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AMERICAS |
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North America obviously is limited to what you can find in either Canada or the USA. Demand is high in certain major cities, particularly ones with high Immigration rates and tourist areas whereby travelling students and businessmen can take classes at one of the many ESL language schools or at local Universities. The downside is, unless you are a resident and citizen of the respective country, it is difficult to obtain the proper working visas.
The continent of South America, together with Central America, offers a wide range and variety of teaching opportunities. The cultural diversity and Latin charm combine to make this region an attractive destination for English teachers. On the whole salaries are low but this is compensated for by the low cost of living.
Most schools in the region cannot afford to advertise vacancies internationally, so most hiring is done on the spot:
To view a map of the Americas as well as current job listings for this region
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 Canada |
Area: 9,970,610 sq km
Pop: 32,805,041 |
| Capital city |
Ottawa |
| Languages |
English, French |
| Currency |
Canadian Dollar |
| Climate |
Temperate in South to sub-arctic and arctic in North |
| Typical teacher salary |
$30,000 yr |
| Major teaching locations |
Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa |
Job Prospects:
Unlike markets in Asia, Canada is more specific to the ESL teaching market catering to travelling students and incoming immigrants. Just about every university and college in major cities has an ESL program, as do a variety of government and charitable organizations.
Cities such as Vancouver and Victoria with their mild climates, are popular year-round for students, particularly from Asia. High Asian populations in Toronto and Vancouver, make these 2 cities, the top destinations. Hence, a high demand for ESL teachers. There are eover 250 ESL language schools in the Lower Mainland of BC, alone.
Typical salaries range from $30,000-$35,000, depending on experience and are pretty much reserved for Canadians, unless you secure a proper working visa, which can be tedious to get one long term. |
 USA |
Area: 9,809,431 sq km
Pop: 295,734,134 |
|
| Capital city |
Washington, DC |
| Languages |
English, Spanish |
| Currency |
US Dollar |
| Climate |
Mostly temperate, tropical in HI and FL, arctic in Alaska |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$30,000 yr |
| Major teaching locations |
Los Angeles , New York , San Francisco , nationwide |
Job Prospects:
There is a huge demand for teaching English in the USA . While in most countries of the world business and 'academy' type English is most common, in North America the emphasis is more on ESL. Just about every university and college in major cities has an ESL program, as do a variety of government and charitable organizations.
Although the demand for ESL teachers is enormous, it is extremely difficult for non-US citizens who do not have a 'green card' to get a working visa. Therefore the majority of positions are filled by local citizens, usually on a part-time basis. ESL teaching is not particularly well-paid in comparison to the cost of living and hourly rates of $20 dollars are the norm. |
 Argentina |
Area: 2,766,890 sq km
Pop: 667,238 |
| Capital city |
Buenos Aires |
| Languages |
Spanish, Indian Languages |
| Currency |
Peso |
| Climate |
Temperate; arid in SE, subantarctic in SW |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$15 per hour |
| Major teaching locations |
Buenos Aires, other large cities |
Job Prospects:
Argentina has always had a substantial English speaking population and as a result EFL jobs were never easy to come by. Recent economic and political problems can only serve to decrease demand for native speakers. Some opportunities may still exist teaching business English on a freelance basis but there are many more promising destinations for the EFL teacher than Argentina. |
 Bolivia |
Area: 1,098,580 sq km
Pop: 8,586,443 |
| Capital city |
La Paz |
| Languages |
Spanish, Quechua, Aymara |
| Currency |
Franc |
| Climate |
Varies w/ alt; humid/tropical to cold/semi-arid |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$4 per hour |
| Major teaching locations |
La Paz |
Job Prospects:
As with most countries in the region, jobs are quite easy to find but salaries are very low. Most jobs seem to be in La Paz but there are certainly opportunities elsewhere in the country for those prepared to accept a local wage. The cost of living is low which means that despite the low salaries teachers can enjoy a reasonable standard of living. |
 Brazil |
Area: 8,511,965 sq km
Pop: 182,032,604 |
| Capital city |
Brasilia |
| Languages |
Portuguese |
| Currency |
Real |
| Climate |
Mostly tropical; temperate in the S |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$900 per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, other metro areas |
Job Prospects:
