Job Discussion Forums

[gtd]

I'm currently in the process of finding my first ESL job in Asia. I dont have a degree, just my TESOL, so I know my options are limited. What i'd like to know is if i worked in China (for example) for 1 year, would that be enough to get me into somewhere more desirable such as South Korea or Japan? Or is a degree my only chance?

[nomad soul]

Unfortunately, having experience won't get you a work permit for those countries; you'd need a 4-year degree.

[gtd]

not the answer i was hoping for. what about other countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, or Thailand?

[nomad soul]

I don't know about Taiwan, Vietnam, or Thailand; other posters might have answers for you. I see you posted this same question before, http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=93499. Were you expecting visa and job requirements to have changed in the past two months?

The bigger question is: Are you planning on making TEFL a career? If so, you'll need to eventually get a degree if you want to improve your chances for getting those better-paying teaching jobs in your desired countries. Otherwise, you'll have to continue to be very flexible as to where you can go for work. And those choices will remain limited. That's reality.

[gtd]

[nomad soul]

Sorry if I sounded harsh, but your questions are similar in that the real issue is satisfying a country's education requirements for a valid work permit. It won't matter how many years of teaching you have if you aren't eligible to legally work in certain countries because you lack a degree. Plus, more employers are requiring them. This is why I asked if you wanted to make TEFL your career.

There may be a few countries that currently offer the type of flexibiity you're seeking, but that pool is shrinking---the situation has changed over the past 10 or so years. And you certainly don't want to bank on using experience alone as a ticket to move on to other countries. Your options may end up as either working illegally or under a working holiday visa. The former is certainly very risky; the latter, a possibility but with rules and restrictions. Do an Internet search on countries that offer a working holiday visa and maybe that will give you a better of idea of where you might be able to teach.

[Tudor]

[nomad soul]