Teach English in Venezuela

TEFL jobs in Venezuela

Latin America has many stunningly beautiful and picturesque areas, and among them is the fascinating country of Venezuela. Although there has been some civil unrest, there are still plenty of opportunities on offer for anyone looking to teach English in Venezuela. Over the last 14 years, the late president Hugo Chavez spent a lot of time serving the poorer areas of his nation. He was determined to bring change and worked hard to provide education and healthcare to these areas. This has led to many people wanting to learn English as, of course; this is important for commerce between Venezuela and the US. So if you are an English teacher in Venezuela, you can find work teaching all ages of people, including adults wanting to be taught English in Venezuela to give them better work prospects. 

It is a beautiful location, so if you are lucky enough to work there, you should also take the time to explore the many wonders. How able the highest waterfall in the world? Many people assume Niagara must be the tallest, but it is actually Angel Falls in Venezuela. Located in the Caribbean Sea, there are also stunning crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, and plenty of sunshine to enjoy your time outside. 

It is landlocked on three sides, with Brazil to the South, Columbia on the West and Guyana on the East. Still, from the amazing coastline, you can easily sail over to Trinidad and Tobago, equally beautiful places to explore. Venezuela is famed for the wealth of natural gas reserves and is also the fifth-largest export of oil in the world. So, you can easily see why it is essential for people to learn English, so if you do not have experience teaching business English in Venezuela, now could be an excellent time to brush up on your skills or book a TEFL course. 

In this guide, we look into the opportunities that exist for English teachers in Venezuela and how you could secure one of these vacancies. We also discuss living in the country, the cost of living and what qualifications you might need to be able to more and teach English in Venezuela. 

How to find a job teaching English in Venezuela

You can find work teaching English in Venezuela from elementary grade level right up to schools and colleges. As mentioned, there is also a demand for business English teachers in Venezuela. Like most places, there is a mix of private and public school work available. So, whatever your preferred choice of student is, there will be plenty of work available for you as an English teacher in Venezuela.

While each job teaching English in Venezuela will have different requirements, you will always find that qualifications and experience serve you well. There is a variety of pay grades, and again, some of these depend upon the experience of the candidate, while others will be down to the type of establishment offering the work. If you hope to work at a university, you will need to have a master’s degree, but this is very common right across the world. 

You could also teach English in Venezuela on the internet in your spare time or take clients on a private tutor basis, but if you do this, be sure to find out about the self-employment rules and how it affects other issues such as tax and health care. Many people do have more than one job, and this could be the path that works best for you. 

When and where to look

Schools go back from holidays in January, and they break for summer in June, July and August. You will find the most opportunities on offer a couple of months before terms begin as schools start to sort their staffing levels. However, if you want to teach English in Venezuela to adults, you will find the classes are open all year round. You will need to make sure you arrive in the country a few days before you start so you can settle in and get familiar with things. Most posts will not cover flight costs, so this will be down to you to cover. 

Children learn English in Venezuela from grade one, and there is an increasing demand for English skills as the country recovers and starts to trade on an international level. You will find a lot of work teaching English in Venezuela if you head to the capital city Caracas. Other cities with good opportunities can also be found in Maracaibo and Valencia. Some locations are closer to the coast if you enjoy beach life, whereas others are in urban environments if you prefer city living. 

You will be expected to attend interviews in person, so many people who want to teach English in Venezuela head there on holiday first to secure a job. 

Qualifications

For most roles teaching English in Venezuela, you will need to have a degree, which is pretty standard, so to be expected. It would also help if you have your TEFL certification; the expected standard for this is 120 hours. If you have both of these, you should find that getting a job as an English teacher in Venezuela is relatively easy. If you are missing the TEFL, you could find a language school out there that offers both TEFL and CELTA programs so you can do this qualification while you are waiting to teach English in Venezuela. If you are an experienced teacher in your home country, you may find that the TEFL is not required but worth doing in your own time. 

The government does not fund language schools in any way. They are private businesses. This can limit the number of people who can afford to pay for lessons. Public schools financed by the government often have the best-paying role in the area, which is pretty unusual as usually, the private institutions offer better money. Teaching English in Venezuela will earn you less than, say, Argentina or Chile in South America because they both have a better economies. 

If you want to teach English in Venezuela, you will need to be a native English speaker or incredibly fluent. 

Work visa

For anyone to enter Venezuela, they need a 90-day tourist card. These are given out on the flight over; therefore, most of the populous need nothing more. This applies to people coming from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and most of Western Europe. There is no requirement for a work visa, so you don’t have to worry about that. 

Classroom culture

In terms of clothes, you should keep your outfits for work business casual. This means you must not wear flip-flops or jeans and certainly no shorts or beach clothing. Save these for your time off. 

If you know someone in Venezuela, expect to be greeted with a kiss on each cheek. If you are just a business acquaintance, it will be one cheek. When you meet someone for the first time you should shake hands and offer a greeting. It is appropriate to maintain good eye contact and stand close to the person you are talking to. 

