TEFL Jobs in Taiwan
Make a positive impact and see the world with our exciting TEFL jobs.
Teach English in Taiwan and see why this country is one of Asia's best kept secrets. When you teach in Taiwan you'll discover a fascinating blend of high-tech, futuristic cities, and ancient cultural and religious traditions that coexist in complete harmony. For jaw-dropping scenery, visit the east coast and you'll be amazed at Taiwan's sheer natural beauty! Take a look at our exciting teaching jobs in Taiwan today.
Four things stand between you and a classroom in Taiwan
Taiwan is one of the easiest places in Asia to start teaching English, and one of the few that welcomes South African passports. The government's push to make the island bilingual by 2030 has put English teachers in demand from Taipei to Kaohsiung, and the paperwork is lighter than in Japan or Korea. What Taiwan does insist on is the right passport, a degree, and an employer to sponsor your work permit.
- Taipei
- New Taipei
- Taichung
- Tainan
- Kaohsiung
- Hsinchu
What you need to teach English in Taiwan
Taiwan's work permit rules for English teachers are clearer than most. Meet these four conditions and the rest is a matter of choosing the right school and the right city.
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A passport from a native English-speaking country
Work permits for English teachers go to citizens of the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. That last one matters: Taiwan is one of the few East Asian markets where a South African passport opens the door rather than closing it.
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A bachelor's degree in any subject
The standard route. Subject doesn't matter, but you'll need the original certificate, and many employers now ask for it to be authenticated by a Taiwan representative office in your home country before you fly.
Hold an associate degree instead? Taiwan accepts it alongside a TEFL certificate, which makes the certificate a legal requirement rather than a nice-to-have for this route.
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An employer to sponsor your work permit
Your school applies to Taiwan's Ministry of Labor for the permit, then you convert it into a resident visa and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) once you arrive. Most teachers enter on a visitor visa with a signed contract and complete the rest in-country, including a health check at a local hospital.
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A TEFL certificate and a clean record
A criminal record check from your home country is required for public-school programmes and increasingly requested by private schools. A TEFL certificate isn't written into the bachelor's-degree route, but with thousands of applicants holding the same passport and degree, it's what moves you up the pile.
Work permit rules and employer expectations both shift over time. Talk to our team before you commit to anything, and see our guide on how to legalise your TEFL certificate if your employer asks for authenticated documents.
Which TEFL course should you take for Taiwan?
Taiwan's cram schools will hire on a degree and a passport alone, so the certificate is doing two jobs here: getting you a better school in a better city, and opening up the public-school and bilingual-programme roles that pay more and keep daytime hours.
120hr Professional TEFL
£99
The figure Taiwanese employers recognise. Enough to lift you above the applicants arriving with nothing, and the certificate that satisfies the associate-degree route.
- The standard employers look for
- Finish in 2–4 weeks
- Lifetime access to materials
168hr Level 5 TEFL
£269
Ofqual-regulated and awarded by TQUK. Taiwan's bilingual push is creating better-paid roles in public and private schools, and a regulated qualification is what gets you shortlisted for them.
- Regulated, not just accredited
- Strongest position on salary
- Recognised well beyond Taiwan
170hr Combined TEFL
£279
Includes 20 hours of assessed practice with real ESL learners. Taiwanese cram schools routinely ask for a demo class at interview, and this means it won't be your first.
- Real teaching practice on your CV
- Answers the "no experience" objection
- Free lesson plan bundle included
Most first jobs in Taiwan are with children, so the Early Childhood Education add-on (£15) is worth having on your CV. Or compare every package side by side.
What to expect teaching English in Taiwan
Pay and package
Taiwan pays well against its cost of living. Housing is rarely included, but rents are low enough that most teachers save comfortably on a standard cram-school salary.
- NT$60,000–70,000 a month at private language schools, roughly £1,450–£1,700
- Public-school programmes pay more and add a housing allowance
- Hourly rates around NT$600–700 for part-time or extra classes
- Enrolment in National Health Insurance once your ARC is issued
- Flight reimbursement or completion bonus from some employers, not all
- A studio in Taipei from around NT$12,000; less elsewhere
Hours and class type
The type of employer decides your week far more than the city does. Cram schools run when children are out of school; public schools keep school hours.
