Well-paid jobs for qualified teachers in private and independent schools, with visa sponsorship and free recruitment
Now recruiting qualified teachers
Your guide to teaching in Australia
Some of the best-paid teaching jobs in the English-speaking world, with sunshine, beaches and a real work-life balance. Here's what schools pay, who can apply and how the visa works for qualified teachers.
With our partner Impact Teaching, we place qualified primary and secondary teachers in private and independent schools across Australia. Our service is free for teachers. Not ready yet? Get job alerts.
Hiring now
Sydney Harbour from the air
Private and independent schools · Primary and secondary
Qualified Primary and Secondary Teacher
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional towns · Rolling start dates
AUD $80K–$140K+A year, by state, experience and role
12% superEmployer pension on top of salary
Visa sponsorshipFor eligible roles, plus registration support
Career growthFunded CPD and routes into leadership
Teach Monday to Friday on a 12-month-plus or permanent contract, with paid breaks between the four school terms, funded professional development and routes into Head of Department and leadership roles. Many schools also offer relocation support, agreed role by role.
You'll need: a PGCE, QTS or Bachelor of Education, ideally two or more years' full-time teaching after qualifying, native-level English and eligibility to register with the state teacher regulator. STEM, Business Studies and ICT specialists are most in demand.
Australian schools need a recognised teaching qualification and state registration, so a TEFL on its own won't get you into a primary or secondary classroom. If you're a qualified teacher in the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Canada or beyond, your PGCE, QTS or BEd is your ticket.
Not a qualified teacher? We don't have TEFL-only roles in Australia right now. Leave your email and we'll tell you when we do, or see our TEFL jobs across Asia, where a degree and a TEFL are enough.
There are three main ways teachers come to Australia. The right one depends on your qualifications, your age and how long you want to stay.
Feature
Skills in Demand (482)
Skilled migration (189/190)
Working Holiday (417/462)
Who it's for
Qualified teachers with a job offer from a sponsoring school
Qualified teachers who want permanent residency from the start
Younger travellers who want to try Australia first
Needs a job offer?
Yes, the school sponsors you
No, but a state may nominate you (190)
No
Skills assessment
Depends on the role and your nationality
Usually needed, from AITSL
Not needed
Path to permanent residency
Yes, after time with your employer
Permanent from day one
No direct path
Best for
Most teachers we place
Teachers planning to settle long term
Relief teaching or short contracts while travelling
Visa rules change. This is a simplified overview, so always check the latest conditions on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.
Why teach in Australia?
Australia has a well-documented shortage of teachers, especially in STEM subjects and in regional and rural schools, and it actively recruits qualified teachers from overseas to fill the gap. For teachers from the UK and Ireland, the curriculum, the classroom culture and the language all feel familiar, which makes it one of the easiest international moves you can make.
The pay is the headline, but most teachers stay for the life: smaller class sizes than many UK schools, a school day that leaves time for the beach or the bush, and long paid breaks between terms to explore one of the most spectacular countries on earth.
The Opera House during Vivid Sydney, the city's winter festival of light.
A realistic month in Sydney
Here's an illustrative budget for a teacher on AUD $85,000 a year, renting a one-bedroom flat in a middle-ring suburb. Sydney is the most expensive city, so you'll have more left over in Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth.
Take-home pay, after tax and Medicare levy
about AUD $5,580
One-bedroom flat
AUD $2,600
Electricity, gas and internet
AUD $200
Phone and data
AUD $40
Groceries
AUD $700
Cafés and eating out
AUD $400
Trains, buses and ferries
AUD $200
Going out and gym
AUD $300
Weekend trips
AUD $300
Left over
about AUD $840
Share a house instead and your rent could roughly halve. Superannuation is paid on top and isn't included here.
Our honest take
Australian salaries are high, but so are rents in Sydney and Melbourne. Experienced teachers higher up the pay scale, or those who move to a regional school, can save seriously. Early-career teachers in the big cities will live well but save less.
Regional and rural schools often offer extra incentives such as higher pay, relocation help and subsidised housing, which can transform your budget.
Plan to arrive with around £3,000–£5,000 to cover a rental bond (usually four weeks' rent), your first month's rent and setting up until your first pay day, unless your school offers relocation support.
Who can teach in Australia?
For our Australia programme you'll need:
A recognised teaching qualification: PGCE, QTS or a Bachelor of Education
Ideally two or more years' full-time teaching experience after qualifying
Native-level English
Eligibility to register with the state teacher regulator, including background checks such as a Working With Children Check
Each state has its own regulator, such as NESA in New South Wales, the Victorian Institute of Teaching and the Queensland College of Teachers. We'll guide you through the one that applies to your school.
