarely included

Healthcare: Supplementary healthcare recommended

Holidays: Usually paid

For more information on teaching in Costa Rica visit the Where You Can Teach section of our website.

The Oxford Seminars Job Placement Service has numerous contacts in all of the listed locations, and specializes in assisting our graduates in submitting competitive applications. Get in touch with a Course Advisor at 1-888-225-2480 to learn more about TESOL/TESL/TEFL certification and Job Placement!