Yes, you can teach English in Taiwan if you are a native speaker from an English speaking country, have graduated from college and hold a TEFL or a bachelor's degree. Most jobs are at private language schools called buxibans, while the government's public school program pays NT$67,840 to NT$88,800 a month to teachers with a degree.
This is our main guide to teaching English in Taiwan. It gives you the full picture in one place and links to our detailed guides on salaries, the cost of living, the government TFETP program and work visas and the ARC.
Key takeaways
- Language school teachers need a work permit, which requires being 20 or older, a college graduate and a native speaker of the language taught, under Ministry of Labor rules.
- A bachelor's degree is not strictly required for language schools if you hold a language teaching certificate, but public school roles do require one.
- The Ministry of Education's TFETP pays teachers with a bachelor's degree NT$67,840 to NT$88,800 a month, plus airfare and housing support.
- A single person's 2026 budget runs from about NT$29,200 a month in Kaohsiung to NT$47,330 in Taipei.
- Every foreign teacher needs a work permit, a resident visa and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
- Taiwan's minimum wage is NT$29,500 a month in 2026, and most full time teachers earn well above it.
Can you teach English in Taiwan?
You can teach English in Taiwan if you are a native English speaker, at least 20 years old, a college graduate, and hold either a bachelor's degree or a recognized language teaching certificate such as a TEFL. Those are the core work permit rules for full time teachers at private language schools set by the Ministry of Labor's Workforce Development Agency. Public school jobs ask for more, including a bachelor's degree.
Demand is steady. Taiwan's government launched the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program in 2021 to support its Bilingual Policy 2030, and the Ministry of Education announced plans to recruit 1,096 foreign teachers and teaching assistants in 2024. Alongside that, a large private cram school sector teaches English to children and adults after school and at weekends.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | New Taiwan dollar, about NT$31.8 to the US dollar | Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 5 October 2026 |
| Minimum wage | NT$29,500 a month | Ministry of Labor, from 1 January 2026 |
| Public school teacher pay (TFETP, bachelor's) | NT$67,840 to NT$88,800 a month | Ministry of Education |
| Language school work permit | Age 20+, college graduate, 14 to 32 teaching hours a week | Workforce Development Agency |
| Monthly budget, one person | About NT$29,200 (Kaohsiung) to NT$47,330 (Taipei) | AffordWhere, 2026 |
| Documents needed | Work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate | National Immigration Agency |
What English teaching jobs are there in Taiwan?
The main English teaching jobs in Taiwan are at private language schools (buxibans), in public schools through the government's TFETP program, and at bilingual and international private schools. Buxibans employ the most foreign teachers and are the usual entry point. Public school roles offer daytime hours and government benefits, while international schools generally hire licensed teachers.
| Job type | Typical hours | Who it suits | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buxiban (private language school) | Afternoons, evenings, some weekends; 14 to 32 teaching hours a week | First time teachers | College graduate plus degree or language teaching certificate |
| Public school (TFETP teacher) | Daytime, 5 days a week, up to 20 co-taught classes | Licensed or experienced teachers | Bachelor's degree plus license, or experience and approved training |
| Public school (TFETP assistant) | Daytime, school calendar | Graduates new to teaching | Bachelor's degree, no license needed |
| Bilingual and international schools | Daytime, school calendar | Licensed teachers | Usually a teaching license and experience |
How much do English teachers earn in Taiwan?
English teachers in Taiwan earn well above the local minimum wage of NT$29,500 a month. Public school teachers on the Ministry of Education's TFETP scale earn NT$67,840 to NT$88,800 a month with a bachelor's degree, about $2,133 to $2,792, according to the Ministry's published terms, updated on 3 October 2026. Teaching assistants received NT$50,000 a month in the Ministry's 2024 notice.
Language school pay is usually set by the hour and varies widely by city, school and timetable, so it is worth comparing offers carefully. Our breakdown of what English teachers really earn in Taiwan covers language school, public school and private tutoring pay in detail.
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What does it cost to live in Taiwan as a teacher?
