Getting a Position

Before giving you a position, the employer has to prove that he/she cannot find a Swiss citizen for this position, then a EU citizen (if you are not the one) and only then consider the applicants of other nationalities.

Another factor to consider before taking up a teaching job in Switzerland is the fact that many EFL teachers work for several schools to get salaries that will correspond to the Swiss living standards. However, if one educational institution or private organization obtains a work permit for you, you will have to ask for a permission to work for any other company.

Full-time EFL teaching positions are rare and are most often given to teachers who have the RSA DELTA.

Use the following tips to find a work place:
• Check the ETAS Job Board for available positions or for possible advertisement placement.
• Use the Swiss telephone directory search engine
• Use the Swiss Web directory
• Look through the local papers and their job websites

Teachers’ Qualifications

Most private schools require TEFL/TESOL Certificates to teach English in their institutions. There are some establishments that may not have such requirements, but they may oblige you to take their training course and their payment rates may be lower than at schools that require TEFL qualifications. State schools usually want their teachers to have local pedagogical qualifications, since they are quite different in every Canton. There may be few exceptions if EFL teachers are much in demand. It is better to check the requirements with the local educational establishments and boards.

Most schools will hire only teachers with experience. If you don’t have such but you have a TEFL/CELTA certificate, you have some chances to get a job. Schools than will ask for a ”demo” lesson or ”try” you out with a ” wait-and-see-attitude”.

School Rates

• It is true that if the school does not require TEFL/TESOL qualifications, it usually offers the lowest payment rates at about 20 CHF per hour.
• If you have a TEFLA certificate, you can earn as much as 30-45 CHF per hour.
• Those with a TEFLA qualification and experience in teaching or examination preparation can expect to earn 50-70 CHF per hour.