6 Incredible Online Teaching Companies That Hire South Africans

When it comes to teaching English online, South Africans often have the difficult task of trying to find online teaching positions that are well-worth their time. Unfortunately, the North American accent is often favored by parents, which means that most companies require prospective teachers to be from Canada, USA, and sometimes, the UK.

It's a requirement that can be incredibly frustrating for South Africans despite their native language being English. But don’t let that dim your online ESL dreams. Many big companies have become more lenient with their hiring policies over recent years, allowing South Africans to reap the benefits of teaching English. If you’re from South Africa and you're eager to start teaching English online, here are a few companies that may pique your interest:

SayABC

SayABC is a Chinese-based online education platform and the sister company of renowned online education platform VIPKid. Thankfully, SayABC has a more inclusive hiring policy that welcomes native English speakers from South Africa. Unfortunately, thanks to SayABC’s servers, South African citizens are unable to teach within South Africa. However, if you find yourself residing in the UK or North America, you're more than welcome to apply.

If you’re able to overcome this hurdle, you’ll find that teaching with SayABC offers excellent pay benefits. You will need to be comfortable with teaching group classes and young learners, as they provide lessons to students aged 5-12 years old within a one-to-four classroom setting. Teachers can expect to earn up to $17 per 40-minute class, all thanks to their amazing incentive system. Watch your base rate increase with great incentives such as attendance, productivity, and covering lessons with less than 24-hours notice. Working for SayABC is well worth the effort if you can meet their requirements (including bypassing their servers), making it a fantastic work-from-home opportunity.

Basic Requirements: One year’s teaching experience, TEFL/TESOL certificate (or equivalent), and bachelor’s degree (or higher).

Read our SayABC application guide.

iTutorGroup

iTutorgroup has been around for quite some time and is considered one of the pioneers within the online ESL industry. It’s also one of the best choices for South Africans looking to start teaching English online. Their teaching platform is quite robust, but if you can pass a few technical requirements, then you're halfway there. Along with the latest operating system, you’ll need to have a wired internet connection - no WiFi.

It’s an excellent opportunity to earn money while working from home, and teachers can expect to earn between $15 - $20 per hour (this includes incentives). By conducting over 50 lessons and making it to class on time (the attendance bonus), you can significantly improve your base rate thanks to these incentives. While they provide you with a flexible schedule, you will need to commit to a minimum of 10 hours a week during China's peak hours (19:30-22:30). Unfortunately, at least four of those 10 hours you will need to teach over the weekend. Teaching young learners can be a rewarding experience, but it's not for everyone. iTutorgroup has a large adult client base, making it a fantastic opportunity for those who prefer teaching adults. No company is perfect, but there are plenty of benefits to working with iTutorgroup, and it can be an excellent opportunity for South Africans to earn extra income online.

Basic Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree (or higher), TEFL/TESOL (or equivalent), a minimum of one year’s teaching experience.

Learn more about the application process, requirements, and reviews here.

Landi English

Landi English is one of the leading online education platforms, offering young learners aged 5 -10 years old, a unique and immersive learning environment within a 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 setting. Landi is one of only a handful of companies that offer teaching positions to native and non-native speakers and consider South Africans as one of the top picks when reviewing and accepting applications. Landi doesn't appear to be too fussy when it comes to requirements, which is incredibly easy to pass. A minimum internet speed of 2 Mbps download, and 2 Mbps upload is all you need to teach with Landi.

Unfortunately, over recent months Landi has implemented pay reductions, but teachers can still expect to earn up to $18 per hour. Your base rate is calculated according to your teaching experience and qualifications. Unlike many other companies on this list, they don’t offer much in terms of incentives, but teachers have the chance to improve their base rate the longer they stay with the company. You will need to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week, which could impose on someone looking for a more flexible schedule. If you’re looking for a long-term opportunity that allows you to earn a comfortable part-time income as a South African, then Landi is a good pick.

Basic Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or above, TEFL/TESOL or equivalent, neutral accent, and fluent in English.

DadaABC

Dada is another Chinese-based online education platform that caters to students aged 4-16 years old in a one-on-one setting. They provide an excellent curriculum that collaborates with big names such as Pearson and National Geographic, which allows you to spend less time preparing for lessons. Unfortunately, because Dada is such a well-known company that accepts native speakers from anywhere in the world, they regularly implement hiring freezes. However, this is a good thing, as it means they’re not over-hiring teachers.

You can expect to earn between $15 - $25 per hour when working with Dada, but you will need to start from the bottom of the pay scale. Fortunately, you have the chance to work your way up, as Dada offers a bump in your base rate every six months during your re-evaluation - provided you perform well. Incentives are another great way to improve your pay, and teachers could earn an additional $3 per hour thanks to Dada’s step scheme. A bonus? It appears that DadaABC doesn’t require you to have a bachelor’s degree when applying, making it a fantastic opportunity for South Africans without a degree.

Basic Requirements: Be a native English speaker and have a TEFL/TESOL certificate (or equivalent).

Learn more about teaching at DaDaABC

Preply

While many of the schools on our list conform to the traditional model of online teaching platforms, Preply steps outside this box. This innovative online learning platform provides South African teachers with the chance to earn a part-time income and work a flexible schedule all from the comfort of their home. However, there is a catch! Preply provides the platform for teachers to connect with potential students, but the responsibility for creating lesson plans and teacher marketing is all on you. Without prior experience, this can feel a bit daunting.

But if you're up for the challenge, then this could be an excellent opportunity to grow your own online teaching business. Another benefit of working with Preply is that you get to decide your rate. If you feel that your skills and abilities are worth $20 per hour, then go for it! Keep in mind that bookings are often dependent on ratings and your qualifications. Preply does take a commission from your hourly rate, which can usually range between 18% - 30%, and takes 100% commission from your first class.

Basic Requirements: You will need to have a stable internet connection, laptop/computer with webcam and microphone, but other than that, there are no specific requirements to join Preply. Ensuring that you have a friendly profile picture, the introduction video and written introduction is all you need to submit your tutor profile to be reviewed by a Preply staff member.

Cambly

Cambly is another excellent platform that aims to connect language learners with English teachers from around the world. Compared to Preply, there’s no need to create lesson plans for your students. Instead, Cambly is all about creating a comfortable and informal learning atmosphere with a heavy focus on conversational English.

Most students are adults from the Middle East or Europe, so if this is your target demographic, then Cambly is a great choice. Because you’ll be teaching students from around the world, the platform is 24 hours, so you can create a schedule that suits you. All you need to do is log on and wait for your next student to call. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to create a rate all on your own, but you can expect to earn $0.17/minute or $10.20 per hour when working with Cambly.

Basic Requirements: Native speaker, stable internet connection, introduction video, and a short bio.

These are just a few great companies that offer online teaching positions to South Africans. As always, when choosing a company to work with, make sure that they align with what you’re hoping to get out of the position (schedule, pay, etc.).

Happy teaching!