6th July 2021

Overseas Recruitment: Hiring Great International Teachers For UK Schools

Updated: May 2022

The last year has shaken up teacher recruitment all around the world. There’s been a shift in the perception of the profession, with teachers and support staff forming an essential cohort of the key workers that the UK relied on to get through the pandemic. Early indications suggest that’s led to more UK and Irish graduates choosing to train to teach. However, recruitment from abroad is still vital for the UK education system. Statistics from 2015-2017 showed that 12% of teachers in England had not been born here. It’s vital we continue our work of recruiting fantastic teachers from around the world to fill staffing gaps in UK schools and that schools regain their confidence in hiring from abroad. Engage Education works with teachers from Ireland, Canada, Australia and South Africa. 

Can Overseas Teachers Come To UK And Teach?

Yes. The vast majority of international teachers’ qualifications from English-speaking countries are recognised in the UK. Schools can hire teachers from all around the world to bring their backgrounds and experience to their classrooms. Teachers from Ireland do not require a visa to work in the UK. Teachers from Canada and Australia can obtain a Youth Mobility visa if they are under the age of 30. Alternatively, if they are over the age of 30, have used their YMV, or are from any other country they require a Skilled Worker Visa, which we can support them to obtain once a job offer is in place. Our overseas teams are based in Ireland, Canada and Australia, and are highly experienced. They have helped hundreds of teachers make the move from all over the world! They will guide teachers through the visa process and offer lots of other relocation support too. For schools – this takes the admin work out of the equation and makes hiring overseas teachers really simple.

Looking to teach in the UK? Find our vacancies here!

How Are We Connecting With International teachers?

Throughout the last year, we’ve continued to attend University Careers Fair, which have mainly been run via virtual platforms. We have also been running our popular interview events, which connect teachers from all around the world with schools in the UK looking for long term teaching staff. Our Virtual idays (interview events) are a really accessible way for schools to meet with international teachers. Every candidate is fully screened and we perform all the necessary background, compliance and qualification checks so all schools have to focus on is whether the candidate will be a good match for the role. This year we’ve worked with lots of talented teachers who are now making their final plans to come and teach in the UK during the next academic year.

You can book a Virtual Booth at one of our upcoming day events here.

Interviewing Overseas Teachers

We know it will always be preferable to meet a candidate in person, especially for a role that depends so much on presence. However, technology has developed significantly over the last couple of years and remote interviews can take the place of in-person interviews successfully. We use easy-access and secure software for our virtual interviews. Our team support all of our overseas and UK-based candidates in getting ready for virtual interviews and direct support from our consultants and relocation teams. Candidates from Ireland are open to flying to England for interviews. 

What Happens Next?

Once an overseas teacher has been offered a role in a UK school, we’ll support them to apply for their visa and the relevant documents they need to work in the UK. We’ll guide them through the process – our support system is well established. We want all our candidates to succeed in your school. From answering relocation questions to helping them source local accommodation through our dedicated Facebook groups, we’ll be their main point of contact until their start date.

What ARE THE BENEFITS OF REMOTE OVERSEAS RECRUITMENT?

Great teachers are the backbone of any school community. Overseas teachers are highly trained and qualified candidates who are eager to secure long term and permanent work. Working with an agency with access to a huge international pool of outstanding teachers means your school has the opportunity to make impactful hires with much less competition – and every teacher is full background-checked, compliant and passionate about working in a UK school.

How CAN You Start Hiring Great Overseas Teachers?

If you are looking to hire teachers for September 2022 or beyond, get in touch.  You can book a call with our local UK offices using the form below.