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Remote Jobs > Working Overseas > The Easiest Way to Obtain a Work Visa

If you are a native English speaker, meaning that you grew up speaking English, then this method will work for you. It is true that many places require you to have a bachelor’s degree, but it is also true that many others do not. A short 120-hour program will teach you exactly how to do it and even help you get started. And the program doesn’t cost much at all. So, this is truly the easiest way to obtain a work visa in a foreign country. Plus, once you have your work visa, you can even start looking for other professional jobs in that country!

Remember that finance job you couldn’t get overseas because you didn’t have a work visa? You can now get that job because you have a work visa! Door opened!

Teaching English abroad is one of the very best ways to travel and really take a deep dive into the life of a nomad or an expat - and it allows you to get a more in-depth understanding of the country than a simple vacation. You’ll really learn about the culture and the people, and have tons of time to explore the country (as well as the surrounding countries) as well.

Here’s why it’s an amazing opportunity:

You get to fully immerse yourself in a different culture
Usually in very high demand in countries around the world
Open to all ages - from your 20s into your 70s
Much cheaper cost of living
Easily travel to the surrounding countries that you’d otherwise never see
12-month contracts allow you to switch countries and teach English all around the world!

It’s also an open door to obtain other careers in that country

Build excellent job skills like how to prepare and deliver lessons/PowerPoint decks, and manage students.
Network with other professionals to easily obtain a different career once you complete your contract
Learn their language to open work opportunities to you in your professional field!

Teaching English Abroad is a door wide open - and potentially the easiest way to move to foreign countries, obtain residency, and potentially even become a citizen. In fact, many countries in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and even Europe offer this option as a first step to residency or other types of work visas.

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Easily attain work visas for overseas jobs

Here is the deal: it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to land a job in a foreign country without first having a work visa, but the catch 22 is that to get a work visa in a foreign country you first need to have a job offer!

So, the most effective ways to get a job overseas are to:

go there in person on a travel visa and hope that this increases your chances of landing a job
go to university in that country with a student visa first (work visas generally given afterward)
OR to first get a work visa through a critical jobs shortage list

The lowest cost option, and quickest way, is to take a job that they are in desperate need of workers for, and then once you arrive and have a work visa you can start applying to jobs in that country. Now, you’ll likely be required to first fulfill your contract with the first job to keep the visa, but it is the easiest way to get there. Plus, the number one skills shortage job in the world is teaching English! Simply put, you have to be a native English speaker - and if you’re reading this - chances are that this is the right path for you!

Teaching English Abroad

Most of the best travel bloggers started by teaching English Abroad. Drew Binsky started out by teaching English in South Korea. Nomadic Matt started out by teaching English in Thailand. The couple from Goats on the Road (Nick and Dariece) started out by teaching English in China. Even Jenny (from our site) started out by teaching English in Japan.

Teaching English abroad is the most proven, hands down, easiest way to start out - there’s no real competition. The pay is fair, you work around 35 hours per week, the cost of living is usually quite low, and thus you’ll be able to save a decent amount of money. They are mostly located in Asia: Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand - which all have great expat communities and amazing cultures - however you can find them in Latin America and even Europe as well!

There are essentially 4 steps that you’ll need to take in order to start Teaching English overseas, called “Teaching English as a Foreign Language” or “TEFL” for short. Here are those 4 steps:

1. Meet the Requirements

Most places will have 2-3 requirements to teach English in their countries:

You are a native English speaker - this means that your primary language has always been English and that you are from an English speaking country - particularly the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, however dialects are considered and some countries prefer that your native English is from a smaller subset of those countries.
You have a TEFL Certificate - most countries require you to obtain this certificate prior to the application process, however this is not a requirement in all countries. That being said, it teaches you how to teach English while abroad, so it is extremely helpful in making your job easier. Plus, candidates who have a TEFL certificate are generally considered more favorably and it doesn’t take a long time to get.
You might need a bachelor’s degree - most of the time this means in any field. Simply put, you will have some post-secondary education behind you from a university or college. That could be a business degree, a science degree, an arts degree, or any other degree. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, don‘t worry - a TEFL certificate alone can get you into a few countries as well (primarily in Latin America and a couple in Asia)!

Photo by **Stephan Streuders** from **Pexels**

2. Obtain Your TEFL Certificate

There are many options to choose from to obtain your TEFL Certificate. Most countries do require a minimum of a 120 Hour TEFL Certificate to be accepted. The longer your training, the more prestigious you generally look to potential employers.

We recommend a TEFL program that has guaranteed internship programs - meaning they take all the hassle out of securing your first teaching placement.

