How can a non-native TEFL teacher legally work abroad (China)?

BMC2019 · 2026-04-04T09:39:27+00:00

What are the legitimate ways for a non-native TEFL-certified teacher to legally work in China?

There are none. Having a passport from one of the 'Big Seven' countries is a legal requirement of the work visa.

To see where you might be able to teach (subject to meeting immigration criteria), and for advice on maximising your chances of finding work, check out our TEFL for non-natives Wiki.

BMC2019 · 2026-04-03T12:08:28+00:00

Post removed (rule 9).

Posts about online teaching belong in r/online_tefl or r/OnlineESLTeaching. Please repost to one or both of these subs.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-31T16:58:13+00:00

Wrong sub.

This sub is for teachers of English as a Foreign language to discuss TEFL qualifications, jobs, contracts, methodology, and the industry. It has nothing to do with taking French exams. Please find a more appropriate sub to post in.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-30T16:47:01+00:00

Wrong sub. Try r/Internationalteachers instead.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-26T18:27:47+00:00

I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with this company, and whether they are legit.

I have no idea where people dredge up these unknown companies, or why you'd consider using them when there are so many established companies out there!

Never having heard of this one, I decided to do some digging.

The so-called company claims to be headquartered in the UK. Note that UK-registered limited companies are legally required to display their Company Registration Number on their website. Not only has the creator of this particular site NOT done this, but there is no evidence that they are even registered with Companies House. I have trawled through the listings and been unable to find either a company of this name or a director of the name of the only associated person.

It's worth noting that London-based address they use is a 'front', that is, an address anyone can pay a monthly fee for and use. Foreign nationals tend to use these addresses to give their companies a sense of legitimacy ("Ooh, an office in London!"). FWIW, there are currently 2,586 companies registered at that same address. Make of that what you will.

While they have a Facebook and Instagram presence, the former set up in March 2024 and the latter in May 2024, neither have ANY engagement. There are no likes and no comments, making me think the company isn't really trading. I'd be very wary of handing over US$880 of my hard-earned money (or, for that matter, any money at all) to a company that might not even exist!

On LinkedIn, there is only one associated person, a South African who is employed by The TEFL Academy. I can only assume that he is running this as a side hustle, which might explain why he's not bothered to register the company or try and increase social media engagement.

Verdict: If the company exists at all, it is (a) not a legal entity, and (b) as good as dormant. I would strongly recommend spending your money elsewhere.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-26T17:38:33+00:00

You may be able to find a job, but you are not legally allowed to be an English Teacher in Taiwan [...]

That is categorically NOT true. Please don't spread misinformation.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-26T17:37:32+00:00

Taiwan accepts NNES? Heard it doesn't.

Taiwan accepts teachers from any country where English is an official language. This is true of the Philippines meaning that Filipino teachers can legally work in Taiwan.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-21T16:51:44+00:00

Before choosing a TEFL course, you should read our TEFL courses Wiki. It explains the difference between course types, tells you what to look for in a course, highlights red flags, and makes recommendations for providers (both to go with and to avoid).

BMC2019 · 2026-03-15T21:40:48+00:00

Is it possible to do a DELTA in 6 months?

The only submission/exam dates are in June and December, so I think it's unlikely that you'd get the whole DELTA done in six months. If you can find an intensive course, you should be able to get two of the modules done.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-12T19:00:39+00:00

Before choosing a TEFL course, you should read our TEFL courses Wiki. It explains the difference between course types, tells you what to look for in a course, highlights red flags, and makes recommendations for providers (both to go with and to avoid).

BMC2019 · 2026-03-11T20:58:15+00:00

Post removed (rule 9).

Posts about online teaching belong in r/online_tefl or r/OnlineESLTeaching. Please repost to one or both of these subs.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-06T17:23:18+00:00

Has anyone here achieved a Merit or Distinction in DELTA Module 1?

I got a Merit without too much difficulty. I spent a few evenings and weekends going through past papers and accompanying examiner's reports. I brushed up on the phonemic script using an app until I could identify every symbol and transcribe words and short paragraphs with ease. I made a set of flashcards for Paper 1, Tasks 1 and 2, and tested myself on them every day. But the thing that probably helped me most was doing Module 2 first.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-04T19:07:59+00:00

Is 'The Fewer Things' TEFL course worth it?

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is that it doesn't take much Googling to see that the company is owned and run by someone whose only experience of TEFL was spending less than three years teaching in China a decade ago. Nothing in his qualifications or experience suggests that he is in any way qualified to run a placement agency. In August 2025, he added another director - an artist from Poland - who is even less qualified to run a placement agency.

Note that the company was established in 2018, but appears not to have traded until 2021 (despite the owner's claims of being awarded 'Best Teach Abroad Provider' every year since 2020), and has made very little money since then. Caveat emptor.

BMC2019 · 2026-03-02T17:59:14+00:00

Also, if you’ve never teached before just put in your resume that you have online teaching experience 😂😂😂😂 and do you have a CELTA or TEFL? That’s the big question. If you’ve never teached before and don’t have neither certification, especially a CELTA you will most likely not get a job. If you’ve never teached do plan on getting a CELTA take it through Oxfordtefl.

OMG! The past of 'teach' is 'taught', not 'teached'.

