As Ireland’s education system becomes more competitive, the demand for highly skilled Irish teachers continues to soar. Now, overseas schools have set their sights on Irish teachers with lucrative salary packages of up to €70,000. With many teachers feeling undervalued and underpaid in Ireland, overseas opportunities are becoming increasingly attractive. This article explores the trend of overseas schools targeting Irish teachers, and the benefits and challenges of teaching abroad.
There has been a significant surge in applications from Irish teachers for career breaks, as education authorities in the Middle East and Australia increase recruitment efforts in the country. Many recruitment firms are offering financial packages that include flights, health coverage, and relocation expenses, with salaries ranging from €48,000 to €70,000 per year.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to hold virtual recruitment fairs aimed at Irish teachers next month for vacant teaching posts in the coming academic year, with salary packages worth around €60,000 per year, along with flights and health coverage. Catholic schools in the state of Victoria in Australia are also targeting Irish teachers, offering salaries of between €48,000 (with two years of experience) and €69,000 (with 11 years or more of experience).
These recruitment efforts come as warnings from teachers’ unions suggest that the high housing costs and cost of living may be making it unaffordable for young teachers to live in urban areas. As a result, many Irish teachers are seeking opportunities abroad.
Paul Crone, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, has stated that many school leaders are dealing with a new surge in applications for career breaks for the coming academic year. The number of teachers on career breaks has climbed to a record high of 3,153, a 33% increase from last year.
Garrett O’Dowd, director of Teach & Explore, a recruitment firm that links Irish teachers to jobs abroad, has confirmed that the number of Irish teachers seeking teaching jobs abroad has increased, but “not by a huge amount.” He stated that the Middle East is still the most popular location for Irish teachers due to the combination of generous salaries, climate, and proximity to home. The UK is also popular for teachers seeking experience, but has lower salaries. Australia and New Zealand are becoming a bigger draw for Irish teachers, though salaries are broadly similar to those in Ireland, while accommodation can be expensive.
Dr. Anne Looney, executive dean of DCU’s Institute of Education, noted that many overseas territories are regularly seeking to recruit new graduates, but the university no longer facilitates this. She stated that the teachers who go to Australia or the Middle East find that it is not a cakewalk, as they discover that the level of accountability can be higher, parental expectations greater, and the quality of other teachers not always as high.
However, it can be a great experience for young teachers to do, and they generally come back. A statement by the Department of Education in Ireland said Irish teachers are highly trained and valued the world over, with teaching in Ireland remaining an attractive career. The department also noted that the starting salary for a teacher in Ireland is now over €40,000 per annum, which is significantly higher than the equivalent figure in Northern Ireland. By October 2023, a teacher on point one of the scale will earn a minimum of €41,390, an increase of more than €10,000 per annum since 2012. A teacher on point 14 of the scale will earn at least €62,430 and those on the top point at least €77,000.
