Compare TEFL destinations
Government programs, typical salary, visa type, and TEFL-hour requirements for every country we cover — side by side, no PDF download required.
| Country | Government program | Typical salary | Visa | TEFL required? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | EPIK | ₩2.0–3.0M/mo (≈£1,150–£1,850) | E-2 (sponsored) | 100+ hrs, unless your degree is in Education/English | Full guide → |
| Japan | JET Programme | ¥250,000–280,000/mo (eikaiwa) | Instructor / Specialist in Humanities | Not mandatory, but counts in your favor | Full guide → |
| China | None — Z-visa system | ¥12,000–18,000/mo (language centres) | Z (work) visa | 120 hrs, OR 2 years' teaching experience | Full guide → |
| Vietnam | None — employer-sponsored work permit | $1,200–1,800/mo | Work permit under Decree 219/2025 | 120 hrs (if you don't have 2 yrs' experience) | Full guide → |
| Thailand | None centralized — agency/CIEE placement | 25,000–40,000฿/mo (public school) | Non-immigrant B + work permit | Not legally mandatory, but expected by employers | Full guide → |
| Taiwan | TFETP | NT$62,720–78,045/mo (Bachelor's+TEFL) | Work visa via TFETP or employer sponsorship | Recommended; reimbursed for some TFETP roles | Full guide → |
| Spain | NALCAP (US/Canada) or British Council (UK) | €700–1,500/mo | Auxiliar visa (NALCAP) or Youth Mobility (UK) | Not required for either assistantship | Full guide → |
| the UAE | None open to overseas applicants | $1,800–5,000/mo (varies hugely by role) | Employer-sponsored work visa | Not enough alone for licensed school roles | Full guide → |
| Mexico | None — employer-sponsored visa | 12,000–22,000 MXN/mo (language centres) | Temporary Resident Visa with work permission | 120 hrs is the de facto standard | Full guide → |
| Costa Rica | None open to UK citizens | $700–900/mo (language institutes) | Employer-sponsored / rentista | Not legally mandated, but expected | Full guide → |
| Guatemala | None open to UK citizens | 2,600–4,600 GTQ/mo (language academies) | Employer-sponsored / independent | Not legally mandated, but expected | Full guide → |
| Peru | None open to UK citizens | $500–1,000/mo (language institutes) | Employer-sponsored / independent | Not legally mandated, but expected | Full guide → |
| Colombia | SENA Bilingüismo (national policy, not a hiring portal) | 2.5–4M COP/mo (language institutes) | Employer-sponsored / independent | Not legally mandated, but expected | Full guide → |
| Cambodia | None — MLVT work permit system | $700–1,000/mo (language centres) | E-class visa + MLVT work permit | 120 hrs expected by reputable schools | Full guide → |
| Indonesia | None — KITAS/IMTA employer sponsorship | Rp9–15M/mo (language-centre chains) | KITAS work permit (IMTA-sponsored) | 120 hrs, plus a bachelor's degree | Full guide → |
| France | British Council English Language Assistants (UK only) | €1,200–2,400/mo (private language schools) | Assistant visa, or student/freelance route | Not required for the assistantship | Full guide → |
| Italy | INDIRE Language Assistants (small, ~150/yr) | €1,000–1,600/mo (private language schools) | Decreto Flussi employer-sponsored quota | Expected by most private schools | Full guide → |
| Poland | None open to UK citizens | 4,500–6,500 PLN/mo (entry-level) | Employer-sponsored work permit + national D visa | Expected by most language schools | Full guide → |
| the Czech Republic | AIA English Teachers registry | 22,000–40,000 CZK/mo (private language schools) | No work permit needed for UK citizens since July 2024 | Expected unless degree is English-related | Full guide → |