Job Discussion Forums

[Epice]

Hi everyone, first time poster here, and I'd really appreciate your advice. I've read a number of other posts asking a similar question, but I'm looking for some specific info.

About me:

I'm a non-native speaker of English. My citizenship is Serbian. I've lived in South Africa for 4 years, where I learned English. I graduated with a BA in English from the University of London. I have two years' teaching experience, in groups and private lessons. My learners' ages ranged from 7 to 50+. I hold a CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English) grade A. My accent is fairly neutral, perhaps leaning toward the US a bit. My spelling is British English. I've been working as a translator for some 15 years. However, with the situation in Serbia going to s*it, and work opportunities declining, I'm forced to look for work outside the country. Right now I'm looking for a place where I could find a well paid job that would allow me to save up. I'm looking at Shenznen, China, at the moment, as I have two acquaintances living and working there and making a good living. But as I've heard about the recent crackdown on teachers working illegally there, I'm not sure of the dangers.

What are the realities of working illegally as an English teacher in China?

Which country could I find work in legally, where the job would also pay well?

Could you recommend a country with a good quality of life, where I could find a decent-paying job as an NNES?

Would it make more sense to just go to a certain country (if we're talking about Asia) and look for work once there, or look for work in advance before booking a flight?


I have asthma, so air quality needs to be decent, places like Beijing are out of the question. I would also appreciate insights from other non-native speakers working out there.

Thank you for reading and any suggestions :-)

[currentaffairs]

I wish you the best in your endeavours. You sound genuine and I think you could make a success of things. I don’t know anything about China but moving forward I think a CELTA/Trinity cert would really help you. As a NNES I would forget about the cheaper certs and go for the best that you can..

[Epice]

Thank you very much currentaffairs. Do you have suggestions for other countries that would be a good match for what I'm looking for? It does not need to be China :-)

I'll look into getting additional certification in future, but I cannot get into additional expenses right now. I also prefer to go with a more serious certification, I think that's good advice.

Thanks for your support in any case :-)

[nomad soul]

Also take a look at the following related discussions:

Best country to save up some $$$
(Non native) Newbie wants to teach abroad ! Advice needed !

Ditto the advice about completing a CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL. It's essential in your case.

[Epice]

Hi nomad soul, thanks for your reply. I've already gone through these threads. And some others too :-)

For now, getting additional certification is not an option, as I cannot go into additional expenses atm. It remains a future option.

Do you have any advice for me on possible countries, or any of the other questions I asked?

Thanks in any case :-)

[nomad soul]

[Epice]

Thanks nomad soul. I was hoping that my BA in English, and my varied 2-year teaching experience would be enough of a qualification without having to complete additional certification at this time. I do have some savings, enough to get me started abroad, and I'd hate to dip into that. I'm also newly out of a job, so this now is kind of a turning point.

I have two friends living in Shenznen. One of them is working in a training centre, and she does have tefl. She's making decent money. The other does not have a tefl, but a BA in linguistics and is working as a private tutor, making even more decent money.

I am not dead set on China, so that's another thing I'd love to get some suggestions on. What other countries would be available to me with my present qualifications (no tefl).

[suphanburi]

Legitimate options....

Thailand is an option for LEGAL work.
As a Caucasian / European, even as a NNES, you should be able to earn 30k Baht/month on a regular contract (about 10-15% less than NES) with a proper visa and work permit.

The issues: Your paperwork.
While a TEFL is not a requirement you will need a TOEIC test (reading /listening) as a visa/work permit requirement. Immigration here does not recognize the CPE.
You have a BA in English from a UK university. You will need to have it authenticated and you will need a university issued copy of your transcripts.
You will need a police check.

Get a tourist visa. Fly into Bangkok. Peak hiring period is from now to mid May.
Have your paperwork ready. Look for a job.
If your assessment of your linguistic ability / accent is accurate then it shouldn't be too difficult to land a job in a k-12 school.
Once you are here you can, with the assistance of the school, change your status from tourist to non-B and get your teacher's permit and work permit.

Cambodia is another option.
Fly in as a tourist. Find a job. Do a visa run and get a business visa. Good to go.

Myanmar is another option. Similar to Cambodia. Look for work. Get a business visa. Fly in and go to work. Working in Myanmar will require regular visa runs (usually at the employer's expense) since a business visa is only good for 70 days.

Good luck.

.

[In the heat of the moment]

Are there any options open for working and studying for a CELTA part time? Sorry I don't have any links, although a quick search shows there are three places in Bangkok and Chiang Mai where you can do that.