So, you want to work abroad but languages aren’t exactly your strong suit? Don’t worry, there are plenty of jobs abroad for English speakers if you know where to look.
You’ve come to just the right place. Here are twelve super viable options if you want to spread your wings, but haven’t quite got the lingo down. Let’s dive in!
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1. English Teacher
Firstly, we have a classic work abroad job – teaching!
It’s long been the easiest way for English speakers to get a job overseas, as there are plenty of countries around the world looking for native or fluent English speakers to work in their schools.
Normally, you’ll need to get either a TEFL or TESOL certification which you can do as a crash course in a month for anywhere from $200 to $1000 depending on the company, length of the course, and amount of support.
That being said, if you’re a native English speaker there are quite a lot of schools that’ll take you without experience, so it’s worth having a look before going through the training.
The added benefit of being an English teacher abroad is that you’ll often get your accommodation included in your salary package, or they’ll help you find somewhere to stay.
Salary: Anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 a month depending on location, experience, and remuneration package (benefits that come with the job).
2. Camp Staff/ Counselor
Next up we have another favorite work abroad option, especially if you’re looking for a summer adventure in between school years, or just want to spend the summer season in a new place!
Applying to be a member of staff at a children’s summer camp is a great way to live in a new location, get some work experience, and meet loads of like-minded new friends.
It’s one of those jobs that you don’t necessarily need experience for, but you do need bags of enthusiasm!
In addition to your camp salary, some camps will include your accommodation, designated days off and days out, your flights, and your visa.
If you want to work abroad but don’t want to mess around with the logistics or the permanence of a full-time job commitment, this is a great option.
Salary: On average US summer camps pay $960 a month
3. Sports Instructor
If you’re a sporty person with an instructor qualification or are willing to put in the work and get certified, there are tons of opportunities to work abroad.
From ski seasons to yachting at resorts to running outdoor courses in the bush, there are so many ways to make your outdoorsy or sporty passion a job abroad.
Although it’s rare for a sports instructor job to last more than a season, because of the different peak seasons for travel around the world, you can simply follow your sport’s season around, making it an all-year-round career!
Salary: depending on experience and sport, anywhere from $12 to $50 an hour
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4. Customer Service Agent
Regardless of where you are in the world, there’s going to be a need for customer service.
Now, with the rise of online web chat customer service, as long as you have a laptop and a decent WiFi connection, you can do this anywhere.
If you’re looking for something, in reality, many hotel chains, tour operators, and more need English-speaking customer service agents to help mediate with their guests.
Salary: This varies depending on experience, company, and niche, but around £22,000 or 27,000 USD is average.
5. Marketing
Whether you’re super good at social media, love running email campaigns, or have a knack for spotting a new advertising opportunity, marketing is a wide a varied career.
As it’s a largely creative field, there are plenty of opportunities to work remotely.
Alternatively, as companies look to expand to new markets, there may be opportunities to work abroad in an English-speaking company or marketing department, that are targeting English-speaking markets.
Salary: for a marketing executive role (with 2-3 years experience) the average is £30,000 or 38,000 USD
6. Writer
Although this can sometimes be combined with marketing roles in the form of content departments, copywriters, and more, writing is a job that’s normally completely remote and flexible.
You can do this job either in-house, for an agency, or work for yourself on a freelance basis, depending on your experience.
Freelance writing gigs for English speakers abroad might include editing work from writers who have English as a second or third language, writing copy for blogs or websites, or even taking up ghostwriting projects on a remote basis.
Salary: the average is around £28,000 a year or around 35,000 USD. Freelancers with a large roster of clients can often earn more than this.
7. Au Pair
Becoming an au pair is a classic work abroad job for English Speakers.
Much like working as a member of staff at a summer camp or as a seasonal worker, there are plenty of companies that can help match you to a family who wants a live-in nanny and tutor.
Often this will be for a family who speaks English as a second or third language but wants their child or children to practice their English at home.
While the children are at school and the parents are at work, you may have a few domestic tasks to complete, but your time is largely your own and you get dedicated days off.
