Quick answer: You can still teach English in Spain in 2026, but your route depends on your passport. EU and Irish citizens can work freely, while UK, US and other non-EU citizens need a visa route such as the NALCAP language assistant programme or a student visa. Academias typically pay €14–18 per teaching hour and the main hiring season runs from September to early October – see our teaching English in Spain guide for more.
TEFL, siestas and sangria are the typical Brit’s impression of the life in Spain, but with over a million expats now resident in the country, finding your first TEFL job in Spain is not as easy as it once was. Yet teaching English in Spain is so appealing to many that it remains in the top five TEFL destinations of both graduates looking for a gap year TESOL, as well as mature career changers looking for an alternative life somewhere warm.
But if teaching English in Spain is your dream, then you need to do your homework first and go prepared. Choose your TESOL training carefully to give you the right skills for the new Spanish market – and, just as importantly, understand the visa rules, because they have changed a lot since we first wrote this post.
Can I teach English in Spain after Brexit?
Yes, but the rules changed significantly for British teachers. When this post was first written, a UK passport gave you the automatic right to live and work in Spain. Since Brexit that is no longer the case: UK citizens are now non-EU citizens in Spanish eyes. Without a visa you can spend no more than 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, and those 90 days do not come with the right to work. To teach in Spain for an academic year, you will need one of the visa routes in the next section.
If you hold an EU or Irish passport, nothing has changed. You still have the full right to live and work in Spain: register for your NIE (foreigner identification number) and social security, and you can sign a teaching contract straight away. You will have the widest range of TEFL job opportunities and you are entitled to the general medical and state benefits that come with legal employment.
One healthcare point for British readers: the old EHIC card has been replaced by the GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card), which covers medically necessary state healthcare on visits to Spain. Once you become a resident, you access Spanish healthcare by registering through your social security contributions instead. You can find out more about health care in Spain through the UK Govt guidance for Spain webpage, and it is worth checking the FCDO travel advice for Spain for the current entry rules before you book anything.
What visa routes work for Spain (NALCAP, student visa, EU passport)?
These are the main legal routes into teaching work in Spain, and who each one tends to suit:
| Route | Who it suits | Work rights |
|---|---|---|
| EU or Irish passport | EU citizens | Full right to work – just register for an NIE and social security |
| NALCAP language assistant programme | Mainly US and Canadian citizens | Student-visa placement with a monthly stipend of about €800–1,000 for 12–16 classroom hours |
| Student visa | Non-EU citizens, including UK | Study a course (Spanish is a popular choice) and work up to 30 hours a week |
| Work visa sponsorship | Experienced teachers | Rare in TEFL – academias seldom sponsor; more realistic after time in-country |
| Working holiday visa | Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians aged 18–30/35 | Live and work in Spain temporarily under youth mobility agreements |
The NALCAP route deserves a special mention. The North American Language and Culture Assistants Program places US and Canadian citizens in Spanish state schools as language assistants for 12–16 classroom hours a week, on a student-visa placement with a monthly stipend of about €800–1,000. Full details are on the Spanish Ministry of Education’s NALCAP page. If you are North American and weighing up your options across the continent, our guide to where Americans can teach English in Europe compares Spain with the alternatives.
And what about working without any of these? Plenty of non-EU teachers have historically worked ‘under the radar’ in Spain, paid in cash with no contract. The Spain Expat website gives an honest picture of what working without a contract really looks like – and we don’t recommend it. As Kerry explains below, no contract means no job security and no health cover, and you are relying entirely on your employer’s goodwill.
Where are the teaching jobs in Spain (academias, summer schools, online)?
Once upon a time you could rock up with a basic TESOL certificate (or sometimes none at all) and be inundated with TESOL job offers. But this has changed and while there is a healthy industry, to secure good, year-round work and a decent hourly wage, it pays to be prepared. Most of the work is in private language academies (academias), with summer schools, in-company classes, private students and online teaching making up the rest.
Global English graduate Kerry Edwards found work teaching English in Spain and is now Director of Studies of a TEFL school in Calpe. She comments on the situation on the ground:
"I live in Calpe which is on the Costa Blanca, between Valencia and Alicante, 30 minutes north of Benidorm. I think that Spain generally is struggling, even in Madrid classes have been cut back and companies are turning more and more to telephone classes. Last year the banks drastically cut their training budget and the employees no longer have classes.
I would advise anyone looking at work in Spain at the moment to ensure that they have a contract and not take for granted that it will be renewed. Also in Spain there is not a benefit system as in the UK. You are only entitled to a small amount if you have worked for 2 years on a full time contract. If you do not have a contract you have no health cover.
The teaching of English at the town halls is taught by civil servants such as school or college teachers who are on the local payroll. Large classes with lots of Spanish spoken. They have also recruited English volunteers to help out. Not an ideal situation but it's free!
As a DoS for a summer school I recruit new teachers every year and we have a core of teachers who come back year after year. I usually recruit a newly qualified TEFL teacher to give them the necessary experience."
