Teaching abroad is an amazing experience, but it can sometimes be hard to choose which country suits your needs. Below you will find the top countries to teach English in East Asia. I hope that you are able to finally decide which destination is the best fit for you!
# 8 Thailand
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required |
| Contact length | 5-12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview and mostly Face-to-Face Interview |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance or in-country |
| Monthly Salary | $950-1300 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $550-800 USD |
| Housing? | No |
| Airfare Included? | No |
| Holidays? | None |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories) |
Recommended Cities
- Bangkok
- Chiang Mai
- Phuket
- Rural Thailand
#7 Vietnam
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview and mostly Face-to-Face Interview |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in Tourist Visa converted to Work Visa |
| Monthly Salary | $1100-1700 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $650-900 USD |
| Housing? | No |
| Airfare Included? | No |
| Holidays? | 2 weeks in late-January |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise a high degree of caution |
Recommended Cities
- Halong
- Hanoi
- Haiphong
- Hue
- Ho Chi Minh City
#6 Malaysia
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required, Masters preferred |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview in advance |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance |
| Monthly Salary | $1200-2300 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $900-1800 USD |
| Housing? | No |
| Airfare Included? | No |
| Holidays? | Chinese New Year and 2 in late-January |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories) |
Recommended Cities
- Kuala Lumpur
- Penang
- Malacca City
- George Town
- Kota Kinabalu
#5 Taiwan
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required, AA Sometimes |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview in advance |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance |
| Monthly Salary | $1400-2100 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $500-1500 USD |
| Housing? | No |
| Airfare Included? | No |
| Holidays? | Chinese New Year and 2 in late-January |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise normal security precautions |
Recommended Cities
- Taipei
- Kaohsiung
- Taichung
- Tainan
#4 Hong Kong
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview in advance |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance |
| Monthly Salary | $2300-3000 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $2300-5000 USD |
| Housing? | No |
| Airfare Included? | Sometimes |
| Holidays? | Chinese New Year and 2 in late-January |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise normal security precautions |
#3 Japan
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Interviews held in the US, Canada, and the UK (6 months in advance) |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance |
| Monthly Salary | $1500-2000 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $1500-2000 USD |
| Housing? | Sometimes |
| Airfare Included? | No |
| Holidays? | None |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise normal security precautions (with regional advisories) |
Recommended Cities
- Tokyo
- Osaka
- Nagoya
- Kyoto
- Hiroshim
#2 South Korea
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS Required |
| Contact length | 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview in advance |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa in advance |
| Monthly Salary | $1850-2150 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $650-950 USD |
| Housing? | Free or Subsidized |
| Airfare Included? | One-way or Round |
| Holidays? | None |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise normal security precautions |
Recommended Cities
- Busan
- Seoul
- Daegu
- Gwangju
- Incheon
#1 China
| Degree Requirements | BA/BS preferred (Not Required) |
| Contact length | 6 and 12 months |
| Interview Process | Phone/Skype Interview and Face-to-Face Interview |
| Visa Requirements | Work Visa or Tourist Visa converted to Work Visa |
| Monthly Salary | $1250-2850 USD |
| Average Monthly Costs | $650-1100 USD |
| Housing? | Free or Subsidized |
| Airfare Included? | Yes |
| Holidays? | Chinese New Year and 2 in late-January |
| Safety? (Canadian Gov.) | Exercise a high degree of caution |
Recommended Cities
- Beijing
- Yangzhou
- Shanghai
- Harbin
- Xi’an
Helpful Links: ESL Programs
- Teach Beyond
- International TEFL Academy
- Language Corps
- Teaching Nomad
- Teach Away
- FootPrint Recruiting
- Teach Anywhere
- CIEE Teach Abroad
I hope that this article was able to help you! These are just a few of the countries that are highly recommended. Also, don’t be afraid to do your own research as there are so many other amazing countries and potential opportunities. Good luck with your teaching endeavours!
Safe Travels,
Carina
OMG! LOVE THIS. I really want to teach in China NOW!
I have always wanted to teaching in East-Asia and your post was very helpful and insightful. After reading your post I think I would love to teach in Japan 100%. Can’t wait for your next post!
Thanks for the amazing comment! I think you would love Japan! ❤️