Teach English Abroad In Cambodia

Requirements And Qualifications

• Degree

  A Bachelor's Degree is not required for this program.

• TEFL Certification

  A minimum 120 hours accredited TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certification approved and internationally accredited. 

• Tattoos

  Minor, visible tattoos are permitted on this program, but must be disclosed at sign-up and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

• Age Requirements

  The eligible age range is 21 to 40 years old. 
  
  Individuals aged 41-59 can be screened and accepted on a case-by-case basis.

• Medical and Mental Health Considerations

  Medical test required? 
  Yes for work permit.
  
  Medical Disqualifiers
  Speech impediment
  Autism
  Walking with a cane
  Legally blind or deaf
  Dyslexia
  Chronic dizziness
  HIV
  Schizophrenia
  
  Conditions Require Discussion with us before Approval:
  Bipolar
  Epilepsy
  Depression
  Cancer
  Anxiety
  
  Notes
  If taking any medication for mental health, must have doctor’s note. 
  
  

• Dependents and Pets Policy

  This program does not accommodate dependents (spouse/partner/children).
  
  This program does not accommodate pets.

• Religious Attire and Garments

  Not possible for this program.

• Criminal Background Check

  Clean background checks. Minor offences can be reviewed for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.

• Language and Country of Citizenship

  This program is only open to citizens (passport holders) from the following 7 nationalities: 
  USA
  Canada
  UK
  Ireland
  Australia
  New Zealand
  South Africa 
  
  Non-native speakers 
  Can be screened and accepted as long as they hold an EU passport and possess a minimum C1 level of English proficiency. Must see an intro video at signup to confirm eliglibility.

• Contract Length

  12 months (renewable).

• School Types

  Private and International schools.

• Teaching Placement Locations

  Top locations are: Phnom Penh; Siem Reap; Krong Poi Pet; Battambang & Serei Saophoan.
  
  Preferences are requested, but placement location is NOT guaranteed. 

• Working Hours

  40 working hours per week (20-30 hours of teaching). The rest of the time is grading, meetings, and lesson prep. 

• Class Size

  15-25 students per class.

• Hiring Seasons

  No Backout Dates. Can come any time of the year.
  
  Schools hire and recruit English teachers year-round.
  
  July and January are the best times to come as August and January are semester start dates in Cambodia.

• Visa Support

  Tourist Visa or Business Visa: 
  
  Business Visa: Applicable to those who have received a placement before flying over. The school will issue employment letters to the teacher, who can then apply for the visa on the government website or a new application. Visas are typically issued in 1-5 days. Costs 42 USD in total. Applicable to all native English speakers.

  Update as of December 2024 - all business visa holders should bring $700 USD in cash to show proof of funds, in case immigration requests to see this
  
  Tourist Visa: If not pre-placed, above, apply for a tourist visa on the government website or a new application. Costs 37 USD. Issued in 1-5 days. Applicable to everyone if not pre-placed.

  Teachers must also have:
  1. An exit ticket from Cambodia within 30 days (a flight to Thailand on the weekend after orientation is recommended).
  2. Proof of accommodation (provided by us).
  3. At least $700 in cash for immigration.
  
  After you accept a placement, once you are in Cambodia, you must complete a visa trip if you arrive on a tourist visa.

• Start-up Costs

  Housing once at Placement - $200 - $400/month, Normally, the first month's rent and a deposit equaling one month is required. 
  --------------------------------
  Placement Program Startup Costs - $1,300 to get teachers through to their first paycheck.
  In-Class TESOL + Placement Startup Costs - $1,600 to get teachers through to their first paycheck.
  -------------------------------------
  
  Health Insurance - Teachers must purchase travel insurance that covers them for the duration of their contract in Cambodia.
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  Accommodation Assistance: After accepting a placement, the placement team can review accommodation options in the area.

• Other Important FAQs

  1) What is living expense per day?
  It’s best to plan on around $10 per day living costs.

  2) Do schools provide lunch?
  Some do but not all.  This will depend on each individual employer and their policy.

  
  3) What is the cost of transport?
  Taxis can range from $1-$3 for a 15-30 minute trip. Motorbike taxi is roughly $1. Tuk Tuks are among the cheapest options for transport. There are also local two-row trucks that act as buses and will have a set route and can cost anywhere between 50 cents to $1 per trip. In the big cities, such as Phnom Penh and Siem Riep, there is also Grab taxi, which is like Uber.

  
  4) Is transportation from my accommodation to work included?
  Some schools will assist teachers with transportation but this is very rare. However, public transport is available.

  
  5) How safe is it?
  Like anywhere else it is recommended that you remain alert; however, Cambodia is a relatively safe place for both men and women to be alone. 

  
  6) What are the age groups I will be teaching?
  Students range from kindergarten to high school. While we do try to meet individual preferences, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed with your first choice of age group.

  
  7) What are the working hours? And days per week?
  You should expect to be at school for 8 hours per day, but you will only have about 4-5 “in class” hours though. Private schools typically run from Monday to Friday. Language schools run in the afternoons and then full day Saturday and Sunday. 

  
  8) Are there sports after school that you have to attend or teach?
  This will depend on your school. In most cases, teaching activities out with work hours is voluntary, however they do have concerts, cultural festivals and after school activities every now and again that you will be expected to attend. 

  
  9) After my contract can I still travel in the country or do I need to leave straight away?
  You can stay as long as you like as long as you maintain a legal visa status.

  
  10) Can I renew my working contract and visa without leaving the country?
  It’s possible but it depends on the situation. Worst case scenario, you just do a quick border bounce and come back on a visa exemption and then your new school can transfer you over to the work permit.

  
  11) How long is the working visa valid for?
  It depends. Typically, 6 months or 1 year depending on length of contract.

