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EASTERN EUROPE |
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The transition to a market economy in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe has resulted in a huge demand for English language teachers, particularly in the business sector. There is plenty of scope for working in almost every country and employment possibilities are numerous and equally open to every native speaker of English (though this may change when some of the nations in this region become full members of the EU). Finding work in some of the ex-USSR republics can be more problematic for political and economic reasons.
The one drawback is the level of salary. These are mainly developing countries and salaries are very low in international terms. However, the cost of living is also very low and most teachers are able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle but saving money is not very likely. The countries in which the majority of EFL opportunities exist are detailed below:
To view a map of Europe as well as current job listings for this region
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 Bulgaria |
Area: 110,910 sq km
Pop: 7,537,929 |
| Capital city |
Sofia |
| Languages |
Bulgarian, Turkish |
| Currency |
Lev |
| Climate |
Temperate; cold/wet winters; hot/dry summers |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$150 - $200/wk |
| Major teaching locations |
Sofia |
Job Prospects:
Political change in Bulgaria has perhaps been less dramatic than elsewhere in the region and as such the private sector is still relatively undeveloped. This means that the vast majority of teaching positions are in state schools and native speaking teachers are employed through the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. Salaries, as elsewhere in the region, are low as is the cost of living. |
 Czech Republic |
Area: 78,866 sq km
Pop: 10,249,216 |
| Capital city |
Prague |
| Languages |
Czech, Slovak, Romany |
| Currency |
Koruna (Crown) |
| Climate |
Temperate; cool summers, cold/cloudy winters |
| Typical teacher salary |
15,000 Koruna/wk |
| Major teaching locations |
Prague, Brno |
Job Prospects:
The Czech Republic is probably the most popular country in the region for qualified ESL teachers. Work is quite easy to obtain and salaries, while not being of a high level in international terms, offer a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. Any teacher with a TEFL or TESL certificate should have little problem in finding work. The beautiful city of Prague is particularly popular. |
 Hungary |
Area: 93,030 sq km
Pop: 10,045,407 |
| Capital city |
Budapest |
| Languages |
Hungarian, German, Slovak |
| Currency |
Forint |
| Climate |
Temperate; Cold/cloudy winters, warm summers |
| Typical teacher salary |
1,700 Forints per hour |
| Major teaching locations |
Budapest |
Job Prospects:
Like other countries in the region there is a strong demand for qualified TEFL teachers in Hungary, particularly in the capital city. It is estimated that there are over 100 private language schools in Budapest and over 300 in the whole country. Anybody with a TEFL certificate should be able to find employment quite easily. |
 Poland |
Area: 312,685 sq km
Pop: 38,622,660 |
| Capital city |
Warsaw |
| Languages |
Polish, German, Ukrainian |
| Currency |
Zloty |
| Climate |
Cold/severe winters, rain/thunder, warm summers |
| Typical teacher salary |
2,500 Zloty per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, nationwide |
Job Prospects:
Prospects for English teachers in Poland remain probably more promising than anywhere else in Europe. There are numerous possibilities in both state and private sectors. There is also a high demand for business English in the major cities. The salaries usually allow for a relatively comfortable standard of living but if you are aiming to save money this (or anywhere else in the region) is probably not the place for you. |
 Romania |
Area: 237,500 sq km
Pop: 22,271,839 |
| Capital city |
Bucharest |
| Languages |
Romanian |
| Currency |
Romanian Lev |
| Climate |
Cold/cloudy winters/snow; warm, rainy summers |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$120/wk |
| Major teaching locations |
Bucharest, Timisoara, Constanta |
Job Prospects:
Due to the weak state of the economy, many Romanian schools are unable to afford the wages of a native speaker teacher. As a result most English language teaching is done by Romanians or native speakers on voluntary work placements. A number of private language institutions have started to appear and they would most likely be willing to hire native speaker teachers for local salaries. |
   Baltic States |
Area: 175,015 sq km
Pop: 7,349,901 |
| Capital city |
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia |
| Languages |
Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian, Russian |
| Currency |
Lats, Litas, Kroon |
| Climate |
Maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Typical teacher salary |
$700 per month/varies |
| Major teaching locations |
Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius |
Job Prospects:
These states were the most westernized part of the old Russian Empire and are presently looking towards EU membership. This has created a strong demand for native speaker teachers, particularly in Lithuania and Estonia (probably the most progressive of the three). There are numerous openings in both the state and private sectors. Salaries again are low by international standards but high in regard to the cost of living. Qualified teachers who are prepared to travel to the region and look for work should have little difficulty. |
 Ukraine |
Area: 603,700 sq km
Pop: 48,055,439 |
| Capital city |
Kiev |
| Languages |
Ukrainian, Russian |
| Currency |
Hryvna |
| Climate |
Temperate; Medit in S; cold wint, warm summers |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$400 |
| Major teaching locations |
Kiev, Odessa |
Job Prospects:
The huge republic of the Ukraine has a chronic shortage of English teachers. Many placement organizations are able to send voluntary teachers on a local salary and a few private language schools have now opened. The EFL market is still very much in its infancy so prospects for motivated teachers are high. |
 Slovakia |
Area: 48,845 sq km
Pop: 5,430,033 |
| Capital city |
Bratislava |
| Languages |
Slovak, Hungarian |
| Currency |
Crown |
| Climate |
Temperate; cool summers, cold/cloudy winters |
| Typical teacher salary |
14,000 Crowns per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Bratislava, Kosice, Banska Bystrica |
Job Prospects:
The Slovak Republic has often been overlooked as a teaching destination in favor of the neighboring Czech Republic. However, Slovakia is in its own right a promising destination for EFL teachers. Opportunities exist predominantly in private language schools, of which there are many in the larger cities. |
 Russia |
Area: 17,075,200 sq km
Pop: 144,526,278 |
| Capital city |
Moscow |
| Languages |
Russian, languages of the minorities |
| Currency |
Roubles |
| Climate |
Varies: Subarctic/tundra; humid continental, etc |
| Typical teacher salary |
US$800 per month |
| Major teaching locations |
Moscow, St Petersburg, nationwide |
Job Prospects:
The demand for the English language is still increasing in Russia and qualified EFL teachers should have few problems in finding work. Salaries have decreased a little due to economic problems but still allow the teacher a comfortable standard of living in most cases. |
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