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In 5 Minutes We'll Give You The Truth About Age Limits Or Restrictions To Teach English Abroad

9th October 2021

Right now, ESL/EFL teaching opportunities abroad are immense, provided you have the qualifications and credentials. We all know TEFL/TESOL is the globally accepted credential that will allow you to teach English abroad. But is there any minimum age limit for teaching English overseas?

The short answer is: it depends. Each country has a different set of laws and traditions surrounding age limits. Even within countries, some schools or institutes are willing to hire older teachers, while others are willing to recruit younger teachers.

In general, there are no strict age restrictions for teaching English abroad or online. Thus, it is necessary to research these explicit rules in the countries where you want to discover employment.

Places with great ESL/EFL job markets for elders teaching English overseas

Certainly, the advantages of being an older teacher are quite a lot. You will have an affluence of class conversation topics in hand with valuable insights. Moreover, people of all ages get TEFL/TESOL training now and find English teaching jobs overseas or online.

Mexico

ESL/EFL teaching overseas in Mexico is amazing. Senior EFL/ESL teachers will always be welcome here. With no age boundaries and obligatory retirement age, you are free to teach here as long as you want.

Ecuador

The country has been named a top retirement destination by Forbes.  With a low cost of living, Ecuador is also a budget-friendly place with great senior discounts. With great medical facilities along with a smooth-running transportation system, your security and health will always be the main concern.

Malaysia

Home to wonderful islands, beaches, and rainforests there will be stacks of ground to cover when you’re not schooling. With no tip hiring season, Malaysian schools encourage applicants all year round. As a consequence, there are lots of jobs abroad for seniors in this diverse Asian nation.

If you want to teach English in Asia and suppose, you are over 60, your best move is to visit schools in person. There are few countries that are also much more likely to hire senior teachers who are over 60. Cambodia, Taiwan, and, to a certain level, Vietnam are all good places to look if you are a senior candidate.

Does age discrimination exist really?

Sadly, there can be age discrimination in the TEFL industry. While a lot of countries do have laws managing older teachers’ age discrimination bias but it does still exist. You may come across advertisements for jobs looking for teachers in their 20s or 30s even.

Now another question that is frequently being asked is - Am I too young to TEFL?

Usually, anyone from the age of 16 can take TEFL courses, and it can be a great idea to start building up experience from a young age. However, realistically, it’s unlikely you’ll find paid working teaching English if you’re under 18 but you may be able to start building up your teaching CV. You may talk to your school and local organisations to explore opportunities.

Most countries outside of Europe and South America need a degree for visa reasons, so without one, these countries are ruled out for you. It’s always essential to research the visa requirements for any country you’re interested in teaching in.

The Bottom Line

Just remember, no matter your age, teaching English abroad is an elevating experience. You may take Online TEFL Programs to be a part of teaching English overseas community. Remember, keep yourself open to new career opportunities, there is bound to be a job somewhere in the world for you!

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