Like many other pillars of the economy, the education sector in Vietnam is also greatly influenced by globalization from the beginning of the 21st century to the present. The need to learn English as well as integrating bilingual subjects and lectures into the curricula has become increasingly popular, which means the recruitment of foreign teachers with high English proficiency is more urgent than ever. Although the recruitment of foreign employees, specifically native teachers, still has many significant challenges, which can be mentioned through the following topics:
Recruitment of foreign teachers: a candidate’s ability
Currently, the situation of recruiting employees from Western countries is still inadequate, in which the first problem is probably about the lack of qualified candidates. Many HRs have been very concerned about the fact that many foreigners applying for a teacher position in local schools have almost no or very few pedagogical skills that are really suitable for learners in Vietnam.
Many teachers that I know who are claimed to have gained years of experience, with certain qualifications, still perform very badly in their demo sessions.
In some cases, the heads of educational institutions require certain skills and high standards from foreign teachers, also making it difficult for the recruitment department to help teachers meet the strict regulations. from the leadership to be able to recruit the desired personnel. However, if viewed correctly, this problem has many reasons to be able to explain:
– Most foreign teachers do not graduate from universities majoring in pedagogy
– Most of the native teachers go to Asian countries to find a high-paying job and live a comfortable life, not because of the desire to develop their career as a teacher.
Many centers accept individuals who do not have the appropriate qualifications and skills, as well as legal documents to work, which results in lowering the overall standards for native teachers.
Employers can refer to the criteria for assessing the competence of a foreign teacher HERE so that they can customize their recruitment of foreign teachers process to help screen out the most suitable candidates for their institutions.
About meeting the requirements for a work permit
Many teachers have problems completing paperwork for work permits, some of the reasons can include lack of notarized copies, or the originals of required documents, police check profiles, visa, etc. … In addition, the procedure for extending a Work Permit also seems to be giving them troubles.
The most common situation is the conversion of a tourist visa into a work visa: according to the provisions of the Vietnam Immigration Law No. 47/2014/QH13 (effective from January 1, 2015), workers must be sponsored by a legal entity/organization in Vietnam to be able to conduct this procedure.
Featured Job
-
[OISP HCMUT] Full-Time Foreign Lecturers in Mathematics, Chemistry
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT – Bach khoa) – Vietnam National University
TP HCM
At least $2.000 USD/month, Support visa extension, work permit, temporary residence card
-
[OISP HCMUT] Part-Time Lecturer/Senior Lecturer (Expat Only)
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT – Bach khoa) – Vietnam National University
TP HCM
Competitive; Partly support a round-trip flight ticket, visa and accommodation
-
PHYSICS TEACHERS - START JULY 2025 (HANOI)
Trường Nguyễn Siêu
Hà Nội
VND 45,000,000 to VND 65,000,000
-
MATHEMATICS TEACHERS - START JULY 2025 (HANOI)
Trường Nguyễn Siêu
Hà Nội
VND 45,000,000 to VND 65,000,000
-
[EIV HANOI] FULL-TIME TEACHERS FOR NEW ACADEMIC YEAR 2025 - 2026
EIV International Education INC
Hà Nội
42,000,000 - 48,000,000 VND/Month
-
CAMBRIDGE TEACHERS (PRESCHOOL, PRIMARY, SECONDARY)
Công ty TNHH Phát triển Hệ thống Victoria School | Victoria School System Development Company Limited
TP HCM
Competitive and negotiable (based on qualifications and experience)
-
[Hanoi] Supplementary Public School Teachers - Atlantic Five-Star English
Atlantic Education & Training Group
Hà Nội
From 525,000 VND/hour
-
[HO CHI MINH CITY] PART-TIME NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS
Wall Street English
TP HCM
Guaranteed monthly salary; Visa, work permit, TRC, health check and police check paid for by WSE; A one-month completion bonus
-
Expat Teachers (HCMC - BINH DUONG)
VIA ENGLISH ACADEMY
TP HCM
16-20 USD/Hour
-
PSYCHOLOGY TEACHERS - START JULY 2025 (HANOI)
Trường Nguyễn Siêu
Hà Nội
VND 50,000,000 to VND 65,000,000
Regarding the traveling distance
It is widely known that foreign teachers in Vietnam often travel by taxi or Grab services to get anywhere, so they will not prefer to work in an educational institution that’s too far away from the city center or their home (for example the neighboring provinces). In addition, teachers are also not interested in relocating to the provinces, because of limited access to locations and facilities that provide necessary services and products. The time it takes to get to the recreation spots is also longer than it does when you reside near the city center.
Teachers demanding high salaries
This also results from the shortage of qualified foreign teachers that live inside Vietnam. There have been many circumstances in which the school’s budget for the role of an ESL teacher doesn’t meet the candidate’s salary expectations. This is one of the biggest problems in the recruitment of foreign teachers, and it’s a shame to find a candidate that meets all the criteria, but the employer can’t afford to pay him or her
Low commitment
This is always a dilemma for HRs in educational institutions from large to small, from the experienced to newly- established ones. It’s been said by some employers that many candidates, despite the fact that they have signed a 1-year or 2-year contract, still only worked at their company for two to three months, or even just left after a trial.
Thus, schools and centers have designed different packages of generous remuneration, as well as bonuses for those who work for them in a long run. Teachers will usually be able to enjoy a premium insurance scheme, traveling trips, as well as get paid during Tet holidays in Vietnam… And that’s just a small part of the dozens of other benefits an ESL teacher can enjoy if committed to a permanent job anywhere.
However, apart from the employee pampering policy, there is almost no way to ensure the commitment of teachers when working at a certain place, if Vietnam or the area where the school is located is not their final destination. In addition, as mentioned earlier, since many Westerners come to Vietnam mainly for experiencing or traveling, very few people have plans to stay in one place for a long time (unless they have found a partner and decided to build a career and settle down in Vietnam).
In addition, reasons such as living conditions, paperwork, working environment, facilities, traffic, or any terrible experience while in Vietnam can also be a cause for leaving.
Vietnam Teaching Jobs is a unit with more than 10 years of experience in finding and connecting potential teachers with prestigious educational institutions across the country. In addition to an online platform where employers can search for suitable candidates through the job post function, we also provide online Matching and Matching services, which include directly searching and contacting qualified candidates and connect them with our partnered schools. This option helps to minimize the risks mentioned above, as well as help you save a lot of time and effort in the recruitment of foreign teachers.
