Brazil - TEFL in Brazil
From the ICAL TEFL wiki
Perhaps the best way to secure a teaching position in Brazil is to get hold of schools in the area where you want to go and contact them directly.
Ads for ESL jobs on the Net are few and far between and searching the Net for employment opportunities in Brazil will not take you far. Alternatively you can take the plunge, enter the country on a visitor's visa, and walk in on schools on spec. SKILL, Yázigi, and Fisk are among the biggest national chains in Brazil but be aware that their work ethic and management style can vary greatly.
English schools dot the country, so you are spoilt for choice. Unlike in other countries where big cities equal to plenty of job opportunities, the smaller the town in Brazil the more likely you are to find employment. Small towns don't attract as many foreigners as cities like Rio and São Paulo do, so you will face far less competition there. Of course, teaching in rural areas means that your salary will probably be lower than those offered to teachers working in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, or Rio Grande do Sul, for example, which are generally considered the most advanced Southern regions. However smaller towns mean lower cost of living, less crime, more personal interaction!
Hours and Wages
The average ESL teacher in Brazil works between 15 to 25 hours a week. Your employer will provide you with additional in-house training as well as accommodation. The average monthly salary is around 800 - 1,500 USD (610 - 1,110 EUR, 520 - 990 GBP). This is enough to live on but not really enough to save. Of course the cost of living is much cheaper here compared, say, to North America.
Expect to be paid on the black but don't worry about being exploited; most language school's owners view their English teachers - particularly if they are English native speakers - as valuable assets that will attract students, ad they look after them!
Private lessons pay a lot more but there are some restrictions in schools by making their teachers exclusive.
To work in Brazil the usual qualifcations required are a degree and a TEFL certificate such as the ICAL TEFL Certificate.
Job Offers
For your reference here are a couple of job offers ICAL received recently. They shoud give you a rough idea of the kind of applicant English schools in Brazil are after.
1. From an agency in Rio De Janeiro, which provides private lessons at corporate level.
Basic requirements:
- High School Leave Certificate or higher
- TEFL, TESOL or CELTA
- More than 1 year teaching experience
- Clean, professional and hygienic appearance
Hourly rate:
$30 BRL (= 13 USD)
Teaching hours:
25+ hrs per week for full-time teachers up to 15 hrs per week for part-time teachers
2. From a small language school, offering a short term position.
Basic requirements:
- American native speakers
- TEFL or TESOL
- with or without experience
- outgoing, honest, passionate about teaching, prefrebley of Christian faith
Monthly wage:
$400 BRL (=174 USD)
Teaching hours:
6 hrs a day, 5 days a week
Accommodation:
Free accommodation (with a Christian family) Three meals a day provided
Lenght of contract:
6 months
Visa
It is often reported that getting a working visa in Brazil is extremely difficult, unless you are extremely well qualified and have already got a firm job offer from a reputable language school.
Given the difficulties, most teachers work illegally on a tourist visa.
Visas are easier to get in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Difficult to impossible in Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, and Uruguay.
