Hi Michaelangello,

First, you can get a CELTA or Trinity in Europe and NOT in the bloody U.K. I have a CELTA and it cost 1,500 USD two years ago in Poland. Many schools will offer the course in other European countries. So for example, if you want to teach in Greece, find a school there that has either the CELTA or Trinity. The Trinity Cert-TESOL is the same as the CELTA.

Why does the EU lock out others? Well being a Canadian that lived in the Czech Republic for almost two years, you are right. The Europeans want to protect their labour market. Only the Canadians and Americans have such open arms, not because they love immigrants, but because they want the cost of labour to fall in favour of big corps. Europe is not so dumb.

Anyway, there is hope. Germany will hire Canadians and Americans with a CELTA or Trinity. Also, you could work in Central Europe: Hungary, Poland, Czech Rep. , etc, etc. However, the money is bad in those places. Another idea, you could marry a national. Otherwise, the superior Europeans want you to stay the heck out.

Lastly, you should get your CELTA or Trinity because the training is actually very good. The Brits do a better job at TESOL training... trust me, they do ( -and I dont particularly care for the Brits). My CELTA has opened many doors...it was worth the money.