Teaching English in the Czech Republic has flourished since the 1990s, especially since joining the European Union. It is a compulsory language in schools and many companies pay for language courses as a benefit to help their employees improve their English skills. Teaching English in the Czech Republic is a great opportunity for native speakers from all over the world to earn a living and travel around Europe. If you speak English, you are qualified!
What companies can I work for?
Generally speaking, you can work for any/all of them. However, a lot of that depends on what type of visa you have. Most people come to the Czech Republic on a Trade License visa which means they will be working as an independent contractor. This is beneficial as you do not need a specific company working with you to keep your legal status. There are dozens of schools that will hire you on a trade license as well as most pre-schools as well! It is always best to ask during your interview if you can work on a trade license or via employment sponsorship
What limitations do I have with my visa?
Your visa limitations are basically only by how you will be working. If you want to work for a state school such as a high school or elementary school, you will need a college diploma to acquire an employment sponsorship visa. However, if the school is private or a standard language school, you should be able to work with them via a trade license. It is perfectly fine to change your visa after you have acquired one in The Czech Republic. Each visa comes with their own benefits pertaining to what you are trying to accomplish in Czech Republic.
What qualifications do I need to teach in the Czech Republic?
The great thing about the Czech Republic that sets it aside from many other European countries is that the only qualification the language schools and sometimes the preschools require is a TEFL certificate. Once you are TEFL certified, you can apply for a a job as an English as a Secondary Language instructor and also get a trade license visa to be an English Teacher. If you would like to have a state school hire you as a teacher and get a work sponsorship visa, the government will request that you have an apostatized copy of your college diploma. The diploma does NOT have to be for anything related to the English teaching field, it just has to exist and be issued by an English-speaking Educational establishment.
How much will I get paid?
This is a question we get a lot but has a very wide array of responses. If you work as an English teacher for a single establishment. You can expect the following pay schemes:
- Language School Teacher (full time) – $1,350 / month
- High School Teacher (full time) – $1,800 / month
- Preschool Teacher (full time) – $2,000 / month
However, there are always ways to make more money on your trade license via translating, private lessons, or some bountiful side work that is quite abundant in the Czech Republic. It is quite possible for someone to earn $40,000-$60,000 a year in the Czech Republic if they really put their nose to the grindstone.
Please, also keep in mind that this country is a lot more affordable than most other English-speaking countries. If you take the number and double it, that is similar to the spending power you will have. So if you make $2,000 in the Czech Republic per month, this would be economically similar to making $4,000 a month in the USA.
How do I find work?
The best way to find work in the Czech Republic is to utilize various job platforms such as Expats, teacher creature, Seznam or the slew of Facebook groups in the Czech Republic geared towards teachers finding work. There are dozens of companies in and around Prague that currently need teachers desperately. There is much less of a stigma around finding work in Prague for an English teacher. Another big method to find work is networking. There are groups of English speakers that meet in Prague and have various networking events that can always help a new expat find work in their new city.
What is the hiring process like?
The hiring process in The Czech Republic is a lot less convoluted than in other countries. Usually, after 1 or 2 interviews, you should know if a school will hire you and they both usually take place within a week or two of each other. For teaching, you may be asked to give a demonstration lesson to a focus group or just to a hiring agent. They want to see your planning and presenting ability and how you work with others. This is usually condensed into one interview and you will know if you have the job in a day or two. It’s a rather expedited process with the language schools so when you are preparing for your interview, make sure you have your TEFL certificate, your passport, your demo lesson plan, and a fresh set of white-board markers. Couple those with a positive attitude and you will be teaching in no time!
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