Country info and advice - Argentina
Your questions answered about teaching English in Argentina, from teachers who have been there and done it!
No, you don’t need a degree to teach in most private language schools. Most state-run schools and bilingual schools require a degree unless there is a shortage of degree-qualified teachers.
Most private language schools require a TEFL qualification, although demand for English teachers is higher than supply so requirements do not tend to be very strict. State-run schools and universities may require a Teacher Training College (Instituto del Profesorado) qualification [Edit: and it may not be possible for foreign teachers to work in these institutions - see Eddie's comment below].
It is difficult [Edit: maybe impossible? - see Eddie's comment below] for foreign teachers to work in state-run schools. In the private sector a work permit is required but there are no nationality or age restrictions. Your employer will have to apply for the work permit for you. These are issued by the National Directorate of Migration.
Buenos Aires is the easiest place to find work, as well as other big cities such as Cordoba, Rosario and Mar del Plata. Demand for English teachers is high.
Contacting schools directly and, if you’re already in Argentina, going door-to-door, seems to be the preferred way. Advertisements sometimes appear in newspapers (Clarin, La Nacion, Buenos Aires Herald) as well as their online versions, and many jobs are posted internally at language schools and universities. If you take a TEFL course in Argentina your instructors will typically recommend you potential employers. Word of mouth and recommendations from other teachers are also common.
Other answers:
I found Craigslist one of the most useful websites for finding available work. There is also a high turnover of teachers which is why the schools don’t often offer jobs in advance.
To work in a public school you need to enroll in a list and participate in an “Acto Publico” where teachers can get a job according to a score that depends on degree, years of experience, etc.
The best time to find work is February/March as the school year begins in March. However, many language schools who work primarily with companies recruit all year round.
Other answers:
We found no problem when we turned up in June/July – in fact we were offered so many jobs we had to turn lots down.
For private lessons in Feb/ March, June/July or Nov/Dec. when students must sit for exams.
A teacher working full time can expect to earn about 300-4000 ARS, although it depends on the city and region. If paid hourly, rates at language schools can be anywhere in the region of 20-70 ARS, again depending on the region. The first 10,800 ARS is non-taxable, and the rate is then 9% for the next 10,000 ARS and 14% for the 10,000 after that.
25 hours a week and split shifts are common, as are afternoon and evening shifts at private language schools.
Yes, but it requires patience. Word of mouth and advertising locally in newspapers and on websites such as Craigslist seem to be the best ways.
| Typical cost | |
| a cup of coffee | 10-15 ARS |
| a beer | 15-20 ARS |
| a cinema ticket | 30-40 ARS |
| a meal in an average restaurant | 50-80 ARS |
| a month’s rent | 1200-2000 ARS for a one-bedroom apartment |
| a bus ticket | 1.40 ARS or 3 ARS within Buenos Aires |
| a pair of jeans | 150 ARS |
| 1kg of tomatoes | 12 ARS |
| a subway ticket | 2.5 ARS |
| a one-way bus ticket from Buenos Aires to Mendoza | 300 ARS |
| a return flight from Florianopolis to Buenos Aires | 1500 ARS |
96% of respondents in our survey thought that the cost of living is high or quite high compared to salary.
Public transportation is generally very good (buses, subways and trains have frequent schedules) but there are many traffic jams in Buenos Aires so it may take 30 minutes to do 25 blocks during rush hour.
We mostly get around by car (though petrol is expensive and traffic is horrible) and by bus or trolley (at least in the parts of the province near the capital city). Taxis are expensive so they’re only used to go short distances or in emergencies.
Internet is easy to install at home but varies in cost according to where you are. It tends to be cheaper in bigger cities where there is more competition between service providers and can take about a month to install. Internet cafes are widespread.
Do you agree or disagree with this? Can you improve an answer?
The elegance of Europe, the passion of South America. Buenos Aires is the most cosmopolitan city of South America. The world famous and amazing falls of Iguazu. The Northwest, the region of the mighty Aconcagua and the Train to the Clouds. Bariloche with its majestic mountains and lakes. And the wild and wondrous region of Patagonia. Travel to Argentina is an unforgettable journey. Teaching in job rich Argentina can be amazing, but there are a few good things to know before you arrive.
1. Remember that Summer is Winter aka the seasons are switched and most people don’t realize this when they first think of travelling here.
2. Argentina is cheap, BUT, it is still relatively expensive in comparison to a place like Bolivia or Guatemala.
3. Call radio taxis, or only take a taxI with a company logo on it. The majority of times you will be fine, in fact most travellers will have no problems, but kidnappings do happen. They normally involve borrowing you and your credit card for a few hours to max it out and to request a little ransom. This is rare, but still… beware it is a reality here.
