Teaching in Asia

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Teaching in Asia

Asia is often the first choice for new TEFL teachers and for good reason. Asia represents one of the largest TEFL markets in the world and the diverse culture, food and people are enough to attract any budding explorer.

The diverse culture, food and people are enough to attract any budding explorer.

East and South East Asia represent the largest market for English teachers in the world. This area is one of the fastest-growing economic regions and as a result there has been an explosion in the requirement for English tuition.

This increase in the need for English teachers has resulted in hundreds of thousands of jobs becoming available every year in the region. These jobs often pay far more than the local cost of living. TEFL teachers in East and South East Asia can enjoy a high standard of living.

The region is also one of the most beautiful and diverse places in the world. TEFL teachers really do get the chance to immerse themselves in a new culture and a new way of life.

Private language schools tend to hire English teachers all year round. Public school jobs generally begin in March or September. Interviews for jobs are usually conducted roughly 3 months before the actual job start date.

Many private language schools and public schools offer benefits such as free airfare, housing allowances, health insurance, paid holidays and a completion bonus.

Teaching requirements by country

Country Degree Requirement Typical Contract Length Peak Hiring Seasons Visa Info Typical Students Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency
Bangladesh
 BA/ BS degree required for international schools, none for volunteer programmes 10 – 12 months year-round Employment Visa children, adults 24 000 – 40 000 BDT (250 – 410 GBP) approx. 80 000 – 160 000 BDT (825 – 1 600 GBP)
Bhutan
 BA/ BS/BEd degree preferred but not required 12 months December, January and May, June work visa children, adults, monks 10 000 – 15 000 BTN (120 – 180 GBP) approx. 20 000 – 30 000 BTN (240 – 360 GBP)
Cambodia
 Not required 6-12 months All year round Tourist visa convert to work visa Business professionals, children 1,973,453 - 4,473,160 KHR (300 - 680 GBP) 2,861,507 - 4,473,160 KHR (435 - 680 GBP)
China
 BA/BS required 12 months All year round (although March and September are peak times to find job opportunities) Z visa in advance (see the Chinese Embassy site at http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng Business professionals, children 3,000 – 4,500 RMB (300 - 500 GBP) 8,990 - 15,000 RMB (900 - 1,500 GBP)
Haiti
 BA/BS required 3 – 12 months January, June Work permit Children,adults HTG 95 000 – HTG 150 000 (£1 300 – £ 2 100) HTG 16 000 – HTG 23 000 (£230 – £330)
Hong Kong
 BA/BS required 3-12 months March - December, all year round Work visa in advance Business professionals, children 19,075 - 31,792 HKD (1,500 - 2,500 GBP) 19,075 - 50,867 HKD (1,500 – 4,000 GBP)
India
 Not required 6 – 12 months Year-round Work permit Students, professionals 36 000 INR – 55 000 INR (£100 – £ 600) 32 000 INR – 59 000 INR (£ 350 – £680)
Indonesia
 Not required 12 months All year round Work visa in advance Business professionals, children 6,000,000 - 9,000,000 IDR (350 - 500 GBP) 10,000,000 - 13,500,000 IDR (550 - 750 GBP)
Japan
 BA/BS Required 12 months All year round (there are also major job openings for September/October employment) Work visa in advance (If you lose your job, it is still valid for work.) Business professionals, children 150,000 - 200,000 JPY (945 - 1,260 GBP) 250,000 - 300,000 JPY (1,575 - 1,890 GBP)
Kazakhstan
 BA/BS required 6 – 12 months June, July Work visa Children, adults KZT 165 000 – KZT 275 000(£600 – £1 000) KZT 220 000 – KZT 330 000 (£800 – £1 200)
Malaysia
 BA/BS required 12 months All year round Tourist visa convert to work visa Business professionals, children 2,000 - 6,400 MYR (400 - 1,250 GBP) 3,000 - 9,000 MYR (550 - 1,750 GBP)
Mongolia
 BA/BS required 12 months May, June Z visa Children, professionals MNT 1 800 000 – MNT 2 200 000 (£620 – £760) MNT 2 500 000 – MNT 4 000 000 (£860 – £1 375)
Myanmar
 BS/ BA degree required 1 month – 12 months year-round business visa children 1 300 000 – 1 600 000 MMK (820 – 990 GBP) 2 000 000 – 3 500 000 MMK (1 200 – 1 500 GBP)
Nepal
 BA, BSC degree required unless volunteering 1 – 3 months year-round work permit children, adults 20 000 – 25 000 NPR (150 – 190 GBP) approx. 7 500 – 15 000 NPR (volunteer), 50 000 – 75 000 NPR (50 – 110 GBP, 370 – 560 GBP)
Philippines