From application to classroom
Recruitment runs all year round.
Apply with your CV
Fill in the short form and upload your CV.
Get matched
ESLstarter and Impact Teaching match you with schools that fit your subject, experience and preferred location.
Video interviews
Interview with schools online from home.
Registration and visa
We support you through teacher registration and your visa application.
Relocate
Most teachers move in time to start at the beginning of a school term.
Do you need a TEFL to teach in Australia?
Not for school teaching: your teaching qualification is what counts. But Australian classrooms are full of students learning English as an additional language (EAL/D), and teachers who can support them stand out. If you're not a qualified teacher, a TEFL is the route into English language colleges here and teaching jobs around the world.
Our pick for qualified teachers
168-hour Level 5 TEFL
£239
ESLstarter price, only when you book here
Ofqual-regulated, at the same level as CELTA
Builds real EAL expertise to add to your CV
Helps you support English learners in mainstream classes
Good to know: a TEFL can't replace a teaching degree for Australian schools. If you want to teach in Australia long term without a teaching qualification, the honest answer is that you'd need to qualify as a teacher first.
Where you could live
We recruit for schools in every state and territory. Tell us where you'd like to be, and how flexible you are, when you apply.
Sydney
Harbour views, world-famous beaches and the biggest job market, with the highest rents to match.
Melbourne
Australia's cultural capital: coffee, laneways, sport and arts, with four seasons in a day.
Brisbane
Sunny, relaxed and growing fast, close to the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
Perth
Endless sunshine, empty beaches and a laid-back pace on the west coast.
Adelaide
Affordable and easy-going, surrounded by wine regions and great food.
Regional and rural Australia
The greatest demand, with incentives such as higher pay, relocation help and subsidised housing.
School holidays, Australian style
Four terms means four breaks a year. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, road-trip the Great Ocean Road, watch the sun set over Uluru and spend long summer weekends on the beach.
Before you sign any teaching offer in Australia
Wherever you apply in Australia, these are the questions we'd ask before saying yes.
Who sponsors your visa?
Confirm which visa you'll be on, who pays the fees and what happens if you change schools.
Where do you sit on the pay scale?
Check how your overseas experience is recognised, as it decides your starting salary.
Is registration sorted?
Make sure you know which state regulator you'll register with and how long it takes.
Relocation support
Ask about flights, temporary accommodation and help finding a rental. It varies by school.
Contract length
Check whether the role is fixed-term or permanent, and what that means for your residency plans.
Location and cost of living
A higher salary in Sydney may leave you with less than a regional role with subsidised housing.
Get Australia job alerts
Not ready to apply yet? Leave your email and we'll tell you when new Australia jobs open, along with other roles we're recruiting for around the world.
Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. See our privacy policy.
Teaching in Australia, your questions answered
How much do teachers earn in Australia?
Qualified primary and secondary teachers placed through our Australia programme earn around AUD $80,000 to $140,000+ a year, depending on the state, your experience and the role. Employers also pay 12% superannuation (pension) on top of your salary.
Can I teach in Australia with a PGCE or QTS?
Yes. A PGCE, QTS or Bachelor of Education is the kind of recognised teaching qualification Australian schools look for. You'll also need to register with the teacher regulator in the state or territory where you work, which includes background checks.
Can I teach in Australia with just a TEFL?
Not in primary or secondary schools. School teaching in Australia needs a recognised teaching qualification and state registration. A TEFL or CELTA can lead to work in private English language colleges for adult international students, which is a different job market.
Will I get visa sponsorship to teach in Australia?
Employer-sponsored work visas are available for eligible roles, most often the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. Skilled migration visas are another route, and usually need a skills assessment from AITSL. We support you through registration and the visa process. Compare visa routes.
Which teachers are most in demand in Australia?
Demand is strongest for STEM, Business Studies and ICT specialists, and for teachers willing to work in regional and rural areas, where schools often offer extra incentives.
How much teaching experience do I need?
Ideally two or more years of full-time teaching after qualifying. Newly qualified teachers can still enquire, but experienced teachers have the widest choice of schools and the strongest visa options.
When does the school year start in Australia?
The school year runs in four terms from late January or early February to December. We recruit all year round, and most teachers relocate in time to start at the beginning of a term.
Is there a fee to teach in Australia with ESLstarter?
No. Our recruitment service is free for teachers.
Ready to teach in Australia?
See the full job details and apply in a few minutes. Our service is free.
