Teach English In Brazil - An Amazing Experience Awaits!

Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world, and the biggest country in South America. Many people who teach English in Brazil have no idea before arrival what an amazing country it is. Brazil has a remarkably diverse population, beautiful scenery and a very unique culture. And, if you like soccer? Well, I don’t even have to tell you how crazy Brazilians are for the sport!

In Brazil there is lots of demand for English. Brazil has the world’s 10th largest economy. Because of trade agreements with the United States and other English-speaking countries, the demand for English is soaring. The only tricky part is getting there and landing a job.

The Visa Scene

Your biggest hurdle is the visa. Brazil is notorious for making it tough.

In order to teach in Brazil, you must have a work visa. Although many people teach with just a tourist visa, it is illegal, and getting caught means getting kicked out. If this happens, you’ll find it even tougher to get back.

It is pretty much impossible to get a work visa if you are outside of Brazil. It is especially difficult for people to get work visas in order to teach English. Most English schools will not sponsor their teachers’ visas.

Why is this? The main reason is that it’s a very expensive process. Even if you find a school that will sponsor your visa, which is completely possible, they will probably make you pay for it. So, save your pennies!

Landing A Job From Overseas

First off, as far as requirements go, there aren’t any particularly. It is recommended that you have a Bachelor’s degree in something or other. Teaching experience or certification helps but is not required.

There are lots and lots of short-term volunteer or teach abroad programs. If you do a web search, you’ll find many of these, and they will allow you to come to Brazil and work legitimately as an English teacher. Unfortunately, these are short-term. Still, if you’d like to get a taste of Brazil, it would be a good experience. It also might help pave the way to a long-term teaching job.

There are also TEFL and TESOL programs where you take the course and then they place you in a job afterwards. This offers a nice, safe way to get into the country on a long-term basis. The only problem is that you have to pay for the course, moving expenses, and most likely your work visa.

Come And Look For Yourself

By far, the most successful way to find a teaching job in Brazil is to come and look for yourself. Brazil is a fairly cheap country to stay in, so you can stretch your money out a bit. You can also network with teachers who are already here and can hook you up.

If you choose to come to Brazil and look, it’s a good idea to have a little Portuguese under your belt. Just learn the basics, and you can pick up the rest when you get here.

Everything you’ve heard about Brazil is true. It’s a wonderful country with a rich culture. The people are friendly, the food is good, and the English teaching industry is exploding. Just get through the red tape, and let the adventure begin!