Ireland Overview
| Main Cities/Areas | Salary range (USD/month) |
| Summer Schools on the west coast | $1000 â $2000 |
As a mainly English speaking country already, you might be surprised to find that there is TEFL work available in Ireland! Although much of it is seasonal, some foreign tourists passing through the beauty spots of the Emerald Isle decide to stay for longer and join a class as a way to meet others in the area. Many actually pay good money to learn English in such a pleasant environment.
The best locations for these positions are on the gorgeous west coast of Ireland. There is also plenty of work in Dublin (and some of it permanent) but the cost of living is very high so teachers tend to share accommodation with other teachers.
You may find in-house Business English classes for foreign workers here, though you would be lucky to stumble upon them without doing a fair bit of detective work and making numerous contacts.
Dublin offers great nightlife but, arguably, the real Ireland is far from the city, in small village pubs, Guinness in hand, listening to traditional music and having a chat with the locals in the middle of beautiful countryside.
Typical Requirements and Tips
| Degree? | TEFL Certification? | EU National? | Experience? |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | 1-2 Years |
The best location for teaching in Ireland depends on you. Do you like the hustle and bustle of city life or would you prefer the idyllic natural beauty and peace and quiet of the countryside?
Accommodation is expensive. The benefits of Summer School jobs is that many of them offer (shared) accommodation as part of the contract. Make sure you ask about this during your interview and do your sums to work out how much it may benefit you financially not to have to find a place of your own.
Most of the work is from May to September (or thereabouts). Bear this in mind and apply it to relevant language schools well in advance.
As with most countries in Europe, it is a lot easier for EU nationals to find work as the paperwork required is significantly less than when applying to employ non-EU nationals. Employers usually take care of work permit arrangements but this can take several weeks.
Be warned, the cost of living is expensive. Accommodation in Dublin is particularly expensive, by any standards. Food and transport prices are fairly similar to other nations in Western Europe.
Employers generally pay your income tax for you and as usual, you should expect to be paid on a monthly basis.
Pros and Cons of Teaching in Ireland
Pros:
- Excellent infrastructure – daily tasks can be accomplished easily
- Beautiful countryside and great nightlife in Dublin
- The TEFL industry in Ireland places huge emphasis on quality
Cons:
- Lots of red tape for non-EU nationals
- Ridiculously high accommodation costs in Dublin
- You may find it hard to find a full-time contract at first
