Where should you TEFL in 2024?

A new year brings with it new possibilities, and with TEFL those possibilities are never-ending. But where should you TEFL in 2024? While we’re still very much living through this pandemic, we’re hopeful that 2024 will bring with it an improved situation for TEFL teachers aiming to work abroad. 

Teachers have had to contend with a number of obstacles throughout 2021; from ever-changing government guidance, travel restrictions, visa delays, and the general threat of the virus, it’s undoubtedly been challenging. But despite all this, TEFL Org graduates have been able to take up positions around the world, like Graham in Spain and Jesica in Thailand . 

If your feet are feeling itchy because of the travel bug, now is the perfect time to start planning for a TEFL adventure. Get TEFL qualified and be ready to apply for that dream job. To help inspire you, here are our top 5 places to TEFL in 2024! 

Online

There are two reasons why online is top of our list. Firstly, we’re still in a global pandemic and with a new covid variant rapidly spreading there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead. Online teaching is a great option for those who want to work from home, whether that’s full time or as a side hustle! And, secondly, we’ve seen a rise in the number of countries offering digital nomad passports this past year, which is a trend we expect to see continue, with Spain just recently announcing the launch of their own. Teaching English online doesn’t have to be done from home, you can do it as you travel the world, like TEFL Org graduate David !

Read our guide to Teaching English Online for more

South Korea 

Average salary: £1,280 – £1,600 ($1,670 – $2,000)
TEFL hotspots: Seoul, Busan, Bucheon

South Korea has long been a great option for TEFL teachers, newly-qualified and experienced alike. Offering attractive wages and benefits - such as flight reimbursement and accommodation - as well as an abundance of jobs, it’s easy to understand why. There are also a wide range of jobs available within the country - from the government-run EPIK programme , to the tens of thousands of hagwons, as well as opportunities for teaching in universities and within businesses for more experienced teachers. 

Read our South Korea country guide for more

Mexico

Average salary: £300 – £730/ $400 – $1,000
TEFL hotspots: Mexico City, Monterrey, Nezahualcóyotl, Tijuana, Cancún, and Queretaro

Mexico is a vibrant part of the world to live and work in, and offers a wide range of jobs for TEFL teachers. There’s strong demand for business English in particular, but you can find jobs working with all types of learners in Mexico. While salaries aren't high (as is the case for Latin America in general), the cost of living is low. So, you should be able to get by comfortably on a teacher's wage and have enough in your pocket to enjoy everything this exciting country has to offer! As is the case with many countries in Latin America, a degree isn’t essential to teach English in Mexico - find out more about where you can TEFL without a degree here . 

Read our Mexico country guide for more

China 

Average salary: £1,000 – £2,000 ($1,300 – $2,575)
TEFL hotspots: Beijing, Shanghai, Ningbo, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou

China is a TEFL powerhouse, home to the strongest TEFL market in the world and we’d be remiss not to include it on this list! There are over 400 million English language learners in the country, which means a lot of TEFL teachers are required to teach them. With such high demand, even newly-qualified teachers can find a job with a good salary that also includes accommodation and other benefits. China is a hugely diverse country in terms of geography, culture and cuisine, and with plenty of national holidays, TEFL teachers can spend their time off exploring and enjoying all this incredible country has to offer. 

Read our China country guide for more

Spain 

Average salary: £614 - £1,317 ($758 - $1,623)
TEFL hotspots: Madrid, Grenada, Zaragoza, Seville, Barcelona

Spain is Europe’s top TEFL destination, with a huge amount of demand for qualified TEFL teachers! You’ll find language schools almost wherever you go in the country, whether that’s in major cities or small towns. While the double whammy of Brexit and covid has meant the situation for British teachers working in Spain is still largely unclear, we’re hopeful that 2024 will bring some clarity and visa processes will be clearer. In the meantime, teachers with EU passports will find no shortage of work right across the country. And non-EU citizens can take advantage of language assistant programmes, such as those offered by Meddeas . 

Read our Spain country guide for more

Check out The TEFL Org Guide to the World for even more inspiration!