4. Get insurance. You can get insurance at local hospitals in Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, wherever, and it is cheap. It is full-coverage for about 140 pesos most places and that is usually better than the $50 US or 30 pounds sterling people are paying for just catastrophic.
5. Immerse yourself. I can’t tell you how many people that visit want to "optimize" their time here with Spanish / TEFL / Gym / Phone / internet. My advice, relax. People here usually do not have email and they are much happier- go figure.
6. See the sights, but realize that most people that live in Argentina don’t know too much outside of their barrios, or province. This is because there is so much other culture here that you FEEL. Just because you see some sights does not mean you know anything about them and thus haven’t really experienced its "Chi" if you will. So hit up a used book store or bring your guide book, get a coffee, and read about culture and history here to absorb what you are taking part in.
7. If you have the time, go North, South, East, or West. Argentina is SO FULL of beauty and wonder, it would be a shame if a traveller who had the time to go to at least one natural wonder missed out on that opportunity.
8. Attend events: Go to a football game, a tennis match, a polo tournament, whatever. Argentina is into sports and outside activities like BBQs (asados). When in Rome…
9. Drink as much good wine as possible. I’m serious, it’s here, see number 8 regarding "When in Buenos Aires…"
10. Call me, or visit our website for more tips and local immersion at the TEFL Taster Cafe for Argentina and advice for Latin America, tastercafe.com
Suerte!
Buenos Aires is a mixture of the cities of Paris, Rome and Madrid. It’s one of the most sophisticated cities in Latin America, and very European. As any other city in the world tourists need to take precautions when going out, but nothing more serious than in any other cosmopolitan city. Just don’t go out with your passport, or a lot of money. Public transport is quite good and very cheap. Regarding the taxis, the safest are the radio taxis which you can call at any time.
There is a lot of work for ESL teachers, as English is in demand for all those people who work for multinational companies. It’s not an expensive country, although it can be more expensive than those countries like Bolivia or Peru.
The South of Argentina is one of the most beautiful places to visit, with mountains, lakes, glaciars. Bariloche and Villa Langostura have landscapes very similar to Switzerland.
Life in Buenos Aires can be fun. There are lots of cafes, and people tend to go out a lot late in the evening. The food is fantastic, specially beef meat, the steaks are just delicious!!! People from the provinces are quite different from those living in Buenos Aires. The pace in BA is quite like in New York, hectic, whereas in the provinces people tend to take it more slowly. However, we do take time to enjoy dinner in very good restaurants, going to the theater, etc.
Health insurance is not expensive, and the Argentine doctors are one of the best in South America.
If you need to keep in touch via internet, you can go to a LOCUTORIO, these are call centers where you can either make long distance calls or rent a PC for the hour in order to check your e-mails. Travelling in Argentina can be an unforgettable experience.
I’m teaching in Buenos Aires now. Don’t be fooled by the adverts from the TEFL schools. There is work but its badly paid and you will struggle to make ends meet. Infact most of the students from my TEFL course have gone home out of pocket. Its OK if you have some back up cash and you’re in it for the experience. Buenos Aires is not a good place to be penniless in so be warned.
If your advice is about a specific school, please post it in our forum
English language schools in Argentina
Teaching in North and South America forum
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It is strange to see a few answers referring to work in state (public) schools in Argentina. The law forbids non-Argentinians to teach in public schools, so forget it.
My friend is Spanish, has been here over 30 years, qualified as a teacher here in Buenos Aires, is the administrative director of a colegio of 2000 students, and even he is not allowed to teach a single class, by law.
So please, let’s forget this nonsense about native speakers working in state schools etc. The only option here is the small private language institute with no holiday pay, no sick pay, no bonuses, no free accommodation, and all the rest of it. You’re a freelancer – enjoy the freedom!
Thanks Eddie for the comment – we’ve edited a couple of the answers to reflect this.
I’m British and work in a small private institute in one of the smaller cities in Argentina. I get holiday pay for the many public holidays (at least one a month, it seems) and I receive bonuses. I think the key is to find a smaller city with fewer native teachers and to negotiate a decent deal for yourself. I hear native teachers in BA have a harder time of it because the demand is lower due to greater competition.
I also manage to save about £500 a month after expenses. However, to earn a decent wage , you have to be prepared to work long hours (I’m in class for 45 hours a week), both at work and at home.