If you’ve ever typed “ESL jobs abroad” into Google at 2 a.m. while wondering whether moving to Thailand will solve all your problems (spoiler: only some of them), then congratulations—you’re officially part of the global TEFL migration. But before you fling yourself across an ocean with nothing but a suitcase and blind optimism, you need one thing: a solid job board.

Lucky for you, there are plenty.

TEFL.net

If job boards were countries, TEFL.net would be the United Kingdom: old, established, and slightly smug about it. It’s been around forever and covers everything—jobs by country, job types, specialized roles, opportunities you didn’t know existed. If it’s ESL, it’s probably on TEFL.net.

Ideal for: Teachers who like feeling like the job board knows what it’s doing, even if you don’t.

TEFL.com

This one is the global mega-mall of ESL hiring. Hundreds—sometimes thousands—of positions from all over the world appear here, from Europe to Asia to that tiny island nation you definitely forgot was a country.

Online jobs? Check. Classroom roles? Check. Summer gigs where you spend more time managing teenagers than teaching them? Check.

Ideal for: People who want options, even if choosing gives them anxiety.

The TEFL Org Jobs Centre

The TEFL Org job board is clean, organized, and updated weekly. You can filter by region and whether you prefer teaching online or living in a brand-new country where you don’t speak a word of the language.

Ideal for: The teacher who likes filters, clarity, and control.

Teach Away

Teach Away feels like the LinkedIn of ESL job boards—professional, polished, and focused on schools that actually have HR departments. This is where you’ll find jobs with reputable institutions across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and beyond.

Ideal for: Teachers who want structured roles, decent housing allowances, and fewer “we’ll pay you eventually” contracts.

International TESOL / ITTT

If you’ve ever gotten a TESOL certificate through ITTT or similar programs, this board is your natural habitat. They list jobs for both seasoned teachers and brand-new educators who still pronounce “TESOL” with hesitation.

Ideal for: Anyone who likes a straightforward list of international opportunities without the bells and whistles.

TeachAndGo

More resource hub than pure job board, TeachAndGo helps you navigate the ESL universe with guides covering TEFL.com, Teach Away, and country-specific sites like the iconic Ajarn (home of Thailand job listings and the occasional dramatic comment thread).

Ideal for: Teachers who need a curated overview instead of clicking 500 links in panic.

OnESLTeachers / ESLTeachersBoard

Imagine a forum and a job board had a child who grew up to love international ESL. That’s this site. It’s active, community-driven, and full of job listings that range from “solid opportunity” to “someone please tell them to remove this immediately.”

Ideal for: Teachers who love community gossip just as much as job hunting.

Reach To Teach Recruiting

Reach To Teach is a recruiting agency dedicated to placing ESL teachers abroad. If the idea of dealing with paperwork, schools, and administrators makes you break out in hives, this agency can handle the chaos for you.

Ideal for: First-time teachers or anyone allergic to job-hunting stress.

Network ESL

If you’re open to teaching in China, this site is your secret weapon. It specializes in China-based positions and often has listings that don’t appear anywhere else.

Ideal for: People willing to live in a major city, a small city, or a city that seems small but somehow still has 8 million residents.

Openmind Projects

This one isn’t a job board but deserves a shoutout. Openmind Projects offers volunteer placements in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Nepal—especially in community-based English teaching roles.

Ideal for: Those who want a more immersive, grassroots international experience.

Bonus Tips to Avoid Chaos (and Scams)

Some of the best jobs never make it to the big global boards. For example:
Ajarn.com is a staple for Thailand teaching gigs. It’s legendary. It’s messy. It’s glorious.

Consider Recruitment Agencies

Agencies like Reach To Teach can help you avoid sketchy job offers and questionable contracts. Let the professionals fight the wild beasts of international hiring on your behalf.

Watch for Scams

If a job listing seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Red flags include:

• “No experience or certificate needed! Just vibes!”

• Housing photos that look like a stock image for “modern Scandinavian living.”

• Employers who want your passport number before saying hello.

The TEFL Org has solid guides on spotting scam employers—read them and protect your sanity.

Don’t Ignore Expat and Teaching Forums

Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and local expat forums are treasure troves of real experiences. These are also excellent places to hear the truth about schools that look decent on paper but are actually run by someone named Uncle Chen who pays in cash and compliments.

Government Programs Are Your Friend

Stable, reputable, predictable—programs like the JET Programme in Japan offer structure, real training, and contracts written by people who actually know employment law. Always worth a look.

Final Word

The TEFL world is big, weird, exciting, and occasionally confusing. But with the right job board—and a healthy dose of discernment—you can absolutely find a role that takes you somewhere incredible. May your contract be clear, your apartment mold-free, and your students only mildly chaotic.

If you want, I can also help you turn this into a downloadable resource, a video script, or a section of your media kit—just say the word.

Happy Travels!