what are the issues in the esl industry?

It's difficult to tell how the English as a Second Language market is going.

Some would say there is a growing demand for ESL teachers in the global market:

The English language training (ELT) market is anticipated to expand substantially in the years ahead, reaching a value of $107.93 billion by 2028. With the increasing prominence of English as the medium of international communication, businesses, governments, and educational institutions in non-English speaking countries are acknowledging the necessity of strong English language skills. Consequently, there is a huge increase in the demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers worldwide.

However, others are saying that the Golden Age of ESL has ended:

There was a time when Japan and Taiwan paid very well for English teachers, with Korea and China taking over as economies shifted. In the middle east I worked with guys who started in the 60s and 70s in Africa, and also guys who moved into eastern Europe after the cold war. 

Now, though, with online teaching fully arrived (if not living up to high standards), AI around the corner, markets saturated with more people willing to go overseas to escape hardships, and less jobs in most of the previously stong Asian markets, seems the end of an era.

And now, following on from the surge during the pandemic, some are talking about the death of ESL online teaching:

The final blow came in 2021, when China implemented a ban on online teaching and introduced stringent regulations governing private tutoring services.

However, that comment was from two years ago - and much interpretation of the ESL landscape is quite persona,

Here's a very lively discussion thread on the problem with the ESL industry, which starts like this:

The lifestyle is too good to be able to resettle at home. Nowhere else have I been able to work 25 hours a week (total), met so many outgoing and social people, travelled as much, and seen so many interesting things.

I went home during the pandemic and life just feels dull. I work full time but have less disposable cash. My friends are more restricted anddont say yes to life as much. And here the roads are safe but dull. I think I'm going to have to go back into the esl life. I swore I'd give it up at 30 but I'm just not prepared to give this lifestyle up.

Anyone else in the same boat and just feels life is dull living in your home nation?

Here's more from Reddit on your opinion on ESL trap.

To finish with another perspective on what happens in the classroom, here's a look at the intrinsic issues in the ESL industry

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