- Cram schools (buxibans) — afternoons, evenings and Saturdays, 20–25 teaching hours
- Public and bilingual schools — weekday daytime, school holidays off
- Kindergartens and preschools — mornings, very young learners
- Adult and business classes — early mornings and evenings, mostly Taipei and Hsinchu
Start dates and settling in
The school year begins in late August, which sets the rhythm for public-school hiring. Cram schools recruit whenever a teacher leaves, which is year-round.
- August and February are the big intakes for school programmes
- Cram schools hire year-round; many will interview on video before you fly
- Allow four to eight weeks from arrival to ARC in hand
- No Mandarin needed to start; it helps outside the big cities
- High-speed rail links Taipei to Kaohsiung in about 90 minutes
| Route | How it works | When to apply | Suits you if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cram schools (buxibans) | Private after-school language centres, from national chains to single branches | Year-round | You want to start soon, with training on arrival and no experience needed |
| Recruiter-placed school roles | Agencies such as SEST match teachers to schools and handle the permit paperwork | Rolling, built around the August and February intakes | You want someone in Taiwan managing the process and a choice of cities |
| Public-school programmes | Government schemes placing teachers in state primary and secondary schools | Spring, for an August start | You hold a teaching licence or education degree and want school hours and a housing allowance |
| International schools and universities | Direct hire by individual institutions | By vacancy | You already have qualifications and classroom experience |
Teaching in Taiwan: your questions answered
Can South Africans teach English in Taiwan?
Yes. South Africa is on Taiwan's list of native English-speaking countries for teacher work permits, alongside the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you've been turned away from Korea or China on passport grounds, Taiwan is the market to look at, and it's the one we place the most South African teachers in.
Do I need to be a native English speaker?
For the standard English-teacher work permit, yes: it's tied to citizenship of one of the seven countries above rather than to how well you speak. Fluent speakers from elsewhere occasionally find routes through international schools or by teaching another subject, but they're the exception. If you hold a passport from outside the list, ask us about destinations without the restriction, such as Japan or Vietnam.
Can I teach in Taiwan without a degree?
Not without any post-secondary qualification. A bachelor's degree in any subject is the normal route, and an associate degree plus a TEFL certificate is the accepted alternative. Beyond that there's no workaround, because the work permit is what your resident visa and health insurance hang from.
Do I need to speak Mandarin?
No. Classes are taught in English, and cram schools usually pair you with a Taiwanese co-teacher who handles the classroom in Mandarin. Taipei is easy to navigate with none; smaller cities take a little more effort. Many teachers pick up conversational Mandarin in the first year simply from ordering food and getting around.
How long does the whole process take?
Faster than Japan or Korea. From accepting an offer you can often be teaching within six to ten weeks. The slow steps are getting your degree authenticated and your criminal record check issued at home; once you land, the work permit, health check, resident visa and ARC usually take four to eight weeks together. Your TEFL course is the quick part, and most people finish it while the paperwork is moving.
Is accommodation provided?
Usually not at private language schools, though many will help you find a flat and some offer a short stay while you look. Public-school programmes typically add a monthly housing allowance instead. Rents are the reason it doesn't hurt much: a studio in Taipei starts from around NT$12,000, and considerably less in Taichung, Tainan or Kaohsiung.
Can I teach in Taiwan with no experience?
Yes. Cram schools are built around first-time teachers, with training on arrival, set curricula and a co-teacher in the room. Expect a short demo lesson at interview, often over video. A course that includes assessed teaching practice is the simplest way to walk into that demo having already taught a real class.
Is there an age limit?
The work permit sets none. Cram-school chains skew towards recent graduates, but teachers in their thirties, forties and beyond arrive every year, and public-school and adult-education roles often prefer them. Ask us and we'll point you at the employers most open to it.
Not certified yet? Start there.
Taiwan will hire you on a passport and a degree, so your certificate is working to win you a better school, a better city and better hours. Get qualified in a few weeks, then our placement team will help you find the right role.
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