Teach English in Venezuela

Are you feeling a little daring? Why not try to teach English in Venezuela, one of Latin America’s most picturesque countries on earth? Surprisingly, there are a lot of teaching positions open in this South American country despite the civil unrest. This is because Hugo Chavez, the late president, spent the majority of his 14 years in office assisting the poor, particularly in the areas of health care and education. Therefore, English is an important resource in this fast-rising nation, despite recent rocky political relations between the US and Venezuela, which means that teaching English in Venezuela could be the dream job you have been looking for.

Venezuela is a fantastic place for TEFL teachers to obtain experience while taking in the culture of Latin America and its spectacular natural wonders. Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world, and the warm, azure seas of the Caribbean Sea are both found in Venezuela. The beaches offer crystal clear waters, and in general, the climate is good. The country has borders with Guayana on the east side, Columbia on the west and Brazil right below it. It is also a great base from which to hop over to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuela has vast natural gas reserves and is also a global oil exporter; in fact, they are the fifth-largest. You will find that many jobs require you to teach English in Venezuala to adults in the business world who have to deal with English-speaking clients. 

We work hard to offer the most complete programme and employment listings at The TEFL Institute. The few teaching opportunities in Venezuela that we have been able to locate so far are mentioned here. You can read the entire article about teaching in Venezuela, search for other teaching jobs, or peruse the Teaching Job Board to find openings all over the world.

How to find a job teaching English in Venezuela

There are English teaching jobs in Venezuela available at all levels, from elementary schools to public and private high schools and colleges. In terms of the ages and grade levels that teachers can instruct, Venezuela seems to have it all! English proficiency is also required in several professions, particularly those that work with overseas students (like education and hotel management), as well as in big, multinational corporations that oversee everything from retail and sales to finance and the oil industry.

As with most countries, the more qualified you are, the more you can earn as an English teacher in Venezuela. Private schools tend to offer better pay than public schools, and will be looking for those with experience first. If you want to teach English in Venezuela at the university level, then you will need a master’s degree and experience working at this higher level. 

There is also the opportunity to work on a freelance basis to top up your income as an English teacher in Venezuela but remember, if you are self-employed, you are responsible for declaring income earned and must pay and tax due. 

When and where to look for work as an English Teacher in Venezuela

In Venezuela, January through March (when most schools resume after the holidays) and June through August are the greatest times to get employment (which is their ‘summer’ break). However, these fall on the traditional start dates for schools as well, so teachers will need to fly in a few days early for meetings or orientation. You will probably have to cover the cost of your flights, although in some cases, private language schools may offer to pay for this if you join them to teach English in Venezuela. 

English is being taught to primary school students in Venezuela in grades 1 through 5, and the use of English for travel and business is growing, particularly in the capital city of Caracas. While the majority of  English teaching positions in Venezuela are located in larger cities, English teachers can also broaden their search to Valencia and Maracaibo. English teachers in Venezuela who enjoy the beach will find these cities to be the perfect places to live because they are significant centres of commerce and industry and are close to beaches.

It is incredibly tough to get hired while travelling, just like it is for the majority of occupations in Latin America. For teaching positions, the majority of institutions/schools prefer that you be in the nation for the interview, which may well mean you need to go first to find a job, then return home to sort your paperwork and visa before finally heading back to start teaching English in Venezuela.

Qualifications

The majority of institutions, especially universities and private schools, demand a bachelor’s degree from English teachers in Venezuela. Teaching English in Venezuela, like much of the rest of the globe, requires some sort of TEFL certification, and we always recommend that you get 120 hours of experience. This is the most respected way to prove you are qualified to teach English in Venezuela or anywhere else in the world for that matter. You can arrive early to do the course and then stay and teach English in Venezuela because many English schools and institutions offer TEFL/CELTA programmes. However, as mentioned before, you may need to fly home to sort the legalities and paperwork that go with being an English teacher in Venezuela before returning to officially start work. 

It’s also vital to keep in mind that because these institutions are typically not connected to the government, paying for classes, there may be more expensive for people. It actually really depends on the school or institute, although a position connected to the government may potentially pay a little bit more. You will find that the salaries offered to teach English  in Venezuela are not as good as some other locations in South America because its economy isn’t as robust as those of Chile or Argentina.

In order to teach English in Venezuela, you must be a native speaker of the language or, at the very least, speak it fluently.

Work visa

A Tourist Card, which is valid for 90 days if you are from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or most of Western Europe, is all that is needed to enter the country; visas are not. Before landing in Venezuela to teach English in Venezuela, you will receive these cards on the aircraft.

Classroom culture

The dress requirement is business casual since most sessions in cities are taught to business people and multinational corporations. It is not permissible to wear flip-flops, beachwear, shorts, or jeans. The institute is responsible for managing the classroom.

In Venezuela, greetings are cordial and courteous. Personal friends and relatives kiss each other twice, but business acquaintances just exchange one cheek kiss. Strangers frequently shake hands and exchange greetings. Venezuelans stand close to one another, and eye contact is crucial.