A single teacher in Taiwan should budget about NT$29,200 a month in Kaohsiung, NT$31,375 in Taichung and NT$47,330 in Taipei, based on 2026 figures from AffordWhere built on official data. Rent is the main difference: a one bedroom averages about NT$26,250 in Taipei against roughly NT$13,250 in Kaohsiung. Shared flats in Taipei cut rent to around NT$5,000 to NT$10,000 per person.
Food, transport and healthcare are good value. Night markets make eating out cheap, a Taipei monthly transit pass costs around NT$1,200, and employed residents join the National Health Insurance system. Our full guide to the cost of living in Taiwan for English teachers breaks the budget down line by line.
Do you need a degree to teach English in Taiwan?
You do not always need a bachelor's degree to teach English in Taiwan. Under the Workforce Development Agency's rules for full time language school teachers, you must have graduated from college, and if you do not hold a bachelor's degree you also need a language teaching qualification certificate, such as a TEFL. Public school roles through the TFETP require a bachelor's degree.
In practice, many language schools still prefer graduates, so a recognized TEFL of at least 120 hours makes a real difference if you do not have one. Our list of countries where you can teach English without a degree legally shows how Taiwan compares with other options.
Do you need a visa to teach English in Taiwan?
You need a work permit, a resident visa and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) to teach English in Taiwan legally. Your employer applies for the work permit, you then apply for a resident visa at a Taiwan office abroad, and you get your ARC from the National Immigration Agency after arrival. Teaching on a visitor stay is not legal and leaves you without health insurance.
Public school teachers' permits have been handled by the Ministry of Education since February 2018. Senior educators earning at least NT$160,000 a month may qualify for the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, though most teachers will not. Our guide to the Taiwan work visa and ARC for English teachers walks through each step.
What is the TFETP?
The Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program (TFETP) is the Ministry of Education's scheme for placing native English speakers in public elementary and junior high schools. Teachers co-teach up to 20 classes a week, work daytime hours, and receive airfare up to NT$40,000 each way, housing reimbursement up to NT$5,000 a month and a performance bonus. Applications are rolling and close once places are filled.
The training rules are strict: a qualifying TEFL must be at least 120 hours, include trial teaching and be no more than two thirds online, alongside a year of teaching experience. Our full TFETP guide explains eligibility, pay and how to apply.
Teach English in Taiwan: Salary, Visa and City Guide
Where are the best places to teach English in Taiwan?
The best places to teach English in Taiwan are Taipei and New Taipei for the most jobs, Taichung for a balance of opportunity and lower rent, and Kaohsiung for the lowest living costs among the big cities. All three have metro systems, large numbers of buxibans and public school placements, and the high speed rail connects them in under two hours.
Taipei pays well but costs the most, with one bedroom rent around NT$26,250. Taichung and Kaohsiung offer rents around NT$13,250 to NT$14,375 and a slower pace. Smaller cities such as Tainan and Hsinchu, and TFETP placements in rural areas, suit teachers who want a more local experience and are comfortable with less English spoken around them.
How do you get an English teaching job in Taiwan?
Most teachers get an English teaching job in Taiwan by applying to language schools directly or through recruiters before they arrive, or by applying to the TFETP online for a public school placement. Language schools hire throughout the year, while TFETP admissions are rolling and fill early. A TEFL of at least 120 hours is the baseline most employers expect.
Prepare a short demo lesson, have your degree or diploma and police check authenticated by a Taiwan office abroad, and confirm that any school offering you a job is registered and will apply for your work permit. Our guide on how to find TEFL jobs and get hired covers applications and interviews, and our free guide to teaching English in Taiwan is a handy planning tool.
Ready to get TEFL certified for Taiwan?
Taiwan offers good pay, safe and welcoming cities, excellent food and enough savings potential to make a year abroad worthwhile. The right qualification opens the door. Start with our 120 hour online TEFL course, go further with our 180 hour Level 5 TEFL diploma (Ofqual regulated, reference 610/1572/6), or explore all our accredited TEFL courses.
