Switzerland Overview
| Main Cities/Areas | Salary range (USD/month) |
| Bern, Geneva, Zurich | $1500 â $3000 |
Switzerland is one of the most delightful countries in Europe with stunning landscapes and a pleasant, orderly urban environment.
TEFL salaries are high but so are living costs. However, an excellent standard of living is possible for native English speakers.
As per usual, it is difficult for non-EU nationals to find work here due to legal regulations (unless they happen to be married to a Swiss national!) There is considerable demand for Business English classes with native speakers.
Typical Requirements and Tips
| Degree? | TEFL Certification? | EU National? | Experience? |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
To find out more, you may wish to visit the English Teachers Association Switzerland (ETAS) website.
Consider becoming a self-employed tutor so that you can work when you like and potentially earn a higher salary.
It helps to perhaps learn some German before you arrive. This will make day-to-day life much, much easier.
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.
The cost of living is high. Accommodation, food, and transport can all be expensive on a teacher’s salary. But, then again, the standard of living is very high too.
Employers generally pay your income tax for you and as usual, you should expect to be paid on a monthly basis. Some EU nationals (particularly British and Irish) decide to become self-employed tutors as the profit margins and flexibility can be attractive when compared to working for a typical language center.
Pros and Cons of Teaching in Switzerland
Pros:
- Decent salaries
- One of the most beautiful countries in Europe
- An efficient and pleasant working environment in which daily tasks can be accomplished easily
Cons:
- Lots of red tape for non-EU nationals
- High living costs
- It can be difficult without German language skills
Fun Fact About Switzerland:
One interesting fact about Switzerland that might be intriguing to an English teacher is that Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. This multilingual environment could spark a discussion on language diversity and the challenges and benefits it presents to education and communication in the country.
