How do I get a job teaching English in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is a well known destination for teaching English abroad as it has a strong demand for TESOL qualified teachers, year-round warm weather, an exceptional ecosystem, and one of the friendliest welcomes in all of Central America. Its close proximity to the U.S. also means it attracts many American teachers who want to stay within a relatively short flight from home. One other important reason why Costa Rica remains so popular is that getting the right paperwork to work legally long-term is not a problem in most cases.
Table of Contents
How do I get a job teaching English in Costa Rica?
What do I do to get a teaching job in Costa Rica once I am TESOL qualified?
What visa will I need to work legally as an ESL teacher in Costa Rica?
How do I get a job teaching English in Costa Rica?
If you dream of teaching English in beautiful Costa Rica there are a few steps you can follow that should lead you to success. The first and probably most important step is to complete a TESOL certification course. Most employers in Costa Rica and across much of the world expect their teachers to have completed some level of teacher training so they are ready to start work in the classroom immediately and are equipped with all the basic skills and knowledge required to help their students achieve their goals.
There are a large number of schools and language centers in Costa Rica that look to employ foreign ESL teachers and many of them do not advertise their vacant positions outside of the local area. To take advantage of these opportunities many people choose to complete their TESOL training within the country so they are ready on the ground to interview for jobs as soon as the course is complete. Alternatively, you can complete an online TESOL course at home and then fly in and interview for jobs advertised online or found in-person once you arrive.
Check out ITTT's in-class TESOL course in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
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What do I do to get a teaching job in Costa Rica once I am TESOL qualified?
The next step after TESOL qualification is to start applying for the jobs that you like the look of. As mentioned, many employers in Costa Rica prefer to hire locally following an in-person interview so you will probably need to leave home before you have a job secured. However, there is no need to panic as this is common practice and the demand across the country is very high, so most people have no trouble finding a suitable position within a short time. One great way to get a head start on the competition when looking for teaching jobs is to take advantage of ITTT's lifetime job support service which provides the following help to all graduates:
- Access to our database of potential employers
- Exclusive leads on unadvertised jobs
- Advice on constructing a high-quality CV or resume
- Advice on writing cover letters
- Assistance with planning trial lessons for job interviews
- Consultation on potential job contracts
Take a look at the following post for more information: How does the lifetime job support service work?
What visa will I need to work legally as an ESL teacher in Costa Rica?
To work legally as an ESL teacher in Costa Rica, all you need is a tourist visa, which is granted upon arrival to many nationalities, including Americans, Canadians, and most Western Europeans. This visa is valid for 90 days and can be renewed by briefly leaving Costa Rica, usually to Panama or Nicaragua, and re-entering to receive a new 90-day stamp. In addition to the visa, you must obtain a Costa Rican tax ID number. To do this:
- Visit a government tax office (Tributación) in the city of your local address, which you need to register with the tax authorities.
- Bring your passport and copies of its main pages.
- After receiving your tax number, acquire a book of receipts from a local print shop to record hours worked and issue receipts to employers.
Note: The threshold for starting to pay tax is $8,000 per year. However, schools and teachers often employ creative reporting strategies to stay under this limit.
Also read: How much can I earn teaching English in Costa Rica?
