International School Recruitment Report 2021

The global pandemic has affected most aspects of international school life, from teaching online to border closures, which have also affected staff hiring and deployment.  In light of this disruption, Edvectus conducted a survey in October 2021 to evaluate the recruitment landscape for 2022 jobs.

The survey was designed by Edvectus with the support of International Education Solutions (IES), and a number of experienced international school leaders. The survey was completed by over 200 international heads of school, HR directors and school owners in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.  These regions include two countries with the highest number of British and American orientated international schools – the UAE and China.

Executive Summary

A survey of over 200 international schools in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions indicates 2022 will be the most challenging year for international staff recruitment ever.  40% of schools anticipate hiring more teachers than the last pre-pandemic recruitment season, a figure that rises to 50% for schools in the Middle East. A majority of schools anticipate it will be harder or much harder to find these teachers, with Secondary specialists and STEM teachers being the most difficult to find.  Impediments include inability to travel, Covid vaccinations required, staff wanting to return home, and difficulty obtaining visas for teachers and dependants.  Most schools have reacted by recruiting earlier, speeding up the recruitment process, and trying to retain staff by offering more contractual flexibility. It remains to be seen if these efforts will be enough.