60 DAY TEFL · GUIDES THAT ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION

work permit route

Can you teach English in Vietnam with an Australian passport?

TYPICALLY YES
2026 update

the short answer

Yes — Australians are regularly hired to teach English in Vietnam, one of the more accessible Southeast Asian markets. You'll typically need a bachelor's degree and an accredited TEFL certificate to get a legal work permit, though enforcement of the degree requirement varies by employer and city. Confirm current work permit rules with your employer, since Vietnam has tightened and adjusted degree and TEFL requirements in recent years.

Key facts

DegreeBachelor's degree required for a legal work permit
TEFL hours120 hours minimum, widely requested
VisaWork permit + temporary residence card
Typical payTypical first-year language-centre pay, not international-school pay
Best cityHo Chi Minh City or Hanoi for volume of openings
Hardest partGetting your degree and police check legalised for Vietnam
Who this suitsAustralians wanting an affordable, sociable first posting

step one, always

Get the certificate before you apply

Get the accredited TEFL course

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typical, not guaranteed

Your timeline

  1. 1

    Accredited TEFL course

    120 hours minimum; most centres check for this on file.

    1-4 weeks
  2. 2

    Degree legalisation

    Notarise and legalise your degree through DFAT and the Vietnamese embassy.

    3-6 weeks
  3. 3

    Police clearance

    National police check, also legalised for Vietnamese immigration.

    2-6 weeks
  4. 4

    Apply to language centres

    Many centres will interview via video call before you arrive.

    2-6 weeks
  5. 5

    Work permit + visa

    Some teachers start on a tourist visa while the work permit processes.

    4-8 weeks
Start the 120-hour / Level 5 course

Why Vietnam is a popular first stop for Australians

Vietnam sits close to Australia, keeps a low cost of living, and has a large network of private language centres hiring native-English-passport holders including Australians. It's commonly recommended as a lower-stress entry point into TEFL compared with the more bureaucratic Gulf or East Asian markets.

The trade-off is pay: language-centre wages in Vietnam are generally lower than Korea, Japan or the Gulf, though the cost of living is lower too, so the lifestyle math can still work out well.

Work permits and the grey-market shortcut

Legally, teaching in Vietnam requires a work permit tied to your degree, TEFL certificate, and police check, plus a temporary residence card. Some schools skip this and pay teachers informally on a tourist visa — this is common but carries real risk if immigration rules tighten, which they have done before.

If a school offers you cash-in-hand work with no permit process, treat that as a red flag about the employer's reliability generally, not just the visa question.

Document legalisation for Australians

Your degree and police check need to go through DFAT authentication and then legalisation at the Vietnamese embassy or consulate — similar in spirit to China's process, and not the same as a simple apostille. Start this early, since it's usually the slowest part of the timeline.

what people actually ask

FAQs

Do I need a degree to teach English in Vietnam?

For a legal work permit, yes — a bachelor's degree is generally required. Some schools operate more informally without full permits, but that carries risk, and enforcement of the degree rule has tightened in various periods.

Is it safe to teach in Vietnam without a work permit?

It's common but not fully legal, and carries risk if immigration checks increase, which has happened before in Vietnam. A properly processed work permit protects you and is the safer long-term choice.

How much do teachers in Vietnam typically earn?

Language-centre pay is generally lower than Korea, Japan or the Gulf, reflecting the lower cost of living rather than international-school wages. Check current job ads for realistic first-year figures in your target city.

Which Vietnamese cities have the most jobs?

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have the highest concentration of language centres and international schools, with Da Nang growing as a smaller, lower-cost alternative for newer teachers.

What documents do Australians need to legalise for Vietnam?

Your degree certificate and national police check both typically need DFAT authentication followed by legalisation at the Vietnamese embassy — a multi-step process, so start well before your planned move date.

keep going

Read next

Vietnam country guide →Documents checklist for TEFL visas →Teach English abroad by passport →
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