Teaching opportunities for a non-native English speaker?

QuidProQuo wrote:

Just so you know some major centers or school are biased against online Tefl cert.

I didn't pick up on that in the OP.  Yes tons of native speakers use online TEFL certificates but it could be an impediment to someone with another passport.  To Eric:  if you have the time and the wherewithal to take the CELTA either before or after you arrive in Vietnam, it would probably insure good, or at least better,  employment.  My calculation is that at a $2/hour pay differential, which is possible, the CELTA pays off over other courses in less than a year.  It also validates your fluency as one must have an IELTS 7.0, which you easily exceed, to take the course.  The CELTA would also help you overcome any age discrimination which is real in VN.  Fourty is the tipping point.  (Yes, I prefer the archaic spelling of 40.  )

VietCanada wrote:

You need a bachelors degree, a teaching certificate which can be anything from an on-line TEFL to a BEd and you have to have to come from an English speaking country.

Most of the Filipino teachers at the center where I work had work permits (I suppose you could argue that the Philippines is an English speaking country even if that is not actually true.)   They were to a man (and woman) excellent teachers.  If anyone can cite the requirement in Vietnamese law or DOLISA regulations, I will concede the point.  Also consider that unless there was an explicitly written list of acceptable countries, who would be qualified to decide who is a native speaker?  Obviously not a Vietnamese bureaucrat.  And of course there are people holding what would be the "right" passports, particularly from the US, who are far from native speakers.

I agree that there are way too many non-native speakers teaching in Vietnam.  This forum is repeatedly queried, no bombarded, by non-native speakers with no degrees, many of them unable to string two correct sentences together and they still get encouragement to come to Vietnam from people who should know better.  If nothing else these people put downward pressure on wages for the rest who are qualified.  It is ironic that these same people are making it harder for foreign-born native English speaking Viet Kieu to get jobs.

In general, I notice that Scandinavians and Dutch appear closest to or even indistinguishable from native speakers, probably because of linguistic similarity.  I think the OP falls in this category as evidenced by his IELTS scores and clear writing style.  I think he should be encouraged just as others should be discouraged.

""

GRANT OF WORK PERMIT

Article 5. Dossier of request for grant of work permit
Papers specified at Clause 1, Clause 3, Clause 4, Clause 5 and Clause 8 Article 10 of Decree No. 102/2013/NĐ-CP, guiding implementation as follows:
1. A written request for a work permit of the employers as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 10 of Decree No. 102/2013/NĐ-CP made according to Form No.6 promulgated together with this Circular.
2. A written confirmation for not being offenders or liable to criminal prosecution specified at Clause 3 Article 10 of Decree No. 102/2013/NĐ-CP, guiding implementation as follows:
a) If foreign labourers have resided in Vietnam, they must have a justice record granted by the national justice record center or cases of residing in Vietnam, they must have justice record granted by Departments of Justice in provinces and central-affiliated cities and written confirmation for not being offenders or liable to criminal prosecution as prescribed by foreign law granted by foreign competent agencies;
b) In the case of foreign labourers have not yet resided in Vietnam, they must have written confirmation for not being offenders or liable to criminal prosecution as prescribed by foreign law granted by competent agencies of foreign countries.
3. Written confirmation of being managers, executive directors, experts or technical workers as prescribed at Clause 4 Article 10 of Decree No. 102/2013/NĐ-CP, shall implement as follows:
a) For foreign labourers being managers, executive directors, they must have one of the following papers:
- Documentary evidence of being managers, executive directors, consisting of:  Work permit or labour contract or decision on appointment defining that foreign labourer having been worked at position of managers or executive directors;
- Written confirmation of being managers, executive directors made by agencies, organizations or enterprises where that foreign labourers have ever worked.
b) For foreign labourers being experts must have one of the following papers:
- Documentary evidence for foreign labourers who have qualification of engineers, Bachelors or higher or equivalent qualification and have at least of 05 working years in the specialized line as trained and suitable with the work position which foreign labourer expected to work in Vietnam;
- Written confirmation for being expert, which is recognized by competent agencies and organizations or foreign enterprises.
c) For foreign labourers being technical labourers, they must have one of the following papers:
- Documentary evidence or written confirmation of competent agencies and organizations or enterprises in foreign countries showing that they have been trained technical specialized line with duration of not less than 01 year;
- Documentary evidence for foreign labourers to have at least 03 working years in the specialized line as trained and suitable with the work position which foreign labourer is expected to work in Vietnam;
.
""