Not only highly acclaimed as once-time-in-life destination for tourists and back-packers in TripAdvisor, Vietnam is also regarded as melting-pot for those who are fond of teaching English and challenging themselves with expatriate lifestyle as well. Moving out of your comfy location to another is, however, a something “easier said than done”. Obviously the first curiosity and top interest are the chances and challenges of getting a work while living as expats in Vietnam.
1.Demand on English teacher job-market
A numbers of English centers overwhelmingly mushroomed in big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and other surrounding provinces, and never-end posts on teaching English position across Facebook based forums are showcasing a highly crazy demand for English teachers. On this scenario, discrimination is still existed. You may be surprised because job is offered equally as long as you are qualified and adapted into it. BUT If you’ve applied and get interviewed with some English schools or centers, it is not hard to understand that white-English native speakers with blond hair get job easier and paid higher than ESL teachers with color skin or not from English speaking countries in spite of whatever qualification or background.
2. Salary
Basic wage: 15$-25$/hours (15-20 hours/ week in average)
Of course, range of salary depends on your qualification, year of experience, school, location you will work at and negotiation other than your skin texture or hair color. A few of schools or agencies are very supportive by providing you with free accommodation and transportation as your allowance.
Ideally, just working roughly 4 hours per day, you still get a chance to put 2000$ into your pocket.
3. Visa and work permit
If you’re been heard of or advised somewhere that you can work in Vietnam as English teacher with tourist visa, please be aware of that and it is the high time for you to think and take your job or career into serious consideration. You should secure yourself with applying business visa or working visa whether your employer requires or not. Otherwise you possibly confront a penalty with huge amount of cash or deportation once you are spotted out with tourist visa.
Business visa or working visa is not a headache-caused-issue when it comes to visa on arrival. All document you need beforehand to collect business or working visa upon arrival is a visa approval letter. There are many agencies providing this kind of letter, among of them, you find reliable to contact Vietnamvisavoa.com for thoughtful advice.
According to Vietnam Law, a work permit is required to obtain when foreigner works more than 3 months. Especially if you sign a labor contract with a school or agency, work permit must be compulsory condition. Getting a business visa on arrival is seemingly piece of cake but it is not for work permit. Many teachers fail to provide sufficiently a load of paper dossier or can’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars when applying for such employment pass in Vietnam.
4. Requirement for this job
Even as English native speaker with white skin and blond hair doesn’t 100% secure that you will get a good job if you don’t have Bachelor’s Degree or accredited certificates such as TESOL, TEFL or CELTA. You should be cautious with an English center or any vacancy that does not require you to show up your degree or certificate except for your appearance. It is a sign of unprofessionalism and unseriousness on education.
5. Sources to find a job
5.1 Facebook Group and Expat Forum: Joining in Facebook’s groups or expat forum and seeking for some advice or recommendation via online social network are somehow to bring you good luck for a job. Hanoi Massive Job/ expats & locals in Ho Chi Minh City/ Vietnam business English teaching jobs/ Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh Expat are such names you should look around.
5.2 Website: In spite of having a ton of jobs as English teacher, you can browse up through recruitment websites as mainstream as suggested in following:
http://vietnamteachingjobs.com/
5.3 Network of friend: Not everyone has friend who is residing or living for a while in a place where you are moving to. If you don’t have friend around, let make friendships with people who are from your home country or even native to your expat destination. A strong network of friends will assist you in searching and introducing a job and get you settled down quickly.
List of prestigious English centers: Apollo, British Council, ACET, ILA Vietnam
In short, teaching English is not the easiest job if you don’t have considerable devotion to teaching. Once you push through all challenges and well adapted with teaching environment, you end up falling in love with this job at the end of day.
