Country Profiles
Please click on one of the countries below or on the left to find out more information about them. Only the basics are covered so you can make a better comparison about where you would like to teach.
The information is current as of 2006 and you can also convert the stated salaries into your home currency.
General Advice
Before you sign the contract, you should do the following:
- Ask as many questions as possible about the fine print or anything you do not understand in the contract.
- You should be clear on: the number of teaching hours/week, holidays, number of days/week, split shifts?, and housing arrangements.
- Ask to speak to a current foreign teacher at the school, preferably at their house where the contents of your conversation may not be monitored.
Remember, contracts are often seen as something negotiable even after they are signed. Contracts are not viewed the same as they are in the West. You must be flexible and do not get uptight if small matters on your contract are broken because they probably will be.
Do not be concerned with getting the highest possible salary. It is better to sacrifice a bit of pay, to get better working and living conditions. Often the schools that advertise the highest salaries do so because they are not fair to their teachers and cannot keep them.
Do not be paranoid, you are in a completely different environment and culture shock is inevitable. However, this should be a lot of fun.