Here are some of the best ones – sometimes they have sales, so check out each one:

“To get a visa to teach English in Japan, you’ll need to have a Bachelor’s degree. It doesn’t matter what your major was, but you do need to have a Bachelor’s degree and send a copy of your diploma when you apply for the visa. TEFL or TOEFL certificates are not required, I didn’t get one before going to teach, but if I were to do it again, I would look at getting a certificate with a program that taught lesson planning and required some hands-on practice.
I noticed in my own lessons that after the first year of teaching my lessons got better. So while I did my best, I think having the training that a certificate puts you through would definitely help a lot.” - Jenny, Teaching English in Japan

3. Find a Place that will Hire You

Keep in mind that taking a position at an International School (private), a Government School (public), Private Schools, Language Schools, Tutoring, and Corporate Training jobs are all quite different. Consider the job that you would like to be doing and who you’d prefer to be teaching.

Check out this handy tool to estimate what your salary would be as an English Teacher!

Job Boards for those seeking English as a Foreign Language Jobs

Keep in mind that while using these sites there may be a number of suspicious companies and/or a few scams. Check on the companies outside of your conversation with the people involved in these job-posting boards to make sure your offer is legitimate. Always look for the company online as well as on their social media page(s), particularly Facebook and/or LinkedIn, prior to giving any vital information. Here are a few of the best places to find these jobs:

4. Interview Process

Expect the interview to be online, usually through Skype or Zoom, so make sure that you have them downloaded and updated before your interview. Also, have a few trial runs with friends and/or family to work out the kinks - i.e. your audio isn’t on or your microphone doesn’t work.

This isn’t a shoo-in situation, so dress for the part - even if the interviewer isn’t (this happens on occasion). You’ll need to answer questions about teaching, even if you don’t have experience doing it yet. So, if you don’t have experience - it is once again helpful to have a TEFL Certificate because you’ll have been taught how to do that and will be able to answer these questions very well.

Many of the initial interviews are only for 15 minutes - to screen out the candidates who don’t fit the requirements - so you need to make a quick, and great, first impression to get a follow up interview and/or get hired. If you fail at one, keep practicing, improving, and trying again - there are many opportunities!

Once you’ve been accepted, you will need to get fingerprints done and fill out some important paperwork to get your visa, but most of that process will be assisted by the place that is hiring you. It is not a terribly difficult process.

Photo by Nicki Eliza Schinow on Unsplash

Teaching English as a Foreign Language for 1 Year

Your contract to teach English overseas will likely be for 1 year, extendable at your option. So, as a condition of your original work visa, you will likely need to complete that contract to retain your work visa. This means that you do have to teach English in that foreign country during that contract BEFORE you can switch over to another career. But, don’t worry, it is only for 1 year and it’s actually a really amazing cultural experience that will prepare you better for any other job that you’ll likely take in that country.

Learn more about what it’s like to teach English overseas before you go. This way you’ll know exactly what to expect and how life will be for you overseas during your first year. Read this article for more information:

Teaching English Overseas: What it's Like to Teach English in Foreign Countries

Transitioning to a Professional Career Overseas

Using the TEFL and 1-year contract teaching English overseas as your gateway into another career is the easiest way to obtain a work visa in a foreign country. Once you are there, you’ll be able to start looking around for other careers. These companies will be much more willing to hire you simply because you are in the country already and you already have a work visa in place. This makes it easier for them to convert you to another work visa with their company after your 1-year contract is complete!

Learn more about how that process works through this interview we did with an American who started off by teaching English in South Korea, and then transitioned to a career as a “Global Content Management & Social Media Specialist” after he was finished:

Easily Get a Job Overseas and Obtain Residency and Citizenship Fast

TEFL Programs & Internships for Specific Countries

While there are a number of options that you can choose from, and you probably have a few countries already in mind that you’d prefer to explore, one of the easiest ways to get your foot into the door at highly competitive areas (like Europe) is to take an internship there first.

Here are many of your options from around the world:

Eastern Asia
Generally mid-range pay with perks if you have a degree & TEFL, with some competitive high-paying positions.
Southeast Asia
Generally mid-range pay if you have a degree and TEFL, with some lower pay opportunities with just a TEFL.
- Singapore (higher range pay, requires an education-type degree)
- Thailand (take the Internship in Thailand, Chiang Mai, or the “no-degree required” Internship)
- Cambodia (take the Internship in Cambodia)
- Vietnam (take the Internship in Vietnam)
- Indonesia (or even in Bali)
- Myanmar (take the Internship in Myanmar)
- Malaysia
- Laos
Europe
Generally mid-range pay that is very competitive and requires a degree and TEFL.
Latin America
Generally lower pay, but doesn’t require a degree at all - only a TEFL.
- Argentina (take the Internship in Argentina or with guaranteed job position)
- Costa Rica
- Colombia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Haiti
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
Africa
- South Africa (take the volunteer program)
Middle East
Generally higher pay, but requires a degree in teaching.
- Iraq
- Tajikistan
- Turkey
- UAE
- Israel
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Oman

Need help finding a place to teach English? Add a comment at the bottom of this article with what country you are trying to get into and we’ll help you find a way to teach English there!

