Belgium
Belgium is famous for it’s chocolate, beers, and waffles. Teaching English in Belgium here is not one of the most sought after jobs and there really isn’t much work here. It is not impossible to find a job and most of the work is at the language schools and international schools. One of the joys of teaching English in Belgium (besides the beer) is that you are in a good area of Europe and can get to neighboring countries like France and Holland as well as anywhere else easily.
Basic Belgium Information: It costs about 750-1,000 Euros per month to live in Belgium. That will get you a basic apartment and cover some food expenses. If you want to go out drinking, shopping, or travel, expect it to cost a lot more than that. Overall, Belgium is not a cheap country to live but it is a fun place. There is a good historic vibe there, the people are really friendly, and the beer is great. You’ll find historic cities like Bruges and Brussels worth exploring. Teaching jobs here are usually in universities and language schools.
Salaries in Belgium: Salaries, like most teaching jobs in Europe, are pretty low compared to their cost of living. Contracts typically last one year and the best time to get hired is between semesters in January and September. In general, you earn between 1,000 and 1,800 Euros per month. You won’t get rich teaching in Belgium but you will earn enough to live off of. Unlike in Asia, teachers here receive no additional benefits such as free housing or free flights.
Job Requirements in Belgium: If you want to teach English in Belgium you will need a college degree and a TESOL/TEFL Certificate. Additionally, it will be easier to get a job if you have some experience and are a licensed teacher. Like with most of Europe, there is a bias toward U.K. trained teachers.
Belgium Visa Requirements: Most state schools are not prepared to go through the difficult process of hiring native English-speaking teachers from outside of Europe. EU visa rules require that positions first tried to be filled with people from within the EU making it much easier for people from the UK to get a job. It is not impossible and you will have more success at the international schools but it is hard to get an English teaching job in the EU.
