English Teaching Jobs in
Portugal

TEFL jobs in Portugal

British TEFL teachers will find it easier to acquire work in Portugal than other fluent English speakers. Britain has enjoyed a good relationship with Portugal for many years and as such the British accent is often preferable. Also, teachers who are interested in working with young learners will be more employable than those specialising in adult learners. However, it’s a mixed bag. Traditionally, English wasn’t studied by the Portuguese and so those from older generations are less likely to speak it. Young people these days, particularly children, certainly have had exposure to English lessons – it was made a mandatory part of school life by the Ministry of Education in 2016 – and parents are now keen for their children to master foreign languages. The popularity of Portugal as a tourist destination has boosted the number of locals learning the language. As always, you’ll find those in big cities more fluent in English.

But there’s good news for country bods, too – it’s not just the big cities (like Porto and Lisbon) that are on the lookout for quality TEFL teachers. While employment opportunities can be limited in smaller locations, there is demand for teachers across the country, including in small seaside towns such as Aveiro and historic centres such as Braga and Viseu. If you want to escape the rat race and get out of big city teaching for a more relaxed way of life, Portugal is the place to go.