Hot Topic: Making More Than the Locals

Employers will be quick to tell you that as a TEFL teacher you'll be making two or three times what a local teacher makes. While this may be true, they're not giving you all the information they should be.

For example, the average local teacher doesn't have tens of thousands of dollars of student loans to pay back nor do they want to travel halfway across the world to visit their family every year or so. Budgeting is easier for them.

Local teachers often have local connections and knowledge of the local language. This means that they can buy things cheaply, may get benefits that you don't such as bonuses and pension, and may get somethings for free such as housing.

There are other things that you have to consider as well. Their English might be lower than yours, they might have to create fewer lesson plans or teach less.

On the other hand, they might be fluent in English, do more work, and teach more. They also might be certified teacher whereas many language institute teachers are often little more than native English speakers with degrees.

The long and short of it is that it's not fair to pay teachers according to their nationality. They should be paid according to their experience, qualifications, and work that they do.

What do you think?
How differently are local teachers paid than foreign teachers where you work? Who's usually more qualified: the local teachers or the foreign teachers? Why?

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