From Pajamas to Paycheck: Online remote English teaching jobs

An online remote teaching job is a good option for younger workers who want flexibility.

Tired of the daily grind and commute and want an online, remote English teaching job instead? If so, you’re in the right place because that’s what my blog is all about.

Though I focus on online English companies that hire you to teach remotely, if you want a traditional W-2 online remote job, you can find that, too.

In fact, I have one now.

I work for the Adult Learning Program at JPCC. Check out the Staff page for a very unflattering photo of me. It is a normal W-2 job where I have a boss and some staff and all that good stuff.

So, if you’re ready to leave the classroom and turn on your video camera, update your Linkedin and reach out to your networks. Then, go through sites to search for the keywords: “online, remote English teaching jobs”.

I built this site to compare ESL companies that hire you online. This isn’t really a job posting site for all English teaching jobs. I don’t focus much on reviewing “traditional” remote teaching jobs. I mean remote teaching for adult learning programs, public and private schools, refugee resettlement agencies, and so on. That is because there are already several websites that specialize in advertising English as a Second Language (ESL) job opportunities such as these, including ESL jobs worldwide.

There is no point in reinventing the wheel. Here are some of the top sites:

Top ESL Job Websites

  1. Dave’s ESL Cafe: Dave’s site has been around since 1995 and is one of the most popular websites for ESL teachers. When I first started my blog, I was absolutely intimidated by Dave’s site. It is so comprehensive! You can find job board and forums where ESL teachers can share information and experiences there, too.
  2. Teach Away: This website focuses on connecting teachers with international schools and institutions. It has a job board with positions in many countries around the world.
  3. ESLemployment: This website is run by a non-profit organization and has a wide range of global ESL job listings. If you want to travel, this might be a great place to start. Remember, if you want only remote positions, be sure to set that as your search filter. Otherwise, they are going to show you positions with foreign language schools.
  4. TESOL.org: The website for the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) organization has a job board that is helpful. It has positions for ESL teachers in many countries. Make sure you filter by “remote teaching” positions.
  5. ESL Job Feed: This website aggregates job postings from various job boards and websites and presents them in one place, making it easier to find ESL job opportunities. I added a link to the accompanying Facebook page instead of linking the site, because I think it’s a bit easier to start there.
  6. Indeed: Although not specifically for ESL jobs, Indeed is a popular job search engine that has many ESL job postings.

Remember, if you want to travel, then there are other job sites too, such as Go Overseas

There are a lot of sites for teachers willing to travel, but it also might make sense to move to a cheaper country while taking a remote teaching position.

Go Overseas: This website has a job board for teaching opportunities abroad. It also has resources for teaching English as a foreign language.

Remember that you’re likely trading higher pay for more flexibility. So, use it! Move to a cheaper country where that dollar gets you far. Finally, explore the world.

I taught English remotely but lived in a small seaside town in Romania to live very cheaply. I was living like a Queen on roughly $1.5K a month. That is three times the average salary in that town, so it was pretty incredible. Romania is a great place to work remotely. The country has extremely fast internet and good hospitals. Other popular expat locations for ESL teachers include Mexico and Thailand. Definitely check out Reddit communities like r/digitalnomad to learn more.

Congratulations on taking that first step towards your career as an online English teacher! Not only do you get to work from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you have an internet connection), but you can also connect with students from all over the world and share your love of the English language.

If this interested you, you might like looking through my other posts that also discuss remote teaching opportunities.

Learn more

Ingrid Maria Pimsner, MA, BA, TEFL
Ingrid Maria Pimsner, MA, BA, TEFL

Ingrid Maria Pimsner has been teaching for over a decade in various universities, nonprofits, and private academies. She has taught English as a Second Language for Lutheran Children & Family Service, Nationalities Service Center, Lernstudio Barbarossa Berlin-Tegel, and more. In addition to her Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certification, she holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a MA from Maryland Institute College of Art.