 Bachelor’s degree, preferably Master’s Monthly, 12 months Year-round, March Alien Employment Permit, work permit Students, professionals PHP 11 000 – PHP 13 000 (£160 – £200) PHP 30 000 – PHP 35 000 (£450 – £520)
Singapore
 BA/BS required 12 months All year round (with the exception of state jobs) Work visa in advance Business professionals, children 2,500 - 3,500 SGD (1,250 - 1,700 GBP) 2,500 - 4,200 SGD (1,250 GBP - 2,100 GBP)
South Korea
 BA/BS required 12 months February, August E2 visa Children, students ₩ 800 000 – ₩1.3 million (£500 – £800) ₩ 1.9 – ₩2.1 million (£1200 –£1300)
Sri Lanka
 Not required 12 Months Year-round Work permit Children,adults 50 000 LKR – 80 000 LKR (£250 – £400) 25 000LKR – 50 000LKR (£130 – £260)
Taiwan
 BA/BS required 12 months All year round Work visa in advance Business professionals, children 30,900 - 42,700 TWD (650 - 900 GBP) 42,780 - 64,200 TWD (900 - 1,350 GBP)
Thailand
 BA/BS required 3-12 months All year round Work visa Business professionals, children 20,480 - 30,725 THB (400 - 600 GBP) 21,107 - 31,661 THB (650 - 900 GBP)
Vietnam
 BA/BS required 12 months All year round Work visa in advance, or a tourist visa which can be converted to a work visa Business professionals, children 14,053,974 - 21,072,004 VND (400 GBP - 600 GBP) 22,125,605 - 44,094,345 VND (630 GBP - 1255 GBP)
Bangladesh
Degree Requirement:
BA/ BS degree required for international schools, none for volunteer programmes
Typical Contract Length:
10 – 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
year-round
Visa Info:
Employment Visa
Typical Students:
children, adults
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
24 000 – 40 000 BDT (250 – 410 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
approx. 80 000 – 160 000 BDT (825 – 1 600 GBP)
Bhutan
Degree Requirement:
BA/ BS/BEd degree preferred but not required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
December, January and May, June
Visa Info:
work visa
Typical Students:
children, adults, monks
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
10 000 – 15 000 BTN (120 – 180 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
approx. 20 000 – 30 000 BTN (240 – 360 GBP)
Cambodia
Degree Requirement:
Not required
Typical Contract Length:
6-12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Tourist visa convert to work visa
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
1,973,453 - 4,473,160 KHR (300 - 680 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
2,861,507 - 4,473,160 KHR (435 - 680 GBP)
China
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round (although March and September are peak times to find job opportunities)
Visa Info:
Z visa in advance (see the Chinese Embassy site at http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
3,000 – 4,500 RMB (300 - 500 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
8,990 - 15,000 RMB (900 - 1,500 GBP)
Haiti
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
3 – 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
January, June
Visa Info:
Work permit
Typical Students:
Children,adults
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
HTG 95 000 – HTG 150 000 (£1 300 – £ 2 100)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
HTG 16 000 – HTG 23 000 (£230 – £330)
Hong Kong
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
3-12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
March - December, all year round
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
19,075 - 31,792 HKD (1,500 - 2,500 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
19,075 - 50,867 HKD (1,500 – 4,000 GBP)
India
Degree Requirement:
Not required
Typical Contract Length:
6 – 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
Year-round
Visa Info:
Work permit
Typical Students:
Students, professionals
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
36 000 INR – 55 000 INR (£100 – £ 600)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
32 000 INR – 59 000 INR (£ 350 – £680)
Indonesia
Degree Requirement:
Not required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
6,000,000 - 9,000,000 IDR (350 - 500 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
10,000,000 - 13,500,000 IDR (550 - 750 GBP)
Japan
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS Required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round (there are also major job openings for September/October employment)
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance (If you lose your job, it is still valid for work.)
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