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and there are good job prospects in all of the larger cities (as well as some smaller ones). Qualified teachers in Brazil can usually find work easily. Trying to arrange employment from outside Brazil can be considerably more 'hit or miss'. Salaries usually afford teachers a comfortable lifestyle. |
 Chile |
Area: 756,950 sq km
Pop: 15,6565,216 |
| Capital city |
Santiago |
| Languages |
Spanish, Indian languages |
| Currency |
Pesos |
| Climate |
Temperate; desert in N, Medit in cent, cool in S |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$900 |
| Major teaching locations |
Santiago, Punta Arenas |
Job Prospects:
Chile has one of the stronger economies in Latin America and the growth in demand for the English language has matched the economic growth. There is a booming market for business English and an increasing demand for teachers of children. There are many private language schools, particularly in the capital, and certified teachers should have little problem in finding suitable employment. |
 Colombia |
Area:1,138,910 sq km
Pop: 41,662,073 |
| Capital city |
Bogota |
| Languages |
Spanish, Indian Languages |
| Currency |
Peso |
| Climate |
Tropical along coast/E Plains, cooler in highlands |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$500 per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla |
Job Prospects:
Despite the increasing demand Colombian language schools find it difficult to attract native speaker teachers due to Colombia's reputation for crime and violence. In reality EFL teachers are unlikely to find themselves victims and for any teacher willing to work for the low salaries on offer the prospects are good. |
 Ecuador |
Area: 283,560 sq km
Pop: 13,710,234 |
| Capital city |
Quito |
| Languages |
Spanish, Indian Languages |
| Currency |
US Dollar |
| Climate |
Tropical on coast/jungle low; cooler in highlands |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$400 per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca |
Job Prospects:
Ecuador is one of the most attractive and most stable countries in the region. Salaries are low but so is the cost of living and teachers can afford a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. Jobs are plentiful in the major cities and there is a particular demand for American English. Voluntary work is also possible. |
 Mexico |
Area: 1,972,550 sq km
Pop: 104,907,991 |
| Capital city |
Mexico City |
| Languages |
Spanish, Mayan dialects |
| Currency |
Peso |
| Climate |
Varies from tropical to desert |
| Typical teacher salary |
8,000 Pesos per month |
| Major teaching locations |
All large cities |
Job Prospects:
Due to its close proximity to the USA there is a huge demand for the English language in Mexico. The demand for native speaker teachers is enormous almost everywhere and any qualified EFL teachers should be able to find work in the location of their choice. There is also significant demand for business English in the major cities. |
 Peru |
Area: 1,285,220 sq km
Pop: 28,409,897 |
| Capital city |
Lima |
| Languages |
Spanish, Quechua, Aymara |
| Currency |
New Sol |
| Climate |
Tropical in E; desert in W;temper/frigid in Andes |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$5 per hour |
| Major teaching locations |
Lima |
Job Prospects:
There is an enormous demand for English and native speaker teachers. However, the low salaries, difficulty in obtaining working papers and bad reputation of the country in safety terms generally mean that it is often ignored by English teachers. Yet the range of opportunities in Lima is enormous for those willing to overlook the downside. |
 Venezuela |
Area: 912,050 sq km
Pop: 24,654,694 |
| Capital city |
Caracas |
| Languages |
Spanish, Indian Languages |
| Currency |
Bolivar |
| Climate |
Tropical; hot/humid; moderate in highlands |
| Typical teacher salary |
Varies |
| Major teaching locations |
Caracas, Merida, Puero La Cruz |
Job Prospects:
The current political and economic situation is rather turbulent and as a result Venezuela (once an appealing TEFL location) is perhaps best avoided. Hopefully this situation will change in the near future. |
   Guatemala,
Costa Rica, Honduras |
Area: 272,080 sq km
Pop: 24,475,265 |
| Capital city |
Guatemala City, San Jose, Tegucigalpa |
| Languages |
Spanish, Mayan dialects, English Creole |
| Currency |
Quetzal, Colon, Lempira |
| Climate |
Tropical; rainy season( May-Nov), varies in area |
| Typical teacher salary |
Varies |
| Major teaching locations |
All capital cities and larger provincial capitals |
Job Prospects:
If you happened to be in the area, it would probably be fairly simple to arrange work in Central America. However, with the exception of Costa Rica, salaries are likely to be impossibly low. Very few positions are ever advertised and you would probably need to refer to the yellow pages and present yourself to language schools listed there. Costa Rica is somewhat more promising and there is a reasonably high demand for native speaker teachers at reasonable salary levels but Honduras and Guatemala are coming around and could be the next hotbeds provided the economies improve. |
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