4th February 2021

It can be quite mystifying to commit to a teaching contract in a country where you've never stepped foot in earlier! Most of the time ESL/EFL enthusiastic people question about teaching English as a foreign language in China versus teaching English as a foreign language in Thailand. Well, these are the two largest EFL/ESL markets in the world with 21st-century TEFL certification online. So, if you want to live overseas, teach others, travel, and make money, look first towards Asian countries!

Which country is the best for ESL/EFL?

Where is ESL/EFL enthusiastic people moving?

How do you know which place to pick??

How are the people…are they welcoming???

Well, we decided to analyse between teaching English as a foreign language in China versus teaching English as a foreign language in Thailand. Also, we need to understand the fact that just for the reason that a country is popular, it doesn't mean it's the best place to teach English abroad for you. In reality, when it comes to finding jobs the more popular a country, the more competition you will face!

So, let’s just dive in…

Teaching English As a Foreign Language in Thailand

First, let’s just quickly see the qualifications and requirements for teaching English in Thailand –

• Bachelor's Degree in any subject
• Passport from a native English-speaking country
• Clean and clear criminal record
• Native English speaker fluency
• TEFL/TESOL certificate (desirable)

Along with that, you will find students from kindergarten through University stages. Most of the schools are public and private. You may find your job all over Thailand. Well, the qualifications as well as requirements needed to work in both China and Thailand are quite parallel.

If we talk about the lifestyle of living in Thailand, Thais love to party and cities such as Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket have some of the greatest nightlife on the island. However, western food is much more expensive in Thailand, close to US prices/meal. In Thailand, you will get lots of things to do like visiting Chiang Mai + elephant saving centres, Koh Phi Phi + island hopping, witnessing different Thai festivals, Kanchanaburi, and Bangkok (city) itself. Moreover, here you can access Facebook, Youtube, etc. Also, in Thailand, there’s no cold weather; there are numerous amazing beaches, good transportation arrangement along with other good things to enjoy.

Now, let’s talk about the visa process of Thailand:

• Passport or travel papers with legitimacy not less than 6 months
• Visa application form
• Non-Immigrant B Visa
• A recent photograph of the aspirant
• Letter of reception from retaining institute or school in Thailand
• Document of sanction from Thai government interventions
• Proof of educational qualification
• School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile
• Applicant's CV
• Police certificate verifying the clean criminal record or counterparts issued by authorized agencies in the applicant's country
• The pre-requisite of the submission of such police certificate is flexible
   

(Ref: https://bit.ly/3im0uOE)

The above statistics shows Thai English aptitude drops and here lies the demand for the professionally trained EFL/ESL teachers with TEFL course.

Teaching English As a Foreign Language in China

Well, now let’s discuss about teaching English as a foreign language in China. Here are the qualifications and requirements for teaching English in China –

• Bachelor's Degree in any subject
• TEFL required in some locations
• Native English speaker fluency
• Clean criminal record
• In a good physical and psychological health
• First-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai need classroom-based TEFL/TESOL certifications or joint TEFL/TESOL certificates that consist of online and classroom hours

Just like Thailand, you will find learners from kindergarten through University stages and most of the schools are public and private. You will find jobs in all over China. Once you are in China, you’ll register with the local police station so they know where you’re living.

Now if we talk about the lifestyle of living in China, you may see salary is characteristically on the lower end for public schools. Even though the private schools have a tendency to pay higher, nevertheless more teaching hours are essential. Quite naturally, salary rises with teaching experience and/or TEFL or TESOL certificate. In China, you will typically get free accommodation with reimbursed airfare. Also, China generally hires a candidate directly from overseas after a Skype or telephone interview.

Well, the teaching English abroad market in China is flourishing but as a foreigner, you may slightly feel much harder to adapt to Chinese culture. (Of course, it depends upon you).

Let’s see the visa process of China:

• You need a Z visa to legally teach in China
• Medical test supporting documents – EKG, HIV test and Chest X-Rays
• State-level circumstantial check with verification
• TEFL/TESOL Certification (Preferable)

You will get lots of things to do in China like visiting the Great Wall of China (Beijing), Pandas (Chengdu), visiting Shanghai (city), West Lake (Hangzhou), Terracotta Warriors (Xi'An), Guilin, Yangze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge (Yunnan) and so on. The following video will help you to develop an idea in teaching English in China:
 

Well, you may find jobs in different private language academies/schools, public schools and numerous teachers also find side jobs working as private tutors for well-heeled families or businesses. To safeguard you are covering all of your teaching bases, complete your online TEFL course as well. Also, all Thai and Chinese schools are different and everyone has different experiences. So, we would recommend to not compare yourself with anyone else.

Written By: Bindita Sinha