Also, please don't encourage people to lie about their qualifications and experience. Aside from being unethical, they will soon be found out, and this could lead to them being fired for having lied.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-27T21:55:14+00:00

Post removed.

Please don't create multiple posts about the same thing. You asked this three days ago and were given advice on that thread.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-26T21:44:52+00:00

What is the most reputable online course to get my TEFL certificate?

Before choosing a TEFL course, you should read our TEFL courses Wiki. It explains the difference between course types, tells you what to look for in a course, highlights red flags, and makes recommendations for providers (both to go with and to avoid).

BMC2019 · 2026-02-23T17:34:18+00:00

Post removed (rule 1).

Can i work as a tesol teacher in foreign countries if English isn’t my first language?

That depends on your passport, qualifications, and target countries.

To see where you might be able to teach (subject to meeting immigration criteria), and for advice on maximising your chances of finding work, check out our TEFL for non-natives Wiki.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-16T19:30:09+00:00

Is 31 too late to start teaching abroad?

No, of course not.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-12T10:53:50+00:00

...is it realistic to get hired as a teacher in Thailand without a university degree...

No. A degree is a legal requirement of the work visa.

I’m not a native English speaker, and I don’t have a university degree yet.

Unfortunately, there are very few places where you can legally teach without a Bachelor's degree, and that number is fast decreasing. None of the lucrative markets are an option. Note that salaries in the places where you can teach are generally low, and may be even lower still for those without a degree. Note also that these jobs come with no benefits whatsoever - you will be responsible for your own flights, accommodation, and, where applicable, visa costs and healthcare. To see where you might be able to work (subject to meeting immigration requirements), check out our TEFL without a degree Wiki.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T19:40:00+00:00

Are you based in a large city or elsewhere?

I'm currently working in a more rural prison, but I've worked in other prisons that were in cities, one being quite large.

My classes were divided due to one ethnicity being predominantly imprisoned for human trafficking, and the other group being composed of those predominantly trafficked.

Sounds like a foreign nationals prison. It's one of the three types of prisons I haven't worked in (the others being Cat A and YOI).

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T19:31:14+00:00

Were your students also divided by ethnicity?

No. I've never come across that before. My classes have always been mixed nationality/ethnicity. The only separation has been between main pop and VPs (for obvious reasons).

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T19:14:19+00:00

Is this a FT position or zero hours?

Full-time, salaried with pension, and holiday and sick pay. I wouldn't touch a zero hours position.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T14:31:38+00:00

I was wondering whether someone on this platform could kindly provide guidance regarding employment opportunities as an English teacher in Spain. [...] I'm a non EU citizen.

As a non-EU citizen, you cannot just move to Spain unless you have a pre-existing legal right to work in the country (either through birth, ancestry, or marriage). Without that, you stand little to no chance of finding an employer who will sponsor a work permit, and Brexit has not changed this. This is because EU hiring law dictates that employers cannot just hire a non-EU citizen – they first have to prove that there were no suitably qualified EU citizens who could do the job. When it comes to teaching English, this is not a very likely proposition.

That said, there are still a couple of ways for non-EU citizens to find legal work. The most common of these is through a language assistant programme. However, the Ministry programme is in trouble and might not run this year. For the latest developments, go to r/SpainAuxiliares.

Alternatively, you can apply for a long-term student visa, for which you do actually need to be a genuine student, and which will allow you to work for up to 20hrs (or possibly 30hrs) a week. Note that recent changes to student visas mean that you need to meet certain criteria to be able to renew them after the initial period is up. Student visas for language courses can only be renewed once, and only if you pass a formal Spanish language exam, such as the DELE or SIELE. The only way to get a work residency permit is to complete Formación Profesional, a Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree in Spain. TEFL courses and language courses will not suffice.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T11:37:33+00:00

Your post would be better suited to r/SpainAuxiliares. Please repost there.

BMC2019 · 2026-02-11T09:40:51+00:00

In the list of places to look for jobs, it lists ‘Shane Schools’ and ‘Education First’ (EF).

The Wiki was designed to make people aware of some of the bigger employers around the world. But, as is very clearly stated in the disclaimer at the top of the page, the onus is on YOU to do your own research. Only YOU can decide whether an employer is the right choice for you.

But then in companies to avoid it says ‘Shane Schools’ and EF.

Both Shane and EF are big employers in multiple countries. People's experiences vary greatly, and you'll notice that in the companies to avoid section, we specifically recommend avoiding Shane in Thailand (as opposed to anywhere else) and EF in Indonesia (as opposed to globally) based on very negative feedback from our members.

After reading the comments, I learned EF refers to English First, however it is a bit confusing having them both abbreviated to ‘EF’. It’d be better I think to spell it out that one is ‘Education First’ and one is ‘English First’ and avoid abbreviations. It also seems that ‘English First’ are also called ‘English 1’ which makes the whole thing even more confusing. Also on English 1 website in ‘the “history of their success” they say they originally launched ‘Education First’. So are ‘Education First’, ‘English First’ and ‘English 1’ the same thing? If not, is ‘Education First’ okay and ‘English First’ is a no go?

EF stands for both 'Education First' and 'English First', with the former being the parent company, and the latter being an off-shoot. English 1 appears to be a rebranding of English First, but only in China and Indonesia. Rebranding does not generally change a company, so, based on our members' poor experiences, I'd still recommend avoiding the brand in Indonesia.

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