English ESL/EFL teaching in Vietnam

English ESL/EFL teaching in Vietnam

Vietnam attracts people with its gorgeous landscapes, beautiful temples, and delicious food. The location is better than it could be, there are some nearby amazing places such as Thailand, Combodia, and Laos. Tropical climate will make you free of the necessity to think what to wear. And welcoming atmosphere let you immerse in Asian culture and historical heritage. ESL teachers admit that such experience is a must-have for those, who are fond of travel and new emotions. The demand for learning English is constantly growing among the population. As long as most of the citizens aren't educated, the requirements for teaching are reasonable and acceptable. Carry on reading this article to know how you can start a new page of your life.

Requirements for English teaching in Vietnam

Before landing a well-paid job, you have to go through an applying process and impress a potential employer with your brilliant CV and resume. Despite the fact that Vietnam is friendly and welcoming country, especially for expats, there are some difficulties in terms of a work permit and visa regulations for those. The imigration law was updated in 2020, so now it is a bit harder to get a job for non-native speakers. However, it is possible. But the requirements for tutors from English-speaking countries and for educators, who aren't from those, are different.

Native English speakers are required to have:

  • a bachelor's degree in any subject;
  • TEFL/TESOL certification (120-hour course is minimum);
  • previous teaching experience (isn't a necessity, but preferred);
  • a clean criminal background check.

Truth be told, it used to be easier to get a job without qualifications about 5 years ago. However, Vietnam is getting more popular, so the interest of ESL teachers to this place is increasing too. The certificate is one of the important things that allows you to be noticed.

As for non-native speakers:

  • a degree in education or English;
  • TEFL/TESOL certificate;
  • Prociency level in English, proved by some certification such as EILTS, TOEFL, CAE, CPE.
  • a clean criminal background check;
  • previous work experience (isn't essential).

If you aren't from an English-speaking country, you just have to prove your briliant knowledge of the language and understand the base of learning process. What is more interesing, despite that education and experience seem to play important roles in hiring, there are still ways of how to get a job without them.

Teaching ESL in Vietnam without a degree

Having no degree isn't the end of the world, but there is much work to prove that you are a decent candidate to get a work permit in Vietnam. Turn on your imagination and think of any work experience you may relate to teaching English, and find a way how to document it. Your five years of relevant background may replace a degree. Another way of work and travel is volunteering. There are many programs you may enroll in to try without commitment to a long-term contract. The requirements to teach children in some summer camps or small villagies are pretty low, as well as payment. You won't make a dough, but you will have a place to sleep, food to eat, and amazing opportunity to get new experience.

Teaching English with no experience

Probably you've noticed that having work experience in teaching isn't an essential part in filling a position. You should understand that all your accomplishments and positive personal traits may cover lack of experience. As Vietnam is a sough-after place for EFL teachers, you should keep in mind that you have to compete with other candidates to prove that you are special. TEFL/TESOL course may help a lot. You will get information about learning approaches, potential students' problems, and making lesson plans. So the last step is practice. Even a minimum 120-hour course will make employers impressed by your determination to become a qualified ESL tutor.

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Average salary and benefits for teaching English

Money is one of the significant factors influences a making decision about where to live. All requirements that we have discussed impact on a wage ESL teachers earn in Vietnam. Needless to say that your income depends on a type of institution where you work. We are going to talk about them later. Such things as experience, international certificates, and citizenship make a huge diference to your salary. Usually, qualified ESL educators make about $1,500-2,000 a month. The good news is you can make more working on the side setting your own lesson price. An average sum is $17-32 an hour. 

Newcomers can rely on a decent amount of money too, also it will be inspiration to develop professional skills to be promoted. If you are lucky and found a generous employer, you may expect to get lucrative benefits such as a contract complition allowance, free-rent appartment, flight reimbursement, work permit and visa expenses.

Visa for teaching jobs in Vietnam

In comparison with other countries, Vietnam allows you to stay in the country on a three-month tourist visa while you are looking for a job. As soon as you have made a decision where to work, a potential employer checks all essential things as criminal background check, university degree, and certification. Be sure that you have everything they need. The cost of work visa depends on such factors as the length and type. Usually, institutes take such responsibilities for paperwork and help to get visa done. 

Neccessary documents to get a work visa/permit:

  • passport photos;
  • certified copy of passport;
  • full clean health check, you do it on the spot in Vietnam;
  • clean criminal record;
  • certified bachelor's degree;
  • TEFL/TESOL certificate;
  • language crtification such as CAE, CPE, IELTS.

All of these will be passed to the Department of Labor for confirmation. Usually, it takes a week to get it done. There is a fat chance for degree holders to get a rejected visa. It isn't terrifying as it seems to be.

Probably, you have heard some stories about people, who work in Asia illegally. The end of the most of such stories is deportation. If you don't want to be banned from living in this country, be careful with employers, who are ready to work under the table. We don't recommend this way of working.

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Terms used:

EFL, ESL, IELTS, TEFL, TESOL, TOEFL

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