  
  12) What type of visa will I be arriving on?
  You will be arriving either on tourist visa exemption, otherwise known as a visa on arrival, or a business visa on arrival.

  
  13) Are there organized activities during evenings and weekends?
  We hold meet-ups for teachers at different times throughout the year. These meet ups are a great we to meet up with old friends and meet new people who are in your area.

  
  14) Will I receive any language lessons? How will I understand my students?
  During your orientation week and TESOL course, you will have several Cambodia language lessons to get you started. One of the key things to remember in your classroom is to gesture your directions. You may find that your students have a lower proficiency of English than you were expecting, but overtime you will learn to communicate with your students and colleagues.

  
  15) Where is the best place to work?
  This will differ from person to person. There are no bad places to work as every person has their own preferences. We find that there are tremendous benefits to working in both rural and urban areas.

  
  16) What is possibility of second job to make more money?
  Many of our teachers take on extra work to build up their monthly income. In some cases, people are able to double their income with extra work on the side.  This can be negotiated through your employer or done privately and usually for English tuition.

  
  17) How are the authorities?
  The authorities are genuinely helpful and professional.  They should be treated with respect as in your own home country. 

  
  18) Medical services and insurance?
  We require that participants be fully insured in Cambodia with travel insurance for the duration of their stay. This must be arranged prior to as obtaining insurance once you have left your home country can be difficult and expensive.  The insurance that schools may provide is too basic to provide good quality medical care. 

  
  19) What is phone and Internet connectivity like?
  WIFI can be spotty all over Cambodia so we recommend getting a larger data plan on your phone in case you need to hot spot your other devices. Phone connectivity is really good and cheap and there are many places to assist you with this process. XploreAsia will provide you with a SIM card upon arrival and will help get you up and running within the first two days of the course.

  
  20) Can non-native speakers participate in the course and placement? 
  At this time, we only allow participants from native English-speaking Western countries. 

  
  21) What if you are unhappy in a job? Can you get a new one?
  Yes, but we don’t often find this to be a problem. If the applicant really dislikes the job and they have a good reason, then we can help move them. But they need to understand that this can take time, and we ask that they be patient and flexible.

  
  22) What us the dress code for teaching?
  Men are expected to wear smart trousers and a collared shirt. Depending on the school you may also be required to wear a tie. Women are expected to where a skirt and a smart shirt or blouse or a dress. Some schools may permit women to wear trousers. The dress code varies depending on the school but you should plan to dress to impress.

  
  23) How difficult is the TESOL course? Can I fail?
  Yes, you can fail. However, the XploreAsia staff continuously monitoring applicant’s progress and should they feel that an applicant requires additional support it will be offered to them to ensure that they are able to pass the course.

  
  24) Must the teachers have CV’s?
  Yes. Your CV should be added to the XploreAsia template and sent to XploreAsia ahead of your arrival in Cambodia.

  
  25) Are there any serious laws they are very strict on?
  Cambodia has a zero tolerance on drug possession and speaking negatively about the government.

  
  26) Can couples be placed together?
  This can be done, but not always at the same school. The schools may be within the same town. For participants travelling in couples or friends, they need to be extremely flexible and open to placement location.

  
  27) What is the level of English and behavior of students?
  This will vary city to city; however, there is typically beginner knowledge of English throughout the country.  Thai students are generally well behaved.

  
  28) What curriculum will they follow at school?
  There is no set curriculum; each school will have their own curriculum and procedures. Teachers should be aware they most likely will be asked to teach multiple subjects, all in English. 

  
  29) Will my colleagues speak English?
  Yes.  Sometimes only limited English though.

  
  30) Will I work with any special needs children?
  Yes, probably, but they won’t necessarily be classified as such.  They will attend your regular classes.

  
  31) What are the chances of schools deducting security money? And how does this work? 
  Schools often hold a small portion of salary in escrow until the end of the contract to dissuade teachers from leaving in the middle of a school term.  

  
  32) What are the expected deductions from your paycheck? Does is differ from school to school? 
  The tax rate is approximately 10% for teachers in the first 6 months in Cambodia, and then lowers to the residence rate around 5% in the second 6 months and beyond. 

  
  33) Will I get paid overtime?
  No.

  
  34) What are the chances of getting a salary increase?
  If you do a good job there is potential to get a pay rise or a resigning bonus.

  
  35) What are the chances of teaching English in neighboring countries?
  We work with several other countries in Asia and we can help participants who are interested in teaching elsewhere get started.

  
  36) Is all paperwork and books supplied by the school?
  Yes, most of the time, but not all the time.

  
  37) When are the school holidays?
  There are many public holidays throughout the year. school holidays are not long as these are private and language schools 

  
  38) What is the big difference between language schools, private schools, government schools and varsity?
  Starting times and salaries vary.  Also, they have different holidays.  Language schools typically do not have long holidays.

  
  39) Can participant choose part or full time?
  All positions are full time.

  
  40) Is religion a big issue?
  No, however it is important to be respectful at all times of other religions.

  
  41) What happens if you lose your job? Can you get a new one?
  If you are fired due to poor conduct, we will no longer help with placement.

  
  42) Are you expected to work during school holidays?
  Not normally, however your school may ask you to participate in an English camp or activities camp of some kind.

  
  43) Can you drink tap water?
  It is recommended not to drink the tap water, as there can be bacteria our bodies are unfamiliar with. Bottled water is cheap and it’s safer to go buy a bottle. But if you happen to get a mouth full brushing your teeth, etc., there’s no need for concern. 

  
  44) How does setting up the local bank account work?
  We will stand by to assist and provides a step-by-step guide on opening a bank account once you arrive in Cambodia. The fee to set up a bank account is USD 10.