This role also comes with the benefit of including accommodation.
Salary: Around £90 per week or about 110 USD, but you tend to get your accommodation and food included.
8. Handyperson
This might sound like a weird job, but if you’re good with your hands or at fixing things, this can be a really useful skill.
On sites like Work Away, the majority of the jobs available are for people who can fix things or do odd jobs around the house.
Similarly, many resorts or hotels have near-constant openings for jack-of-all-trades types of people.
So, if you know your flat-head screwdriver from your Phillips head or are handy with a paintbrush, this might be an option for you.
Salary: average is around $27,000, but if you’re using work away this might be in return for accommodation.
9. Retail
Whether you’re at home or abroad, retail is a job that offers so many transferable skills.
Regardless of where you are in the world, there always seems to be hiring flyers in the windows of shops.
Especially if you’re in a touristy area, the ability to speak English in some countries can really help you get a job.
Of course, it pays to be able to speak the language of the country you’re in so you can help out the locals, so if you’re bilingual, these jobs tend to be pretty easy to come by.
Salary: It depends on the job role, but normally the national minimum hourly rate. You can work up to supervisor or manager level pretty quickly.
10. Hospitality
Hospitality, much like retail, is one of those industries that always seem to have job openings.
This is a pretty broad category including chefs, bartenders, waiters, cleaners, pot washers, and more.
Unlike retail, some of these jobs are less customer-facing than others, so if your local language skills aren’t fluent yet, this might be an option.
Especially if you’re working in a hospitality role within a hostel, you might be able to get work in return for accommodation or be one of a multilingual team that can serve the majority of guests.
Salary: It depends on the job role, but normally the national minimum hourly rate.
Similarly to retail, you can work up to supervisor or manager level pretty quickly, or can also work in exchange for accommodation in some cases.
11. Coder
The great thing about coding is that it operates off a universal language all of its own, so you can speak whatever language you like in real life and still successfully perform your coding job.
The only thing to consider here is the business or boss that you’re working for and their language.
However as an English-speaking coder, as long as you’ve got your laptop and a solid connection, you can work pretty much anywhere.
Coding is one of the first jobs to make use of remote working, so grab your gear and head for the airport!
Salary: Average salary is £50,000 or around 60,000 USD
12. Farmhand
Finally, we have a year abroad, classic job: the farmhand.
It might sound less than glamorous, but if you’ve ever done a couple of years abroad in somewhere like Australia, you’ll know that to extend your stay past the two years on your visa, you’ll have to partake in a job for six months in a specified regional area.
Normally this is agriculture or farm-based work.
From picking fruit, to working in a vineyard, to herding cattle, to packaging up the produce, there are a lot of roles on a farm.
Again, chances are that due to the remote nature of these jobs, there’s accommodation included. This is where the language exchange possibilities can happen, often making English speaking a bonus.
Also, with the variety of jobs, there are chances to move around different farms and regions to follow the seasons.
Salary: average is £250-300 or 315 to 375 USD a week for a picker
So, if you’re looking to get a job abroad as an English speaker, there are so many to choose from. This list is just the tip of the iceberg, offering a mix of entry-level and remote-friendly roles.
However, if your bosses are open to remote work, you can take your existing job to a new and exciting location.
It’s never been easier to work abroad, and with the global marketplace, being a native English speaker comes in handy more than you’d think!
Find More Jobs Abroad:
- The Best Way to Move to Europe Without Job Prospects
- Jobs for Citizens of the United Kingdom with No Requirements
- Travel Jobs with No Degree Necessary
- Steps to Moving to a Foreign Country with No Job
- How to Work Overseas After College Graduation
Vanessa Wachtmeister is a travel tech professional and the creator of the wealth & wanderlust platform, Wander Onwards. Vanessa is originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a proud Chicana, and she has been living abroad for the last 9 years. Today, she helps people pursue financial and location independence through her ‘Move Abroad’ Master Class, financial literacy digital products, and career workshops.