TEFL jobs in Latvia
A complete guide for TEFL teachers on teaching English in Latvia
Overview
You may not have considered Latvia as a destination for teaching English abroad, but it actually has a lot to offer. It is a stunning environment with waterfalls, forests, extensive beaches, and rivers. It is one of the Baltic nations, and the cost of living compared with other places in Europe is low. Latvia is a tiny country located between Lithuania and Estonia, and there are lots of ex-pats living and working there. 2 million people call this country home and with good reason as it is a really beautiful place to live. If you enjoy the outdoors, you will have fun exploring the four national parks, a range of castles and historical relics, many beautiful lakes and some impressive cliff walking. More than half of the country is forested, and this also gives it a claim of being one of the greenest countries in Europe. It has 500 km of coastline, which also means there are plenty of beaches if you like long walks in the sand. It is a very peaceful place, although, in the capital of Riga, you will find there is a vibrant nightlife with lovely eateries and wonderful city-based parks.
If you head over to teach English in Latvia, you will be ideally placed to do plenty of exploration around Europe. It is surrounded by lots of other countries, and you can easily get to them during your time off. To the south of Latvia, you will find Finland; to the east is Russia; and to the north is Poland. All of these are great places to explore, and public transport is inexpensive, meaning you can easily get there. Latvia is also a great place to live if you enjoy the sport of ice hockey, as it is their national sport. They have many teams that compete in the National Hockey League and the Kontinental Hockey League.
It may surprise you to know that Latvia enjoys the fastest broadband Internet speeds in the emerging European nations. It could also be an excellent place to top up your income teaching English online. If you live or work in the capital city of Riga, you can also take advantage of the free Wi-Fi connection points, of which there are over 800.
Types of teaching jobs
Primary and Secondary Schools
Jobs are often found in state schools at both primary and secondary levels in Latvia. To qualify to apply for a role as an English teacher in Latvia in one of the state schools, you will need a degree and a teaching certificate from your own country.
Language Schools
Language schools in Latvia tend to offer lessons in the evenings and weekends so that people who work full time can still attend. As an English teacher in Latvia, you’ll find a lot of language school work is teaching adults business English to help them progress with their careers.
Universities
There is more than one university in Latvia, but in order to teach English in Latvia at this level, you do need to have a Master’s degree and proven teaching experience. However, these positions are considered highly sought-after, and people tend not to leave once they have managed to secure a role.
International Schools
Because Latvia has a high ex-pat population, there are also several private language schools. These are feepaying institutions for the children of people living and working in Latvia. You will be expected to have a TEFL certification and, where possible, a degree in order to secure work at an international school. But, because they are operating as a business rather than a government-funded school, they do have the capacity to offer better salary packages and benefits to their staff.
Private Tutoring
Should you wish to top up your income, you can always look into teaching English in Latvia as a private tutor. If you are employed by any of the institutions above, you should check with them that they are happy for you to take a second role. You can teach English to people in your local area from your home or theirs, or you could teach English online, where you will probably earn more money and can stay at home.
Salaries, requirements & visas
Popular locations for TEFL jobs
Riga, the capital, has many schools needing ESL teachers. Other cities like Daugavpils and Jelgava also have public schools with a demand for English teachers.
English teacher salaries in Latvia
The average salary for a full-time English teacher in Latvia of €800 each month, depending on the type of role and your experience.
TEFL qualification requirements
At least a 120-hour TEFL qualification
Prerequisite university degree
A degree is required for most roles teaching English in Latvia. In some cases, you may find work without a degree, provided you have a TEFL certification.
Term times
September to June
Teaching programmes
Teaching adults or children in private language schools, state schools, international schools and universities
Age restrictions
None
Previous teaching experience
Helpful for higher-paid roles
Living costs
Latvia enjoys a low cost of living, which makes it very affordable to live and work as an English teacher in Latvia. Living expenses are fairly cheap, and you should easily be able to cover the cost of renting your apartment, paying bills and grocery shopping and spending money on transport from your salary. It stands to reason that the larger your apartment, the more expensive the rent will be. You will also pay slightly more to live somewhere like Riga. However, many international schools and language schools will offer benefit packages to their teachers, which include housing costs as well as medical cover and transport costs. There are lots of housing styles, some of which are in the old town, some have a mediaeval influence, and others are in hipster neighbourhoods. If you fancy sharing accommodation, there will be other English teachers in Latvia who want to do the same, and this could take your rent down as low as €200 per month. If you are struggling to find somewhere to live, your school may be able to help you or at least point you in the direction of a letting agent.
In order to provide the most accurate cost of living figures, we use numbeo.com, the world’s largest cost of living database, updated regularly.
Accommodation
€400
Utilities
€100
Health insurance
Cost of a typical visit to a GP: €40
Monthly transport pass
€50
Basic dinner out for two
€10
Cappuccino in an ex-pat area
€2.85
A beer in a pub
€4
1 litre of milk
€4.88
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