150,000 - 200,000 JPY (945 - 1,260 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
250,000 - 300,000 JPY (1,575 - 1,890 GBP)
Kazakhstan
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
6 – 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
June, July
Visa Info:
Work visa
Typical Students:
Children, adults
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
KZT 165 000 – KZT 275 000(£600 – £1 000)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
KZT 220 000 – KZT 330 000 (£800 – £1 200)
Malaysia
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Tourist visa convert to work visa
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
2,000 - 6,400 MYR (400 - 1,250 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
3,000 - 9,000 MYR (550 - 1,750 GBP)
Mongolia
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
May, June
Visa Info:
Z visa
Typical Students:
Children, professionals
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
MNT 1 800 000 – MNT 2 200 000 (£620 – £760)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
MNT 2 500 000 – MNT 4 000 000 (£860 – £1 375)
Myanmar
Degree Requirement:
BS/ BA degree required
Typical Contract Length:
1 month – 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
year-round
Visa Info:
business visa
Typical Students:
children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
1 300 000 – 1 600 000 MMK (820 – 990 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
2 000 000 – 3 500 000 MMK (1 200 – 1 500 GBP)
Nepal
Degree Requirement:
BA, BSC degree required unless volunteering
Typical Contract Length:
1 – 3 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
year-round
Visa Info:
work permit
Typical Students:
children, adults
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
20 000 – 25 000 NPR (150 – 190 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
approx. 7 500 – 15 000 NPR (volunteer), 50 000 – 75 000 NPR (50 – 110 GBP, 370 – 560 GBP)
Philippines
Degree Requirement:
Bachelor’s degree, preferably Master’s
Typical Contract Length:
Monthly, 12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
Year-round, March
Visa Info:
Alien Employment Permit, work permit
Typical Students:
Students, professionals
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
PHP 11 000 – PHP 13 000 (£160 – £200)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
PHP 30 000 – PHP 35 000 (£450 – £520)
Singapore
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round (with the exception of state jobs)
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
2,500 - 3,500 SGD (1,250 - 1,700 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
2,500 - 4,200 SGD (1,250 GBP - 2,100 GBP)
South Korea
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
February, August
Visa Info:
E2 visa
Typical Students:
Children, students
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
₩ 800 000 – ₩1.3 million (£500 – £800)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
₩ 1.9 – ₩2.1 million (£1200 –£1300)
Sri Lanka
Degree Requirement:
Not required
Typical Contract Length:
12 Months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
Year-round
Visa Info:
Work permit
Typical Students:
Children,adults
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
50 000 LKR – 80 000 LKR (£250 – £400)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
25 000LKR – 50 000LKR (£130 – £260)
Taiwan
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
30,900 - 42,700 TWD (650 - 900 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
42,780 - 64,200 TWD (900 - 1,350 GBP)
Thailand
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
3-12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Work visa
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
20,480 - 30,725 THB (400 - 600 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
21,107 - 31,661 THB (650 - 900 GBP)
Vietnam
Degree Requirement:
BA/BS required
Typical Contract Length:
12 months
Peak Hiring Seasons:
All year round
Visa Info:
Work visa in advance, or a tourist visa which can be converted to a work visa
Typical Students:
Business professionals, children
Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency:
14,053,974 - 21,072,004 VND (400 GBP - 600 GBP)
Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency:
22,125,605 - 44,094,345 VND (630 GBP - 1255 GBP)

Please note the information provided above is given as a general guide only. Information and currency conversions were correct at the time of publication, but they may change at any time.

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