Where Should You Teach English?
Where should you teach English?
Tap what matters most to you and watch the world reshuffle. Real salaries, real savings, real hiring windows, all checked against official sources.
Latest on the board: Issue 006, Latin America hires on a different calendar · The Departure Board
What matters most to you?
Region
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Every destination at a glance
The same 24 routes as the cards above, as a plain table you can scan or search. Rows for Japan (JET), South Korea (EPIK), France (TAPIF) and Spain (NALCAP) use each program's own published pay and were checked on 17 October 2026. Every other range is a market estimate from recruiter and job-listing data, last reviewed on 7 August 2026, and is not an official figure. Tap a destination for our full country guide. For the detail behind each column, see the Pay Desk, the Visa Desk, the Paperwork Desk and the Online Desk.
| Destination | Region | Pay (USD) | In local currency | Savings / month | Requirements | Hiring window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE / Dubai | Middle East | $2,450–4,100 tax free | AED 9,000–15,000/mo | $1,500–2,500/mo | Degree + license/experience | Year-round (tax free) |
| Hong Kong | Asia | $2,300–3,850 | HK$18,000–30,000/mo | Modest, high costs | Degree, often license | Hiring now |
| Qatar | Middle East | $2,200–3,570 tax free | QAR 8,000–13,000/mo | $1,200–1,800/mo | Degree + experience | Year-round (tax free) |
| China | Asia | $2,050–3,425 | RMB 15,000–25,000/mo | $600–1,500/mo | Required | Hiring now |
| Kuwait | Middle East | $2,100–3,250 tax free | KWD 650–1,000/mo | $1,000–1,800/mo | Degree + license | Year-round (tax free) |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | $2,130–3,200 tax free | SAR 8,000–12,000/mo | $1,200–2,000/mo | Degree, often license | Year-round (tax free) |
| Oman | Middle East | $1,820–3,120 tax free | OMR 700–1,200/mo | $1,000–1,800/mo | Degree required | Year-round (tax free) |
| Taiwan | Asia | $1,950–2,850 | NT$62,720–91,420/mo | $500–1,000/mo | Degree or teaching certificate | Rolling |
| Japan | Asia | ~$25,400/yr (official) | ¥4.02M/yr (JET year one) | $340–680/mo | Required | Open, US closes 13 Nov |
| South Korea | Asia | $1,650–2,100 (official) | 2.2–2.8M KRW/mo (EPIK) | $385–770/mo | Required | Open (Spring 2027) |
| Vietnam | Asia | $1,200–2,000 | $1,200–2,000/mo | 40–60% of pay | Degree + TEFL | Hiring now |
| Online | Online | $10–25+/hr | $10–25+/hr | Depends on your base | Not always required | Always open (no-degree route) |
| Czech Republic | Europe | $1,050–1,700 | CZK 25,000–40,000/mo | Lifestyle, modest | No degree needed | Aug–Sep intake (no-degree route) |
| Poland | Europe | $1,000–1,750 | PLN 4,000–7,000/mo | Modest | Degree usually | Aug–Sep intake |
| Cambodia | Asia | $1,000–1,500 | $1,000–1,500/mo | Good vs low costs | Not always required | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Turkey | Europe | $800–1,500 | $800–1,500/mo | Modest | Degree + TEFL | Aug–Sep intake |
| Thailand | Asia | $700–1,550 | ฿25,000–55,000/mo | $300–600/mo | Usually required | Sep–Oct intake |
| Indonesia | Asia | $700–1,500 | $700–1,500/mo | Good vs low costs | Degree + TEFL | Rolling |
| Spain | Europe | $900–1,125 (official) | €800–1,000/mo (NALCAP) | Lifestyle, not saving | Degree, or 2nd-year student | Closed, no date set |
| France | Europe | ~$1,137 gross (official) | €1,010.67/mo gross (TAPIF) | Lifestyle, not saving | 3 years of college, B1 French | Open to 15 Feb 2027 |
| Colombia | Latin America | $700–1,000 | $700–1,000/mo | Modest, low cost of living | Degree + TEFL | Rolling |
| Georgia | Europe | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Modest | No degree needed | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Mexico | Latin America | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Lifestyle, low cost | No degree needed | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Chile | Latin America | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Lifestyle | Degree or TEFL | Feb–Mar intake |
Questions before you choose a country
Where do English teachers earn the most?
The highest cash pay is in the Gulf, where the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman run roughly $1,800 to $4,100 a month and it is tax free, usually with housing. East Asia follows: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea pay around $1,650 to $3,850, often with free or subsidized housing. Use the "Top salary" and "Save the most" filters above to rank all 24 routes.
Which countries let you teach English without a degree?
Several. Cambodia, the Czech Republic, Georgia and Mexico do not legally require a bachelor's degree, and teaching online is open to non-degree holders on many platforms. Tap "Start without a degree" above to see just those routes. A recognized TEFL certificate is expected almost everywhere and widens your options.
Where can you save the most money teaching English?
The best savers are the Gulf states (tax free pay plus subsidized housing) and China and South Korea (free apartment and airfare on public programs). Vietnam offers strong real savings for Southeast Asia because pay is decent and living costs are low. Southern Europe and much of Latin America are lifestyle destinations where you live well but save little.
Which countries are hiring English teachers right now?
Year-round or currently active markets include China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Gulf states, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Colombia and Mexico, plus online teaching which is always open. Government programs run to a fixed calendar: Japan's JET is open now and closes on 5 November in the UK and 13 November in the US and Canada, France's TAPIF is open to 15 February 2027, and Spain's language assistant scheme has not yet set its next date. Use the "Hiring right now" filter and the Departure Board for live windows and deadlines.
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