"the shortage of teachers is matched only by the surge in student numbers"

More and more people want to learn English - especially online:

Jay Doubleyou: learning english online - a massively growing market

And especially since the pandemic - and yet there are not enough teachers to fulfil the demand:

Jay Doubleyou: "this has been a dire, dire situation for the industry since the pandemic started"

The front page of the latest EL Gazette makes it very clear what the state of the ESOL/TEFL industry is in:

ELG2210 Oct Issue 482

Liz Granirer reports inside:

There’s a worldwide English teacher shortage

As the world has opened up post-pandemic, it’s seeing a drought when it comes to certain professions. Certainly hospitality has taken a hit, as anyone in the restaurant or hotel business will tell you. It’s not just the UK, which is suffering from foreign workers leaving in droves after Brexit came into effect, and it’s not just servers and chefs who are needed. The English language market has seen a massive dip in those who are prepared to get back in the game and teach in person...

You could be forgiven for thinking there’s never been a better time to be an English teacher and you wouldn’t be far wrong, but the shortage of teachers is matched only by the surge in student numbers, which is having a negative effect when it comes to housing, particularly in Ireland. Its pull – aside from being a beautiful country with welcoming denizens – is that it’s both English speaking and part of the EU, meaning Ireland is particularly popular with Europeans, and it’s now bursting at the seams when it comes to accommodation.

There’s a worldwide English teacher shortage | E L Gazette

It's a problem in the UK made worse by Brexit:

Jay Doubleyou: brexit's impact on uk language schools

But it really is happening everywhere:

Demand for native English-speaking teachers zooms post-Covid - VnExpress International

Teachers opting for early retirement reason for shortage, says deputy minister | Malay Mail

Meanwhile there seems to be a shortage of English teachers generally:

Facing Shortage of Teachers, US States Ease Requirements

Australia's teachers are burnt out and fed up. Here's why - ABC News

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