Johannes M.
AGEISM I'd like to add to Peter's letter and confirm the scenario he described; as I'm experiencing the same. My career as a TEFL Teacher had been only ten years, as I started at the age of fifty, when I still was accepted as an English major teacher at Chinese universities...and after that, I got accepted also at ///english training centers in different provinces of China, to teach young learners, until I became obliged to leave China for South Africa, my homeland, due to terrible difficulty to again apply for a work permit, at age fifty nine. I don't know whether this is only an Asian phenomenon, bu it's definitely REAL, Peter.

Serious S.
Peter and Johannes, Experiencing a similar situation here in Thailand. The initial Temporary Thai Teachers Cert. is a rolling 6 year certification, renewable every 2 years, for 3 times. However, Covid killed about a year and a half of mine. So, having taught for 4.5 years here my 6 years are up. And in order to earn the necessary Post Graduate Certificate in Education to petition the MOE for the necessary Full-time Thai Teachers License for the next 5 years. They are giving some extensions, but it's extremely difficult to get the MOE to authorize them. And the schools don't even know that it's a possibility. So they are being lazy about asking for the extensions. They would rather hire less experienced, new arrival teachers.

Serious S.
To Peter, Also, I am 54y.o. and am experiencing the same difficulties lately. I left a low paying but gratifying university teaching position in Dec. 2022. I took a few months off to do something else and am now finding that a lot of the teaching jobs are going to nonNES teachers who will work for much less. Parents and Schools want qualified, experienced teachers. But don't want to pay higher salaries. And since Covid, everything is more expensive. There are no cost of living increases or travel allowances or relocation assistance. But they expect us to shoulder the burden of financial responsibility for moving and stupid, free demo. lessons. I refuse to do them if they are not local. The language schools are insane about free visits.

Andrew G.
I can verify the same. I have had 3 schools in 2022-2023 lie and cheat at almost every turn. Jobs in China now all go to 20 something girls with blue eyes and a nice butt...experience and credentials don't apply to them, and they haul in 30k+ if they look good in jeans....it's a racket teaching here now.

Jourma W.
This is sadly true. A colleague of mine was forced to retire from a school in China. It is an ignorant concept shared by many Asian schools. However, some schools in SE Asia do not always practice this age discrimination. It is hit or miss with schools there. In the USA, some districts are adopting this STUPID NES concept schools which are destined to fail! Ludicrous.

Robert G.
This is a trend that exposes the lack of professionalism in the TEFL industry, an industry that seems to seek out and attract Barbies and Kens who wish to enjoy a gap year in an exotic locale, rather than people who view teaching as their lifetime vocation, and take their profession seriously.

Rob R.
Similar. I'm 57 with 19 years experience. A decade ago, if I got the interview, I got the job; not so much these days. Employers want that level of experience - but in a 30 year old.

Jennifer F.
Sorry to hear this, and I know it's true. I am only in my 30s, but am already seeing posts for female teachers under 30. I have older female teacher friends who have been discriminated against, one in her 40s and another in her 50s. It's best to go home to your own country after 45...they will be more gentle with you and probably more appropriate anyway. Asian culture is much more ageist to women, but sorry to hear about this, to men too!

Nancy H.
This may be going on more now than before, as I taught with a lot of older teachers in Taiwan. I think it's just become more competitive. Young adults can't make it in the States so head over to Asia to pay off their student loans. However, I'd blame the parents rather than the schools that hire; I've seen so many parents pass over capable ABC or CBC teachers in favor of a 'western' face.

Lawrence N.
I had no problem finding jobs in China when I was in my 40s. I got hired out of the USA at age 42 to work in Guangzhou. Then I worked at two different schools in Shanghai at age 44, and 46. My age was never an issue, but it could be that I looked younger than my age. Now I am teaching in the USA and my age is no issue at all. My school in Miami and my school in Austin routinely hire teachers in their 50s. I'm 55 now and want to teach abroad again. It's a bit soothing to see that these comments are about China, because I do not want to teach there again. I am preferring to go work in Europe or Latin America, where I hope ageism is not a as bad.