In August, the Chinese government announced sweeping changes to its education policy, barring online tutoring platforms from employing foreign teachers outside China for most subjects, including English.
The new laws, which passed with little warning, have devastated leading ESL providers in China, many of which had built successful international learning platforms as an alternative to traditional education.
Major brands operating in the $120 billion dollar industry, including GOGOKid, Qkids, and VIPKid, have been forced to sever ties with overseas teachers working with Chinese students, which makes up the lion’s share of their international business.
The government’s explanation for the sudden crackdown is that it wants to lower living costs and reduce the risk of student burnout in a country where education is highly competitive.
But with many online teachers now looking for new remote roles, non-Chinese ESL companies could benefit from the new law and are likely to see a surge in job applications worldwide.
If you’re looking for a new position to teach English online, here are 7 international tutoring platforms that are busy hiring English teachers.
1. Skooli
2. Preply
3. Fluentbe
4. Beyond English
5. Engoo
6. EnglishtoGo
7. Lingoda
7 Non-Chinese ESL companies to teach English online with
1. Skooli
An innovator in online tutoring, Skooli is one of the most recognized names in the business.
Based in Toronto, they’re hiring fluent English speakers worldwide that are certified to teach.
Working with Skooli at a glance:
- Teach English online with Skooli to students at the middle school, high school, and university level, mainly located in the U.S.
- Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications, tutors can earn over $25 per hour with Skooli.com, a rate that exceeds most learning platforms.
- Skooli holds its tutors to high standards, and candidates must be certified to teach their specialist subjects and pass a background check.
- Tutors on Skooli can set their schedules, and there is no minimum time commitment beyond what you’ve agreed to work with specific students.
- Create a strong profile that allows students to compare your credentials against their needs.
- Look out for session requests in your Skooli inbox and take advantage of custom-made video conferencing tools unique to the platform.
They’re looking for dedicated educators who love to teach and want to combine their passion for their work with either a full-time or part-time work from home teaching gig.
Learn more about teaching English online with Skooli today.
2. Preply
Preply is a US-based one-to-one online tutoring platform with students from across the globe.
Preply provides you with tutor support, an intuitive tutoring platform, and the freedom to set your schedule, hourly rate, and working location.
Working with Preply at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English speakers who hold a high school diploma, a teaching credential/license, and at least 2 years of teaching experience.
- Teaching English online one-on-one with students at all levels, up to university.
- Get paid right after class and withdraw anytime.
- You decide how much you want to charge!
Preply also offers its tutors immediate payment after every class and the freedom to withdraw payment at any time, rather than at the end of the month or on specific pay dates.
With Preply, you can grow your online language tutoring business by connecting with over 200,000 students worldwide.
We think Preply is an excellent option for anyone who’s looking to make extra money on the side or teach online remote full-time.
Learn more about teaching English online with Preply today.
3. Fluentbe
Fluentbe is an online language school that’s based in Poland.
It’s very popular with students in central Europe, and teaching applicants need a minimum of 1-years’ experience, a bachelor’s degree or teaching certificate in ESL will also be a requirement.
Working with Fluentbe at a glance:
- Fluentbe hires fluent English speakers from native English-speaking countries to work with Polish students (children, teenagers, and adults).
- Teachers can set their own rates, with the average being around $10 per hour.
- You can enjoy flexible working hours and small classes, ranging from 1 – 4 students, with all resources and lesson plans provided for you.
- Teachers can cover a wide variety of topics with Fluentbe, including Business English, Conversational English, Medical English, and English in I.T.
- As part of the job interview, you’ll need to give a 10-minute demo lesson to current Fluentbe students via Skype.
Fluentbe places a lot of emphasis on exam prep, offering custom-made courses for both the PET and IELTS tests, amongst others.
If you’ve taught IELTS or PET or want to upskill by gaining experience in teaching exam strategies, this could be a good side gig for you.
4. Beyond English
Beyond English is a mission-based ESL platform based in Chile.
The company is B-Corp certified, meaning it meets the highest social and environmental performance standards, balancing its for-profit status with a strong social purpose.
Working with Beyond English at a glance:
- Applicants must be TEFL certified and hold a bachelor’s degree.
- You must be authorized to work in the USA or Chile but can teach online from anywhere.
- Starting pay is $17 per hour for U.S. teachers working part-time online positions for a maximum of 16 hours per week.
- Teachers are free to manage their own schedules and can expect to teach a mix of both children and adults.
- Kids’ classes are taught individually, and adult sessions are usually conducted in small groups.
