Analysis of applications through Tes Jobs found more than 121,000 from UK-based teachers seeking posts abroad in 2025 alone. The UAE was the single most popular destination, followed by Qatar, Spain, Thailand and Saudi Arabia — four of the top ten destinations were Gulf states.
Applications from US-based teachers rose every year in the dataset, reaching 24,022 in 2025, a trend the analysis linked to domestic political pressures. Interest in Hong Kong climbed sharply too, lifting it from sixteenth to eleventh among destinations for UK teachers, while the US itself slipped down the table.
A market exposed to shocks
The caveat is significant. The figures predate 2026, and analysts warn that instability in the Middle East could curtail demand for the very region that has been drawing the most teachers — leaving both schools and staff exposed to events well beyond the classroom.
Sources
TES — International teacher recruitment: where teachers apply across the world · TES — International schools sector trends for 2026
