Where can Certified Teachers Find Teaching Jobs Abroad?
There are a ton of opportunities for anyone to be able to teach overseas. Most countries need teachers and will hire anyone with a college degree (and some without one). This makes it harder for certified teachers to find a job, to find one you will need to know where to look.
An international school job fair and/or a reputable recruiting agency are the best places for a certified teacher to find a respectable job. If you know where you want to teach you should directly reach out to their HR department. Specific websites can also be of use if you know where to look.
The process of finding a good teaching job for certified teachers overseas can be challenging. It will take some time and will probably cost you some money, but it will be worth it. I will try and make it easier for you to navigate this space below.
Recruitment Websites and Job Fairs For Certified Teachers
I will list out all the websites that aid in recruitment and job fairs you can use online and in-person to find a job as a certified teacher. There are more but these are the ones that I found to be the most professional, complete, and helpful. You always have to be careful and do your own research as well. Sometimes sketchy schools can slip by the vetting process. If you haven’t taught overseas, you should really think about it, it is a great life, you can read more here on the benefits of travel for teachers.
1. Teacher Horizons
Pros-What I like bout the site is the options and ease of use. You can navigate the site easily and be able to choose where what type of school you want to work in and if they are looking specifically for certified teachers. They also have a good breakdown of staff, salary and what to expect.
Cons- Most of the jobs are in Asia, which is great if that is where you want to focus. With these hundreds of schools, I would question some of the schools as it is not possible to have good quality control over all of them. Just be careful and make sure to take to a present and a past teacher before committing.
2. Association of American Schools in South America
Pros- Has a wide range of schools from elementary to university. They also have a job fair virtual and in-person which will let you get to me the people before you apply. The resources they offer are good and you can keep updated with a newsletter and the blog.
Cons- The website is clunky and needs an overhaul. A lot of the material is outdated and it is not the easiest to navigate.
3. Department of Defense Education Activity
Pros- The jobs are very high paying and include some of the best benefits out there. You can search by region and the type of job you want. They have strict policies against anti-discrimination and are more open-minded than most.
Cons- It is only for Americans, most job sites will have jobs for any native Engish speaking teachers, this one does not. The jobs are very well paid, but it also means that it is extremely hard to get hired. They have high standards and the turnover is very low.
4. Search Associates
Pros- One of the best agencies and job fair options in the world with schools in almost every country. The schools are high caliber and pay well. The assistance from the company is second to none. I know a lot of people that have used it and are very happy with the service.
Cons- You have to pay to use the service. If the school gives a bad review or you want to leave early due to unforeseen circumstances, Search Associates may not want to work with you again even if the information isn’t factual.
5. Teachers’ Overseas Placement Services (TOPS) and Recruiting Fair (TORF)
Pros- Gives teachers the chance to have a forum to have a face-to-face interview with potential schools. The jobs are higher paying and vetted well beforehand. They really walk you through all of the steps and help when needed.
Cons-Usually only held once a year. It is also only for certified Canadian teachers. It also is limited to those with at least two years of teaching experience.
6. UNI Overseas Teaching Services
Pros- It shows over 100 different schools and organizations around the world at the job fair. Lots of high-paying jobs with a large variety of roles. Registered schools and candidates have access to an online database and can make connections themselves.
Cons- For the job fair you would have to travel to Iowa. Most schools want at least two years of experience with matching recommendations. Due to visa restrictions, some schools cannot hire teachers over 60 years of age.
7. International School Services
Pros– This program is very selective and with these high standards, the quality jobs do follow. Very well-paying jobs and the schools that you interview for are some of the best around. You also can find jobs in areas of math, science, computers, library science, and elementary teaching. If you want to learn more about how to find a job as a math teacher check out my article here.
Cons- You have to interview at an International Recruitment Center (IRC) after passing the initial screening by ISS. Besides a teaching certification, you need experience living overseas, and be willing to go to any country for a 2-year contract.
8. Go Overseas
Pros- They have a wide variety of jobs, not just for teaching. The reviews of the site are detailed and seem all to be legitimate. They also have deals and places to get other certificates to further your education. You can sign up for weekly emails to help you sort out what you want.
Cons- They seem to be selling a lot of courses and that is the main focus. It has a lot of jobs but it is more of posting than a deep look at the schools and the quality of them.
9. Educator Overseas
Pros-The site is very extensive and you can search very easily. They have jobs in all the specialty areas. The jobs are all-encompassing and pay for room, board, flights, etc.
Cons- Most of the jobs are in the Middle East and China they have a few in Taiwan and Japan but not many. If you want to learn about teaching and getting a job in Taiwan though you can read my article here about how to do it.
10. Teach Away
Pros- Very easy to get set up and the website is intuitive. There are a lot of jobs in the Middle East and China. They even have jobs for teachers that want to teach in Hawaii, Michigan, and online.
Cons- The jobs in the Middle East and China are hard to vet and with that number of jobs, there is no way that they can all be above board. These countries also have a lot of issues when you want to leave.
11. International Baccalaureate Schools (IB)
Pros- Great jobs, I am currently working at an IB school and really enjoy it. The schools have a great curriculum and well regard around the world, while still having amazing pay and benefits. The schools off professional development and a career path. You even can have options to travel with your students at these schools and have your students reap these benefits I talked about here.
Cons- Hard to get a job and you usually need to have IB experience before you work there. You can find a school to hire you without IB experience but it usually pays less than one that requires it.
12. Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA)
Pros- Not many schools and options in Africa and this site has the most that I could find. It has a nice job board and a lot of resources for you to use. The site has a bunch of different options to learn about how to teach there and what steps to take
Cons- Not a lot of jobs depending on when you check. The jobs also seem to be lower-paying and may not have been checked out beforehand.
13. Footprints Recruiting
Pros- Very quick to apply and the website is very easy to use. They have an online option that allows you to work online and basically live in any country. I did this for a few years and was amazing.
Cons- Most of them are in Korea, Dubai, and Vietnam. They have so many schools it could be really hard to find out if they are a decent school or not.
14. Transitions Abroad
Pros- The site has jobs in all different areas and you possibly find work besides teaching if you wanted. A plethora of jobs in countries all over the world and not just in Asia like most companies.
Cons- Tries to sell TESOL and CELTA courses a lot along with jobs. These make work out but I would speak to someone in the program first to check.
15. World Teachers
Pros-You can search for jobs in specific areas and in any discipline. This includes working in Curriculum & Instruction development to buying and running your own school.
Cons- Almost all of the jobs are in the Middle East and China. Those jobs can turn out well but would need some extra vetting.
16. Teaching Nomad
Pros- They have a lot of different jobs all over the world and even in the states including subbing jobs. You can find jobs with them overseas and they have job fairs and only recruiters. The site also offers ways for you to get different types of certificates like TESOL.
Cons- Mainly focused on jobs in the US, Asia, and the Middle East. Even in Asia, it is limited to certain countries, though they are the most sought-after countries to work in.
