Background: I have a CELTA, a Master's in English Literature from the U.K., a year of teaching experience (English Language Assistant Programme in France) and an Indian passport.

I've read the Wiki, so I know that getting a TEFL position in the EU without a European passport is difficult. But, what about European countries outside the European Union like Norway or Iceland (if Scandinavia doesn't accept any sort of TEFL certificate, what precisely do they look for)?

How about Japan? I know South Korea and China are not an option. Are there specific countries I should focus on? Should I still continue looking into Europe (ads with or without a preference for an EU citizen)? Also, is it worth it signing up for specific country sites? Or are well-known sites like TEFL.com / Dave's ESL Café fine?

I did have an offer from a school in Russia, but in light of recent events, it's no longer an option.

Also, is the market opening up everywhere now? It's been a frustrating couple of years and I've been feeling pretty discouraged in my search, so some words of encouragement would be nice. 😅

Thank you! 🥂