A Guide to Teaching in Switzerland

Switzerland is a beautiful country to teach abroad, although the rate of tax is quite high there is one of the best quality of livings in the world. There is a demand for native English speaking TEFL teachers in Switzerland all year round and when you’re not teaching English, you will get lots of free time to explore cities or head to the countryside which is spectacular. 

If you have the right qualifications and also experience which is really beneficial, you shouldn’t find it too difficult to find a teaching job. There is a year round demand of quality English teachers due to people wanting to improve their business and career prospects whilst youngsters often learn at camps and courses set up during summer. 

 

Requirements

Skills, qualifications and experience required to teach in Switzerland:

  • Have appropriate English Language Teaching qualifications
  • Previous experience of teaching
  • You will also have a high proficiency in English
  • You will need to be a self-starter with the flexibility and adaptability to work in a challenging and remote environment
  • Be passionate about sharing knowledge and skills related to teaching

 

Visa 

If you would like to work as an English teacher in Switzerland you need to obtain a work permit. To be eligible you will the right qualifications and also have a job offer and contract on offer. Applying for a permit can be long process, sometimes a few weeks or 3 months+. If you are an EU citizen then you stand a better chance of getting your visa approved because of agreements between Switzerland and other EU countries with the right of people to move freely within the continent and seek employment. Other nationalities can also apply and be approved, but sometimes work permits are limited to the best qualified people for the roles.

 

Where to Seek Employment

  • Language schools
  • Giving private lessons
  • Finishing schools and private boarding schools
  • Summer camps and courses

 

Location of Teaching Jobs

You can find esl employment in all major cities like Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and smaller locations like Ticino.

 

Salary for Teaching in Switzerland

You might struggle to get a settled fixed contract and expect salaries to be lower in state run schools. For a one hour class you might make around CHF 100 (about $60) in larger cities or as little as $30 an hour. With private tuition you will need to see what the going market rate is when you arrive. If you manage to secure a teaching job you can enjoy a lucrative living, Switzerland has high wages and some of the best salaries in the whole of Europe. You will also get to enjoy one of the best standards of living anywhere in the world, but you will need some savings as the cost of living is also quite high. 

 

How to Get a Teaching Job in Switzerland

  • Get qualified (search our TEFL courses in Europe)
  • Check newspapers and online websites - lots of summer jobs are advertised as "English for Kids" jobs
  • You can seek out employment localled going direct to language and private schools with your CV
  • Learn basic French or German
  • Try to get as much experience as possible
  • Check the ETAS website 
  • Read newsgroups where vacancies are advertised

 

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