How to Become an Online ESL Teacher in China

You're not the only one considering a career as an online English teacher. As distant learning technologies become more widely available and the world becomes more linked, one of the fastest-growing education-related businesses is online tutoring and teaching.

This rise in employment opportunities is attributable to a variety of reasons, including improved access to technology and the emergence of the gig economy. However, the increasing worldwide interest in studying English is one of the major reasons for the rising demand for online English instructors.

There is a long tradition in China of hiring English instructors from all over the world to teach English as a second language (ESL) in person as well as online.

According to the figures, teaching English online in China is a burgeoning business for those looking to acquire teaching experience while also interacting with a worldwide community from the convenience of their own homes. (or anywhere, really).

Do You Have the Requirements?

After-school programs were subjected to a study I discussed earlier this year. That's where it comes into play, however, right here. As a result of a large number of after-school educational programs available to Chinese children and their parents, the Chinese Ministry of Education decided to implement rules to guarantee that the programs provided are of high quality and fulfill specific criteria. Students may be certain that they will be taught by competent instructors who work for respected businesses as a result of this policy.

However, depending on your history, these new rules may have an impact on you. However, before this regulation, it was unclear who might legally teach in China, but now all internet recruitment firms are required to follow standards that have been written in stone by the government. In order to work as an English instructor for a Chinese business, you must fulfill the following minimal standards.

TEFL certificate with a minimum of 120 hours of training

Clear criminal history record

a four-year university education

Note that these rules were put in place to keep Chinese businesses responsible, but they don't necessarily apply to other companies. They're there to hold Chinese organizations accountable. Despite the fact that most companies will have similar criteria, you should still read the job descriptions thoroughly to make sure you are a qualified applicant for the position.

Clean criminal record and a bachelor's degree are the only two criteria left, and they should be obvious since the government wants to make sure you are both capable and responsible.

How Much Does a Typical Employee Make?

You're probably wondering, "What's in it for me?" after reading that. For example, you may work different jobs while teaching online since there are no commuting expenses and no set hours to keep track of. To begin with, let's speak about the subject of money

Working as an online English teacher in China, you may expect to get paid on an hourly basis at minimum. It has its benefits and disadvantages, but a big advantage is that you may take on as many pupils as you like. If you're interested in online teaching as a side hustle, you might work 10 hours a week to earn some extra money. This may be part time employment, in which case commit to 30-40 hours of online study each week. Hourly employees aren't entitled to overtime pay, but they do have a great deal of control over how much hours they put in throughout the workday.

Several variables will influence the hourly pay rates, including your experience (how long have you been teaching? Have you ever had the opportunity to work with expatriates? Before teaching in China, did you have any prior teaching experience? What's your educational background? Are you employed by a school or language institution directly? If so, what kind of TEFL certificate do you have? Does a recruiter have you on their list for consideration?).

The hourly rate you may expect to earn if you use a recruiter (which is the most popular method) is between $14 and $22, depending on the variables mentioned above. However, your basic salary is just the beginning of your total compensation. In addition, you may be qualified for further incentives or bonuses.

In other words, if a company offers a $2/hour attendance incentive, you are paid more if you don't skip any of your weekly sessions. You may also be eligible for incentives if your parents and pupils consistently give you good feedback. If a company's compensation structure includes financial incentives of this kind, be careful to check online reviews to see what others have to say. It's very uncommon for businesses to provide incentives that are really extremely difficult to accomplish, so it's critical to hear from those who have done it before.

Aside from reading reviews and asking questions about the benefit package when applying for jobs via schools or language institutes, it's critical to understand the differences between each institution's compensation package before applying.