- Teachers plan their lessons with the support of Beyond English personnel and use custom-made resources.
Beyond English is passionate about promoting cultural exchange through language.
They want to expand equal opportunities in education for both their students and partner organizations. If you like the idea of collaborating with a platform that has a clear social mission, we think this could be a great option.
You can learn more about the application process here.
5. Engoo
Engoo is an online tutoring platform from Japan that has enjoyed rapid growth, expanding into other Asian territories and European countries.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, and no ESL teaching experience is required.
Working with Engoo at a glance:
- Engoo hires teachers from more than 70 countries worldwide. English speakers from non-native countries are welcome to apply, but a language proficiency test is part of the application process.
- Tutors on Engoo can expect to earn around $10 per hour. However, the schedule is highly flexible, with lesson slots available 24/7. This means tutors can maximize their earnings, with wages distributed via Paypal and Payoneer.
- Classes are 25 minutes long, with a 5-minute break between each slot. Lessons are taught one-on-one, and you’ll mainly be working with Japanese and Taiwanese students of mixed ages and proficiency levels.
- Classes are conducted through Skype or Zoom, full training is provided, and the platform offers 24/7 real-time support for all tutors.
- Very little prep is required because Engoo provides all teaching materials; Plus, there is no minimum or maximum time commitment.
Engoo has a vast database of students, which means there is always a high demand for teachers on the platform.
You’ll rarely run out of work, and Engoo’s 24/7 schedule means this could be a decent side-gig for teachers who are happy to work flexible hours.
Find out more about working with Engoo.
6. EnglishtoGo
EnglishtoGo is based in Costa Rica and works with business executives and corporations across Latin America who want to improve their English skills.
Business English is EnglishtoGo’s specialty, and they prefer to hire more mature tutors for their online learning platform.
Working with EnglishtoGo at a glance:
- Applicants must be TEFL certified, and university graduates with some experience in the business sector are preferred.
- The starting rate is $11-$12 per hour, and most new starts can expect to work 4 – 12 hours per week, with hours increasing as tutors become more familiar with the platform.
- Candidates need to commit to a minimum 6-month contract, with preference given to tutors who can commit for 12 months.
- Students will be business executives, and tutors should familiarize themselves with specialized vocabulary in diverse sectors, including banking, finance, accounting, and medical English.
- EnglishtoGo will provide all class materials, but tutors must plan lessons for small groups, ranging from 1 to 6 students.
- Lessons are conducted using Zoom or Skype, and familiarity with Microsoft Teams would also be advantageous.
- If you’ve got experience teaching Business English, or if this is an area you’d like to specialize in, then a job with EnglishtoGo could be ideal. Most students on the platform are experienced business professionals and fit an older demographic.
For this reason, EnglishtoGo prefers to hire more mature tutors, 40 and over. Plus, if you’ve previous experience in a corporate role, this will enhance your application.
Discover more about teaching online with EnglishtoGo.
7. Lingoda
Considered by many to be the leading online learning platform in Europe, Lingoda specializes in highly interactive content that is very student-centered.
Popular with business professionals, Lingoda works with clients from blue-chip brands, including Google, BMW, and Adidas.
Working with Lingoda at a glance:
- You’ll need to be TEFL certified and have 2 – 3 years of experience to teach English online with Lingoda.
- Applicants must be fluent English speakers from a native English-speaking country.
- Earn up to $12.34 per hour, with payment issued monthly.
- Tutors book the classes they want to teach rather than waiting on student bookings, making it a very flexible working environment.
- Classes are 60 minutes long, adults-only, and are taught in small groups of no more than five students.
- Individual classes are hosted on Skype and group sessions through Adobe Connect. Teach with custom-made materials based on the CEFR framework.
- There’s no minimum workload, with your average teacher on Lingoda working between 5 and 20 hours per week.
One of the main benefits of teaching with Lingoda is that you can pick and choose the classes you want to teach, which gives you complete control over your schedule.
You can book both long-term (months in advance) and short-term (hours in advance) slots, which makes it a perfect option for tutors who need a flexible schedule.
Here’s how you can apply to be an online tutor with Lingoda.
Take advantage of new opportunities in online teaching
Despite the new restrictions on ESL companies in China, there are still plenty of exciting online teaching jobs.
Many tutoring platforms give teachers the chance to focus on a niche area and learn valuable new skills.
Plus, teaching online can be a handy side hustle or a rewarding career, depending on your preferences.
Check out our job board and find the perfect role for you.
