France

France is an amazing country. The food, the culture, the wine are second to none. French people tend to be very nice and laid back. However, the French view their language as “the best” so there is no real push to learn English like there is in many other countries in Europe. Therefore, jobs here are very limited and outside of Paris, you won’t find many. Most of the ESL teaching jobs here are done by native French speakers who are proficient in English.

Basic France Information: Living and teaching English in France can be an exciting experience. You get to be part of the exquisite French culture, you only work about 25 hours a week, lunch breaks are long, and the culture is really laid back. You’ll have plenty of time to travel around the country. It is much harder to find an ESL teaching job while not living in France. Those interested in teaching English in France should travel there first to find a job.

Salaries in France: Teaching English will earn you between 1,400-2,000 EUR per month in France. Sometimes, the company may give you completion bonus at the end of your contract. However, you will not find a wide variety of benefits like you see in other parts of the world. Additionally, remember that France has a high tax rate so much of your salary will go towards taxes. Overall, you will earn enough money to live but don’t expect to get rich teaching in France.

Job Requirements in France: To get a teaching job in France, you will need an university Degree and an Oxford Seminars TESOL/TEFL Certificate. Experience is greatly preferred, especially at the university level. Moreover, there is a bias towards U.K. trained teachers.

Visas Rules for France: Like all jobs in the EU, it is difficult for non-EU citizens to get a visa for France. France has tough visa rules. Employers must prove teacher is expert in and that they are not taking the position from another EU citizen. It’s a lot of work for employers to hire non-EU teachers so there is a tendency to hire teachers from the UK.