Teaching abroad in your 50s, 60s and older

One of our frequently asked questions here at LoveTEFL is about the age restrictions for teaching English abroad. Like many things in the TEFL industry, there’s really no easy answer – unfortunately, the answer often tends to be ‘it depends’. In this blog, we’ll look at the challenges you might face, the things you can do to find great jobs abroad and the best countries to work in when you’re in your 50s, 60s and older.

The challenges

There are two main and interlinking challenges you could face when job-hunting, both of which will depend on the country which you’re applying to. The first is visa restrictions. A number of countries, especially across Asia, only offer visas to people who are under the retirement age. For example, in Thailand the age of retirement is 60 – your visa is likely to be rejected if you’re over 60. Similarly, in the Middle East, for example if you want to teach English in the UAE, it might be difficult to get a job if you’re over 60 as getting a work visa becomes more difficult.

The other thing to watch out for is downright ageism. For us, with age comes invaluable life experience, but in some areas of the world, the desired TEFL teacher is someone in their 20s or 30s – qualified or not. This is obviously frustrating – it means you’ll have to be clever with your applications. Don’t apply to popular locations with plenty of applicants, try smaller towns where there are unlikely to be so many EFL teachers passing by.

How to get jobs abroad as an older teacher

When you’re job hunting, you’ll really benefit from having the three things every employer is looking out for: a degree, a TEFL certification and plenty of relevant teaching experience. The better the quality of these things, the higher the chance of finding a job. For example, if you’ve got a CELTA/Trinity TESOL, you’ll be looked upon more favourably than with an online TEFL course. Having diverse experience in a range of areas, such as young learners, adults, Business English and exam preparation will certainly help your job-hunting chances. If you’ve got a background working with children or have had work experience in business, this’ll also make your CV stand out.

If you have the qualifications, positions in universities seem to be friendlier to older teachers too, as an alternative to state schools or private language schools. For university positions, you’ll need a teaching diploma such as a Delta or Trinity Diploma or a Masters in ELT plus relevant experience.

As we said above, it might be easier to look for jobs in less competitive areas. It tends to be easier to find jobs in smaller cities and towns for all EFL teachers, especially those who might experience being discriminated against because of their age. Going in person to schools also seems to work – schools want to ensure the candidates are fit and healthy enough to teach and manage their classroom. Meeting the owner or Director of Studies might put their minds at ease that you’re more than capable of doing the job. You’ll also be able to big up all your brilliant experience. Looking the part will also help – keep it professional.

The best countries to work as an older teacher

From our research, we’ve heard really positive things about finding work in Latin America – Mexico, Chile and Ecuador in particular. The people are friendly and there are lots of jobs to go around. The ability to speak Spanish will also help your application, but it’s by no means a requirement. Ecuador is consistently voted one of the safest places in South America – although, like anywhere, you should be careful with your belongings in busy areas. Visit the Galapagos Islands for astounding wildlife and stunning scenery.

Similarly, areas in Europe tend to be very open to older teachers – Russia, Czech Republic and Hungary are keen to employ TEFL teachers of any age – the more experience, the better. Russia boasts some very well-paid jobs, ideal for those who want to spend their free time exploring the vast and mysterious country.

Many of our jobseekers cite Asia as their dream destination and, unfortunately in some countries, there seems to be the most stringent regulations. China in particular is difficult, with some teachers reportedly being asked to leave the school as soon as they turn 60, even in the middle of the school year. However, it’s not all bad news – Taiwan doesn’t seem to have any age restrictions and there are plenty of positive reports of people work into their 60s. In Taiwan, check out the night markets for tasty street food and drink tea at the top of a mountain – take a gondola ride to Maokong and soak in the views of Taipei City.

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We hope this information has given you some food for thought when job hunting. If you’re looking to find work with a partner – check out this article on moving abroad together.

Disclaimer:

Our information for this blog came from International Schools Review. Here, teachers around the world have discussed their experiences trying to find teaching jobs in their 50s, 60s and older. There are some really useful comments but be aware: some of the information is out of date now so be sure to do your own research too.