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Welcome to Your New Home

Now that you’re working overseas you are officially known as an “Expat” and are a part of our community. Feel free to make this new country your new home, or feel free to try out other countries by finding another English teaching job. If you already have the TEFL and the experience, it is much easier for you to bounce around from country to country for as long as you like - or stay put if you love where you are!

Let us know if you have any additional questions and/or if you’re planning to teach English Abroad. We may like to feature you as well! If you’ve found this article to be helpful, please share it with other people who you believe would be interested in this opportunity as well. Thanks!

FAQ’s

How much does it cost to apply for a work visa in different countries?

The cost of a work visa varies from country to country. Typically, work visas are more expensive than tourist visas due to their additional requirements and benefits. However, the higher salaries often offered in foreign countries can help offset these costs. For example, according to one source¹, the average fee for a work visa in Colombia is $297, while in Mexico and Chile it is $36 and $15 respectively². However, these fees may not include other expenses such as medical exams, translations, or courier services.

What are the legal and tax implications of working in a foreign country?

Working in a foreign country can have significant legal and tax consequences for both the employee and the employer. Depending on the country, the duration, and the nature of the work, the employee may need to obtain a work and/or residency permit, pay income tax and social security contributions in the host country, and comply with local labour laws and regulations. The employer may also need to register with the tax authorities, withhold and remit taxes on behalf of the employee, and contribute to social security and pension schemes. Additionally, the employee and the employer may be subject to double taxation or tax treaty benefits depending on the tax agreements between the home and host countries³⁴⁵.

How long does it take to process a work visa application and what are the common challenges or risks involved?

The processing time for a work visa application depends on various factors, such as the type of visa, the country of destination, the completeness and accuracy of the application, and the workload of the immigration authorities. Generally, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to obtain a work visa. Some of the common challenges or risks involved in the process are: delays due to missing or incorrect documents, changes in immigration policies or procedures, language barriers or cultural differences, and potential rejection or denial of the visa application⁶⁷⁸.

(1) Visas for workers from specific countries | New Zealand Government. https://www.govt.nz/browse/immigration-and-visas/get-a-visa-to-work-in-nz/visas-for-workers-from-specific-countries/.

(2) 11 Countries Where It’s Easy to Get a Work Visa - GoAbroad.com. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/jobs-abroad/countries-where-its-easy-to-get-a-work-visa.

(3) Work Visa - Guidelines and Requirements of Work Visas Worldwide. https://visaguide.world/work-visa/.

(4) The Most Expensive and Affordable Countries for Work Visas. https://travelobiz.com/the-most-expensive-and-affordable-countries-for-work-visas/.

(5) 7 countries with Work Visa for Indians (2024) [+ jobs in demand .... https://www.globaljobassist.com/blog/easy-work-visa-countries.

(6) Tax Tips Alert | 8 June 2022 Remote Working – tax and legal ... - PwC. https://www.pwc.co.nz/pdfs/2022/tax-tips-remote-working-tax-and-legal-considerations.pdf.

(7) Are you remote working in New Zealand for a foreign employer ... - Deloitte. https://www.deloitte.com/nz/en/services/tax/perspectives/remote-working-in-new-zealand-for-a-foreign-employer.html.

(8) Should You Allow Your Employee To Work Remotely From A Foreign Country?. https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/05/26/should-you-allow-your-employee-to-work-remotely-from-a-foreign-country/.

(9) ‘Workations’ Create Risky Tax Traps When Traveling Overseas. https://news.bloombergtax.com/tax-insights-and-commentary/workations-create-risky-tax-traps-when-traveling-overseas.

(10) The Tax Implications of Working Remotely from Another Country - Omnipresent. https://www.omnipresent.com/articles/what-are-the-legal-and-tax-risks-of-remote-employees-working-from-abroad.

(11) Accredited Employer Work Visa in NZ - Full Step by Step Guide. https://www.immigration-lawyers.co.nz/guide/accredited-employer-work-visa/.

(12) Work Visa Application (INZ 1015) | Immigration New Zealand. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/the-application-process/forms-guides-and-checklists/@@resource_summary/cff66c56952e478e8a372685c85a4f13.

(13) Your Ultimate Guide to Navigating the Application Process for a Work .... https://www.icaustralia.com/ultimate-guide-navigating-application-process-work-visa-australia/.

(14) US Work Visa for NZ Citizens - What Should You Know? - ESTA. https://www.esta.co.nz/us-work-visa-for-nz-citizens/.

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