How to teach English in Portugal

If ever you have nursed the idea of teaching English in Portugal, there are certain requirements you must possess, and procedures you must follow to actualize the idea. These requirements and steps have been carefully outlined in this article to be of great help to you. So, I urge you to pay close attention to this post till the last sentence!

Teaching in any country has been classified as one of the easy College degrees that guarantee a good-paying job.  Teaching English in Portugal and also other countries that have the English language as a second language is a job that thousands of people apply for, due to how lucrative it is. Others also apply to teach English in Dubai.

Teaching English in Portugal is a highly sort after job because Portugal is a southern European country that speaks the Portuguese language as its official language, and very few of the country’s population speak English, so most of them either go to online platforms to learn or are taught by  English teachers, who hold a college degree in the English language.

There are English teachers that teach English in Singapore, and some others teach English in Italy Some English teachers do not prefer traveling to work, because they feel it’s stressful so they opt-in to teach using online platforms. You can become an online English teacher for Japanese students or decide to teach English online to Chinese students, some tutors combine both and earn an income from different sources.

Teaching English in Portugal helps citizens of the country and their students to improve their English accents as they learn from these English teachers, thereby building the confidence that they need to be fluent in the English language.

Now that you have gotten some clarity about teaching English jobs, let us delve properly into our topic!

Are English teachers in high demand in Portugal?

Yes, English teachers are in high demand in Portugal mainly because of the popularity of tourism in Portugal. So, locals try to learn English to improve their chances of getting a job in the tourism industry.

Also, the Portuguese government has been pushing children to learn English from the first grade.

Because of these two reasons teaching English in Portugal attracts English teachers to Portugal. The competition is fierce because so many people want to teach English there.

Teach English in Portugal

What are the qualifications to teach English in Portugal

You know that there are certain requirements or qualifications you must possess for you to teach English in Portugal. Though the requirements may differ from institution to institution, here are the ones you need to meet to teach English in Portugal;

  • Hold a TEFL Certificate
  • Language Requirements
  • Degree Requirements
  • Required Documents and Visa
  • Having a clear criminal background check
  • Age Requirements
  • Prior Teaching Experience
  • Physical Requirements

1.      Hold a TEFL Certificate

A TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) certification is required to teach English in Portugal. Getting TEFL certified will provide you with the relevant training and qualifications you need to get hired by a reputable school in Portugal and should leave you feeling confident in your abilities to provide ESL lessons to your students.

2. Language Requirements

You do not need to be a native English speaker to teach English in Portugal, however, you will be expected to be fluent in English and speak at a native level.

3. Degree Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is required to teach English in Portugal. Your bachelor’s degree does not need to be in education, it can be in any field (i.e.: Marketing, Psychology, Arts, etc). Any four-year diploma or bachelor’s degree from an accredited university will satisfy this requirement (or three years if you studied in the UK, Australia, or New Zealand).

4. Required Documents & Visa

Portugal represents a more challenging job market for any teacher who does not already have citizenship from a qualified European Union (EU) nation or working rights in Portugal. Schools are becoming less likely to hire teachers without work papers and are becoming less willing to help obtain them.

There are Work Visas for Teaching English in Portugal and Student Visa for Teaching English in Portugal. A student visa will allow you to legally work in Portugal for up to 20 hours per week and work full-time during holidays or non-study periods. A student visa can be processed at a Portuguese Embassy or consulate in your home country and must be obtained before traveling to Portugal. The visa application may take anywhere from one to three months to process

5.      Having a Clear Criminal Background Check

You must be screened thoroughly to ascertain that you have no criminal charges leveled against you before being selected as an English teacher in Portugal

6.       Age Requirements

There are no age limitations on applying for a student visa to take classes in Portugal, making this a great option for teachers 40+ looking to teach English in Portugal while studying.

7.       Prior Teaching Experience

With some teaching experience, you are sure to be the choicest candidate over others as you will be seen as someone who is coming to work with experience and not just knowledge.

8.       Physical Requirements

A health screening and/or drug test are not required to teach English in Portugal.

How Do I Start Teaching English In Portugal?

The procedures for becoming an English teacher in Portugal are as follows;

Meeting the set requirements

The requirements that I have talked about above are necessary for you to meet to be ready to start teaching  English in Portugal. Ensure that you have completed these qualifications before venturing into teaching English in Portugal.

Do your research about the teaching jobs

The best time to search for English teaching jobs in Portugal is usually at the start of summer. This is when most schools roll out openings for the new academic session as they hope to fill out the vacancies and conclude contract negotiations by the end of August.

You can also look for jobs in January as some English teaching positions open around then again

Organizing and getting your documents ready

Your documents are very important in applying for a teaching job in Portugal. Some of these documents include; a cover letter, resume or CV, passport photo, clean criminal record, and transcripts.

Applying for the jobs

Now that you have your documents ready, you can start applying for jobs. The job applications are done while you are still in your home country and it is when you have been employed that you can travel.

Planning and traveling to the country to start work after you have secured the job

Once you are done, with the job application, you should start processing your visa immediately without wasting time. Visa processing takes 1 to 3 months before it is completed.

Having done this, you can now pack your bags, enter your desired flight and start your journey to Portugal

Conclusion

Having listed all these steps in becoming an English teacher in Portugal, let’s summarize this article by answering some frequently asked questions about teaching English in Portugal.

Teach English in Portugal – FAQs

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h3″ question-0=”What is the salary of English teachers in Portugal? ” answer-0=” On average, English teachers in Portugal can expect to make anywhere between $1,300 – $1,850 per month from working at a language school with the option to earn additional income through private tutoring ($11-22 USD (10-20€) per hour) and teaching English online ($5-USD 20 per hour). ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h3″ question-1=” Where can I teach English in Portugal? ” answer-1=”The best cities to teach English in Portugal are Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra. In the Algarve, it is more common to find a job as a private teacher. ” image-1=”” headline-2=”h3″ question-2=”Do I need to know Portuguese to teach English in Portugal? ” answer-2=” To teach English in Portugal you do not need to know how to speak Portuguese and it is not usually one of the requirements. You may, however, need to learn basic Portuguese for communication outside the classroom. Can I teach English in Portugal without a degree? No. It is not possible to teach English in Portugal officially without a University degree or TEFL certification. But, in informal settings or through volunteering, you may be able to teach English without qualifications.” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”true” css_class=””]

Recommendations