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Living costs

The monthly payment for an English teacher in Venezuela is not the best, you can expect to earn between $400-$600, and therefore a lot of teachers have more than one job or take on extra part-time work to top up their income. Private tutoring is one option, and you can either go to the homes of your students or have them come to you. You could also choose to apply for a job in another industry, but you would have to have some Spanish language skills to successfully do this. 

When you are teaching English in Venezuela, you will find that the cost of living is lower than in other areas of South America like Argentina or Chile. There has been some inflation recently, but the cost of housing should be reasonable for an English teacher in Venezuela. 

That is one benefit you will find in many schools. They do offer English teachers in Venezuela housing as a perk of the job. You may be able to rent a small property alone or find others looking to share accommodation and move into a house share. 

The figures for living costs in Venezuela are taken from Numbeo.com, the world’s largest cost of living comparison site.

  • Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: USD $10.00
  • Beer: USD $1.10
  • Cappuccino (regular): USD $1.57
  • Milk (regular): USD $1.66
  • Monthly Pass: USD $30.00
  • Utilities: USD $17.75
  • Accommodation: USD $260-$422

TEFL jobs in Venezuela : KEY POINTS

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SALARY

USD $400 and $600

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree preferred

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MAIN JOB TYPES

Primary/secondary schools, private schools, language schools, In-company schools

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TEFL CERTIFICATION NEEDED

120 hour TEFL certificate

KEY FACTS

  • Popular TEFL Locations: Valencia, Caracas
  • The average salary for EFL teachers: foreign teachers might anticipate receiving between USD $400 and $600 per month in pay. Additionally, the majority of teachers work part-time jobs, and private tutoring for extra spending money is not unusual.
  • TEFL qualification requirements: A TEFL course of at least 120 hours is required for most jobs.
  • Prerequisite university degree: A degree is typically required to teach English
  • Term times: January through March (when most schools resume after the holidays) and June through August
  • Capital: Caracas
  • Language: Spanish
  • Population: 30.2 million
  • Currency: Bolivar fuerte (VEF)
  • Government: Presidential constitutional republic

Job opportunities teaching English in Venezuela are found in many different places, from state and private schools to universities and language schools. There are also many volunteer roles if you do not happen to have a degree and TEFL certification. 

 

You are much more likely to find paid work if you can evidence that you have teaching experience and a correctly qualified. Many students spend the summer volunteering in a TEFL role which, of course, gives them valuable experience for the future. 

 

Venezuela is a bit of a hidden gem. Most people do not realise how beautifully the area is, and it does have a vibrant nightlife. Sadly this is marred a little by the civil unrest and political instability, but things seem to be improving. Your best chance of finding a well-paid job is to look for work teaching English in Venezuela in one of the major cities like Caracas or Valencia. 

 

These cities are both stunning coast-based areas, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy the Caribbean sea in all its glory. Many beaches remain wild and undiscovered, so if you like to get away from it all, you can find yourself a corner of sand and hide away. If you prefer something more lively, there are plenty have hotels and entertainment facilities right there. One of the most popular water sports is windsurfing, so if you haven’t ever tried it, you will have no excuse. 

 

Of course, you should also take the time to visit Angel Falls, which is part of Canaima National Park, a true natural beauty. To get to the waterfall, you need to book a guided tour, and these tend to last 2/3 days. This ensures you get to explore the best views safely, and there will also be a chance to swim beneath the falls if this appeals to you. It is an active holiday, and you will need to be happy to hike and canoe to reach the falls. Of course, you are also within easy reach of some of the smaller Caribbean islands, and they are great places to visit. 

 

  • Popular TEFL Locations: Valencia, Caracas
  • The average salary for EFL teachers:  foreign teachers might anticipate receiving between $400 and $600 per month in pay. Additionally, the majority of teachers work part-time jobs, and private tutoring for extra spending money is not unusual.
  • TEFL qualification requirements: A TEFL course of at least 120 hours is required for most jobs.
  • Prerequisite university degree: A degree is typically required to teach English
  • Term times: January through March (when most schools resume after the holidays) and June through August
  • Capital – Caracas
  • Language – Spanish
  • Population – 30.2 million
  • Currency – Bolivar fuerte (VEF)
  • Government – Presidential constitutional republic

Facts about Venezuela

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LANGUAGE

Spanish

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POPULATION

30.2 million

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TEFL JOB DEMAND

High

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CURRENCY

Bolivar fuerte (VEF)

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OUR VENEZUELA TEFL RATING

3.8/5

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TEFL jobs in Venezuela : FAQS

Q:

How do I become an English teacher in Venezuela?

The best way to become an English teacher in. Venezuela is to start with the location you want to base yourself in. This means you can research the area. In most cases, you will need to have a bachelor’s degree and TEFL qualification. 

The amount of money you can earn teaching English in Venezuela will vary depending on the institution that is hiring. It is also dependent on the person and what qualifications and experience you are bringing to the role. On average, in Bolivia, you can make $400-$600 a month, whereas, in Argentina, you might find that this is more like $600-$1200. However, they will also have a higher living cost. 

Venezuela is a relatively cheap place to live, and the cost of living is lower than Argentina or Chile. 

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