Australia
Language schools in Australia have traditionally taught students from China, Japan and other Pacific Rim countries who visit Australia for a few weeks or more to learn English and see the country.
Since the slowdown in the Asian economy there has been a corresponding reduction in the number of students visiting Australia and work is less than it used to be. During 2010 figures showed a decrease of over 20% in the number of students coming to Australia taking short-term English courses.
Qualifications and Requirements
Most teaching positions require a minimum of a degree and a CELTA.
In order to work in Australia, many teachers are also required to have Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA) which can be taken from TAFE or AMES. Many schools will not hire teachers without this.
One major requirement is a passport/visa allowing you to live and work in Australia if you are not an Australian citizen. This means it is open to Australian and New Zealand citizens but if you are from Europe or America you must apply for a work visa in order to live and work in the country. Since there are many qualified Australian teachers available, it is sometimes difficult for a non-Australasian passport holder to find legal work unless they have special skills to bring to the country, e.g. higher qualifications or a specialization in ESL.
TEFL Schools
The schools are located in the major cities around the Australian coastline and often work can include not only traditional teaching to foreign students but also excursions, looking after students new to the country and other more general activities.
Term Times
The academic year runs from February-December, however since many schools are involved in teaching short-stay visitors who come over to learn English, they remain open all year round.
