When to Apply for Work

Whilst it is true that in many countries around the world English teaching positions can be found all year round, some months are better than others and whenever possible you should try and apply for a job when the demand is at its highest so to avoid frustration and missed opportunities.

Below is a list of countries in alphabetical order with their best hiring season.

China

• Hiring Season: summer months

The school year starts beginning of September.

Language schools hire all year round.

Not much point in looking for work during Christmas and the Spring Festival in February.

France

• Hiring Season: September

Not much point in looking for work during June, July & August when schools close for the summer holidays.

Greece

• Hiring Season: late June or early September

Private language schools start hiring in mid September with actual positions becoming available mid to end October.

Italy

• Hiring Season: September

Private language schools in northern areas start mid to end September. In southern regions lessons begin early to mid October.

If you apply from overseas you may want to start contacting employers in late May - early June. The school year ends in mid to late June.

Japan

• Hiring Season: between March and early April

International schools run on the western calendar.

JET Programme – there is only one application for the year. The date varies by country but generally it is towards the end of the year for a start in August.

Korea

• Hiring Season: all year round

The school year starts in March, so if you want to work in a public school you should start looking in mid January.

Public schools also hire in August right after their summer break.

Private language schools hire all year round.

Lithuania

• Hiring Season: summer months

The school year starts in September and ends in June.

During the summer, schools run intensive language courses and hire teachers between April and May.

Mexico

• Hiring Season: June - July

The school year starts in August. Last-minute positions can be found until mid-September.

Russia

• Hiring Season: June - July

The school year starts mid-September.

Hiring goes on all year round though best to apply before the end of school.

Spain

• Hiring Season: between mid September and October

Not much point in looking for work during June, July & August when schools close for the summer holidays.

Taiwan

The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of September and ends in February; the second begins in March and ends in August.

Thailand

• Hiring Season: mid-March to mid-May; October

The busiest season is during the school holidays (mid-March to mid-May). The next best time to look for work in private schools is October.

Turkey

• Hiring Season: March; January

The school year starts in September.

Vacancies can still be found in both September and January when some teachers decide no to turn up for the next term.

Generally language schools recruit all year round.

Central America

Costa Rica; Panama; Honduras; Guatemala, etc.

• Hiring Season: June - July

The school year starts in August. Last-minute positions can be found until mid-September.

Europe

• Hiring Season: end of August through to September

The further North you go, the earlier the start of the hiring season. For example Czech Republic, Poland etc. early to mid September. Italy, Spain, etc. early October.

Middle East

United Arab Emirates; Dubai; Saudi Arabia; Qatar; Kuwait, etc.

• Hiring Season: December

Hiring goes on all year round though best times are between Christmas and Spring.

MA TESOL holder may want to attend the TESOL Arabia job fair in March. This takes place in Dubai and will allow you to sit for interviews for posts that start the following August.

Qualified K-12 teachers should attending job fairs in their home country in January and February can expect to start teaching the following August.

South America

Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Peru; Venezuela; etc.

• Hiring Season: between February and early March.

The school year starts in March.

Not much point in looking for work during the summer months (Dec., Jan., & Feb.) or Christmas and Easter, when schools close for the holidays.