So if you are a new teacher looking for work, where is best to start? Well, the Global English blogs are a good place to start, alongside our country destinations guide here. You’ll find useful advice on everything, from finding your first job, from others who have followed down this path before. You could also try the standard TEFL jobs sites, such as TEFL.com. We also have a fuller list of TEFL job websites and ideas on how to present yourself when you go for your first interview on our blog called How to find a TEFL position overseas.
If you can get to Spain on an Easyjet or other low cost airline, or if you are already there, then you definitely have an advantage. By being in the right place at right time, you can apply face to face. One obvious advantage is that you can find out locally about the good schools (and bad ones!) allowing you the opportunity of doing the research before making a commitment.
Global English graduate Jennifer Cross went to Barcelona and comments:
"I met with an American teacher for coffee and she told me her school is looking for a teacher -- that afternoon. Within 2 hours I was teaching my first English class. I was terribly under-prepared and I was so nervous. The school liked me enough as they gave me a few additional classes. Now, nearly a year later I work about 20 hours a week at this school (during the evening) and they are sponsoring my work visa."
If you are a non-native English language speaker, but have a good command of English and a TEFL qualification, then finding TEFL work is also possible. However, you need to be flexible and be prepared to offer something different. Consider offering yourself as an English/Other Language teacher, which is what Karen Raffa did after completing her TESOL course with a business English specialisation. She is currently in Spain teaching English and German and comments:
"They like to employ native speakers as it is always demanded in job advertisements. I’m not native English but I’m foreign. Obviously that was enough to give me a try. Furthermore, I think that it is much easier to find a job in Spain than in Germany. I sent some applications via internet and some schools I just called to leave a message and I received answers from all schools I called. Sometimes they offer you just a few lessons a week, so you normally work for more than one school."
How much do English teachers earn in Spain?
As of 2026, academias typically pay €14–18 per teaching hour, which works out at roughly €1,100–1,400 a month on a full-time timetable. Private classes command €20–30 an hour in cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, and many teachers build a mix of academia hours and private students to lift their income. NALCAP assistants receive a stipend of €800 a month (€1,000 in Madrid) for their 12–16 classroom hours, which most top up with private conversation classes.
These are liveable wages, particularly outside the big cities, but nobody teaches in Spain to get rich – it is a lifestyle move. Whatever you are offered, follow Kerry’s advice: get a contract in writing and don’t take renewal for granted.
When and how should you apply?
The academic year drives everything. The main hiring season is September and early October, since academia recruitment is mostly done last minute for an October start. There is a second, smaller wave in January, when timetables are reshuffled and teachers who didn’t settle move on. Summer schools recruit in spring – and as Kerry mentions above, a summer school post is a classic first rung for a newly qualified TEFL teacher.
It is always better to apply in person where you can, armed with a succinct TEFL-ready CV. Emailed applications work too, as Karen found, but a knock on the academia door in late September still gets people hired within days.
What TEFL course do you need for Spain?
With Spain remaining a top 5 destination and greater competition for teachers, if you are in it for the long term we would recommend at least an Advanced TESOL 150 hour qualification. We strongly recommend adding a specialism in either Teaching English to young learners or Teaching Business English to help set you apart from the competition.
Many academias advertise for a CELTA or Trinity certificate, but a solid accredited 120–150 hour TESOL with a specialism and some classroom experience opens plenty of doors, particularly with smaller academias and summer schools. If you are retraining from another career, read how one of our graduates chose her TEFL course for Spain and made the move.
Frequently asked questions
Can I teach in Spain without EU citizenship?
Yes. The most common routes are the NALCAP language assistant programme for US and Canadian citizens, a student visa (which now lets you work up to 30 hours a week and is the usual route for UK citizens post-Brexit), or a working holiday visa for young Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians. Direct work-visa sponsorship by an academia is rare.
What is the NALCAP auxiliares programme?
NALCAP (North American Language and Culture Assistants Program) is the Spanish Ministry of Education scheme that places US and Canadian citizens in state schools as English language assistants. You teach 12–16 classroom hours a week on a student-visa placement, with a stipend of €800 a month (€1,000 in Madrid), and placements are renewable.
Do academias require a CELTA?
Many ask for a CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL, but a good accredited 120–150 hour online TESOL combined with some teaching experience is accepted by plenty of employers, and smaller academias are often flexible. A specialism such as young learners strengthens your CV further.
How much do English teachers earn in Spain?
Academias typically pay €14–18 per teaching hour in 2026, or roughly €1,100–1,400 a month full-time. Private classes bring in €20–30 an hour in the larger cities, and NALCAP assistants receive €800–1,000 a month for 12–16 hours.
If you want to teach English in Spain this year, an enhanced TESOL course could make all the difference.
William Bradridge, Director of Studies, Global English TESOL
---------------
Are you teaching in Spain at the moment? What's your experience? Could you lend any advice to help others in getting started? Then please leave a comment below.