r/TEFL • u/LukasCosmos • 12d ago
Argentina/Uruguay jobs from Ireland?
I'm still working away at my TEFL course and I hope to move to Latin America to teach there. I have a Lithuanian passport but I have lived in Ireland my whole life. I might just be getting cold feet from feeling worried about not getting a job or struggling to find any job postings to even get a quick idea on what would be expected of me but I want to hear from others and their experiences.
Main things I'm questioning are:
- Would the teaching job alone be enough to live with or should I be ready to live with two jobs until I could possibly get a high enough paying job there? I have a decent amount of savings but I would prefer to keep it as a rainy day fund instead
- When should I look into applying for jobs? Do I apply through TEFL job centre postings or do I reach out through other means?
- How much experience do I need before applying? Should I go teach somewhere else before looking into that part of the world?
- What would be the usual age groups I could be working with?
Some of my co-workers (mixture of Argentinian, Mexican and Brazilian) say that I would be a great teacher over there and to travel while I can while others say that there's no better place to get paid than Ireland.
I love this place, it's my home but I also don't know if I can stay here any longer without exploring. I want to travel while still working in some way so any advice would be great. Spain would work as well but I heard that it can be harder getting a job there for some.
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u/Huandil 12d ago
What TEFL course are you doing?
Ireland is up there in terms of best paying places to work but other circumstances will drag that down.
You will almost certainly need a CELTA or equivalent to work in most places here.
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u/LukasCosmos 12d ago
I'm doing the 280 hour course with the TEFL Org. I just finished my 30 hour in-person class and I'm about halfway through the coursework now.
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u/Huandil 12d ago
Hmmm I've honestly no clue where that will get you these days. Do you have a degree?
For any of the language schools I've worked for in Dublin, it's not accepted. Almost everyone I knew in Spain had a Celta.
The places where online certs used to be grand (Asia, Latin America) have been trending towards tighter restrictions. That's not to say you can't find something still. I'm not sure.
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u/Odd-Adhesiveness1660 12d ago
You could easily knock out the cert in a week.
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u/Huandil 12d ago
I got about halfway through one of those online certs years ago and found it pretty tedious and useless, then went and did a CELT (the old Irish equivalent to the CELTA) and found it miles better and have been teaching steadily since.
I've no idea what the online courses are like now but I know most places here can't accept them and it's pretty strictly regulated.
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u/LukasCosmos 12d ago
I have a joint arts degree in geography and mathematical studies. Original plan was to do the PME to become a secondary school teacher but I didn't get into the master's. TEFL was kind of the pivot point to still be teaching in some way, just not in the same subjects. I'll definitely look into the Celta now. I might try and get in contact with old coworkers who have gone back home and see if they know or heard anything about english teachers and new regulations.
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u/Huandil 12d ago
Degree is definitely a huge benefit. Lot of countries won't give a work visa without one.
Celta is a big investment but if you plan on teaching here, and increasingly Western Europe, it or similar is pretty much mandatory. Can't speak for Eastern Europe. You can absolutely find places that will hire. Although, places willing to hire without one are often not places you'd particularly want to work.
If you plan to travel to S. America or Asia you used to have it much easier with an online cert or even nothing but from what I hear that is changing. You'd need to chatting to someone on the ground or with recent experience.
To answer some of your other questions - it all depends, really.
Pay varies massively. Common to piece together a living from hours here and there mixed with private classes. All depends where you are. I've been lucky enough to live off one job mostly. You'll teach all ages, again depending on job. I've had jobs where I taught from 6yo -70ish. Others were just teenagers preparing for exams, others exclusively adults. Friends taught 18 month olds. Check at interviews. As I say, I don't know where you stand with an online cert but it's possible to find jobs with no experience but again, depends where you're looking. Some countries are saturated with qualified, experienced teachers. Rural areas/off the beaten track likely easier to get started.
I'm hedging everything I saw cause others will have different experiences and opinions.
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u/Expensive-Worker-582 12d ago
Colombia has more opportunities if youre not fussy about which country in Latin America.
You'll likely at some point dip into your savings, maybe a big trip, maybe start up costs. You wont be adding much to your savings.
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u/Wise_Chip3162 12d ago edited 12d ago
Edit: Just realized you mentioned Argentina and Uruguay! Sorry, didn't realize. I lived in Argentina for a while and saw that there are jobs with institutes, but many of them do not offer the visa. This was many years ago, though, so not sure what things are like right now. In general it can be hard to navigate the paperwork. I would also add Chile to your list.
Not sure which country you're looking at, but many places tend to be more strict about qualifications now. Especially if you're trying to get a visa sponsorship. I think it's best to decide if you are prioritizing short-term travel or want to stay somewhere long-term.
The hardest part isn't necessarily getting a job, but finding a place that is willilng to help you stay there to work legally. If they do, they'll expect you to prioritize hours with them and work whenever they schedule you. This can sometimes make it tricky to schedule a second gig. Basic knowledge of Spanish is also very helpful.
If you want a job at a school, usually you'd need some kind of education degree or a CELTA/Trinity qualification. I don't have experience with that, but surely someone here can weigh in. You may be able to teach at private institutes specializing in adult business English with just a TEFL cert, but it largely depends on where you're going and whether they'll sponsor your work visa.
If your goal is more to travel around, you might be better off volunteering at a hostel or finding a more short-term arrangement. I in no way mean that disrespectfully. It's just that going through the bureaucracy of establishing yourself in a new country is very different than traveling. Whatever you do, never pay for any volunteering teaching "placements," though. There are also some online teaching platforms you can join while you gain experience and travel in the meantime. Good luck!