Teacher Movesby Expat Teacher's LoungeInternational teaching jobs, and how to apply safely.
Most international school jobs are advertised on a handful of platforms, and the busiest hiring months are December to March for an August start. Know where to look, check the school is real, and be wary of anyone who asks you for money for a job.
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Hook me up with a job 😪 Qatar or Canada, I’m tired of interviews and no response.
Find and land a job in
five steps.
The teachers who get the best offers usually start earlier than everyone else.
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Register early
Search Associates advises being registered a full year before you want to start.
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Use the main platforms
Tes, Schrole, Teach Away, Search Associates, ISS, SeekTeachers and LinkedIn.
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Check every school
Look it up in an accreditation or membership directory before you apply.
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Apply properly
The school's own application form, supervisory referees and a CV tailored to the post.
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Get it in writing
A clear written offer and contract, checked before you sign.
- Where: a handful of job boards and recruitment organisations carry most international school jobs.
- When: openings build from December and peak through March for an August start, but jobs come up all year.
- Check the school: use accreditation and membership directories before you apply.
- Money: under the ILO's fair recruitment principles, workers shouldn't pay recruitment fees.
- Canada and the USA work differently: certification first in Canada, a designated sponsor for the U.S. J-1.
Where international jobs are advertised.
| Platform | What it is | Cost to teachers |
|---|---|---|
| Tes | A large teaching job board with international listings. | Free to register. |
| Schrole | A job board and school database. | Free tier with 3 applications; full access US$50 a year. |
| Search Associates | A recruitment organisation with invitation-only job fairs for members. | US$100 for one year including one fair, charged after pre-screening. It says the hiring school pays any recruitment fee. |
| ISS (EDUrecruit) | A recruitment platform with virtual iFAIRs and in-person expos. | Free account; Premium US$75 a year. |
| Teach Away | A job board and recruiter. | Free for teachers. |
| SeekTeachers | A recruiter that places teachers with schools. | Free to register; schools pay. You may pay for your own police check and attestation. |
| Networking and job adverts, including from school leaders. | Free basic account. |
Prices as published by each platform on 18 October 2026. Check each site before you pay.
When schools hire.
Search Associates says vacancies are low in September and October, then build to a peak in December, January, February and March, and advises being registered a full year before you'd start work. Its Canadian office describes October to March as peak season, and SeekTeachers says most recruiting happens from January to March. Jobs still appear all year, especially when teachers leave mid-year.
Watch: How to find a teaching job in Qatar: where to apply and when to start
How to check a school is real.
Before you apply, and certainly before you accept, look the school up in at least one of these:
- Council of International Schools (CIS) membership directory
- NEASC directory of accredited and candidate schools
- MSA-CESS accredited schools
- Cognia accreditation registry
- UK Department for Education: British Schools Overseas inspection reports
- IB: Find an IB World School
Accreditation is voluntary, so a school that isn't listed isn't automatically fake. But a listing is something you can check, and a good school will be glad you asked. If you're an early career teacher from England, note that schools without British Schools Overseas accreditation can't offer statutory ECT induction.
Fees, scams and how to stay safe.
The International Labour Organization's fair recruitment principles say no recruitment fees or related costs should be charged to workers, and they count visas and background checks as related costs. The UK's Disclosure and Barring Service lists the warning signs of job scams:
- A job offer without an interview.
- Being asked for money, especially into a third party's bank account "for your visa".
- A salary that looks too good to be true.
- Poorly written adverts and suspicious email addresses or contact details.
- A company you can't find any trace of.
When I received the New Brunswick recruitment link, I checked that the registration was linked to an official website, read what the form asked for, and only then filled it in. Search for the recruitment campaign yourself instead of trusting a forwarded link, and don't send passwords, banking details or identity documents unless the stage really needs them.
Canada and the USA.
Canada: public schools hire through school boards and districts, and you need to be certified by the province first. Ontario requires certification by the Ontario College of Teachers; New Brunswick requires an interim certificate. Many boards post jobs on Apply to Education, which covers 182 Canadian school boards. Start with Canada teacher certification, explained.
USA: the J-1 Teacher programme works through sponsors designated by the State Department, and you need at least two years of full-time teaching. See teaching in the USA on a J-1 visa.
Common mistakes to avoid.
- Paying an agent a placement or "processing" fee.
- Starting too late for the December to March peak.
- Not checking the school in a directory.
- Accepting an offer made without an interview.
- Not getting a clear written contract. Use the contract checklist.
- Applying to Canadian public schools before you're certified.
Get your application ready with the teacher CV and interview guide.
Sources
- Tes Jobs
- Schrole: Jobs for teachers
- Search Associates: Candidate FAQs
- Search Associates: About job fairs
- Search Associates Canada: FAQ
- ISS: Find a teaching job
- Teach Away: Fees
- SeekTeachers: Costs for teachers
- LinkedIn: Compare plans
- GOV.UK: British Schools Overseas inspection scheme
- ILO: General principles and operational guidelines for fair recruitment
- GOV.UK (DBS): 7 signs of job scams
- GOV.UK: Job scams
- Competition Bureau Canada: Job and employment scams
- Ontario: Qualifications for teaching
- Apply to Education
- U.S. Department of State: J-1 Teacher program
This page is general information, checked in October 2026. Platforms change their prices and services, so check each site. Teacher Moves is not a recruiter and does not place teachers in schools.
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What job-hunting teachers tell us.
From the comments on our free videos.
What teachers say
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Frequently asked questions.
Where are international teaching jobs advertised?
On job boards such as Tes, Schrole, Teach Away, SeekTeachers and LinkedIn, and through recruitment organisations such as Search Associates and ISS, which also run job fairs. COBIS lists jobs at British international schools through Tes.
Do I have to pay to find an international teaching job?
Mostly not. Teach Away and SeekTeachers are free for teachers. ISS and Schrole have free accounts with paid upgrades, and Search Associates charges a membership fee. Search Associates says any recruitment fee is paid by the school that hires you.
When should I apply for an August start?
Early. Search Associates advises being registered a full year before you start, and openings peak from December to March. Jobs still come up all year.
Do I need to go to a job fair?
No. Search Associates fairs are invitation-only for members, and ISS runs virtual and in-person events, but many teachers are hired through online interviews without attending one.
How do I check a school is real?
Look it up in official directories: CIS, NEASC, MSA-CESS, Cognia, COBIS, the UK government's British Schools Overseas list, and the IB's Find an IB World School. Accreditation is voluntary, so not being listed doesn't prove a school is fake, but being listed is something you can check.
What are the warning signs of a teaching job scam?
The UK's Disclosure and Barring Service lists unrealistic pay, a job offer without an interview, being asked for money, and suspicious emails or contact details. Never pay into a third party's account for a visa.
Is it normal to pay visa fees myself?
The ILO's fair recruitment principles say workers shouldn't pay recruitment fees or related costs, including visas and background checks. In practice it varies, so get it in writing. U.S. J-1 sponsors do legally charge programme fees, so check the sponsor is on the State Department's list.
How do I get a public-school teaching job in Canada?
Get certified by the province first, for example through the Ontario College of Teachers or New Brunswick's interim certificate. Then apply to school boards or districts, many of which post on Apply to Education.