Is it possible to come to Ghana with only a TEFL or CELTA?

Yes to international language schools. But in the case of K-12 schools NTC normally needs a Bachelor of Education or Postgraduate Diploma in education (PGDE).

Am I required to take the licensure exam (GTLE)?

Yes. By 2025, foreign trained teachers will have to submit a GTEC assessment and enroll in the GTLE in order to have a professional license.

What is the duration of the work permit?

The GIS normally takes 4 to 8 weeks to provide a Work and Residence Permit once all the documents (including the NTC clearance) are submitted.

Ghana Work Permit for Foreign Teachers

Do you teach and want to transfer your knowledge in the most stable and receptive democracy in West Africa? Being a teacher in Ghana is a gratifying affair, although Ghana work permit procedures have been stricter in 2025 towards foreign teachers.

Immigration Categories & Permits

You have to acquire the legal permission to live in the country before you can step into a classroom. Ghana has got a hybrid approach to expatriate professionals.

Work and Residence Permit: It is the main document that is issued by the GIS. It authenticates your entitlement to life and employment under a certain schooling establishment.
Class A Work Permit: This is the common type of professional expatriate with instructors of foreign and private schools.
Subject Justification Letter: A very essential need in your school. The employer should give a letter to why a foreign teacher has been hired as opposed to a Ghanaian professional.
Quota System: The schools are given a certain number of quotas regarding foreign staff. Make sure that your school has a quota available to it before making a contract.
e-Service Portal: The majority of the preliminary tracking and payments have been transferred to the digital platform of the Ministry of the Interior.

Educational Governing Bodies

It is also unlike other countries where a work permit is adequate because Ghana has to place the foreign trained teachers under scrutiny by the national educational authorities.

NTC (National Teaching Council): The overriding body of all teaching in Ghana. The legal practice is not achievable without registration on the NTC Teacher Portal Ghana.
GTEC (Ghana Tertiary Education Commission): GTEC was previously known as the NAB; the body is in charge of Certificate Evaluation. They will have to ensure that your international degree is equal to a Ghana degree.
GTLE (Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination): A majority of the foreign teachers have to be subjected to the GTLE today. The exam would consist in 2025 of papers on General Professional Knowledge and Grade-level Specialism Pedagogy.
GES (Ghana Education Service): GES does not control the privately-owned global schools; however, their standards are the ones which the privately-owned international schools have to match.

Professional Certification and Documentation

A powerful portfolio of credentials will be required to please both the GTEC and the NTC.

Essential Paperwork

Certificate of Evaluation: The formal certificate of GTEC which confirms your degree.
Letter of Good Standing: It is a letter of good standing issued by the teaching council in your country of home (e.g. QTS in the UK or a State License in the USA).
Teacher Certificate A: This is the Ghanaian qualification in professional teachers. This standard will be compared to your qualifications.
Induction Programme: A few foreign teachers have to be allowed a brief orientation or induction program first before they are fully licensed.
CPD Points: To retain your license, you need to receive Continuous Professional Development points by attending workshops approved by the NTC.

Verification & Compliance Must-Haves

The Ministry of the Interior and GIS has stringent verification measures in order to stop illegal employment.

Medical Report (GIS Clinic): This is a requirement that you will have a health check-up at the Ghana Immigration Service Clinic located in Accra. Outsourced or foreign hospital results are usually not welcomed.
Ghana Card (Non-Citizen ID): It is obligatory. It is impossible to open a bank account or renew your permit without this biometric ID card.
Police Clearance Report: It has to be issued by your home country and it has to be in the recent six months.
Labor Act 2003 (Act 651): Get acquainted with this act; this guarantees your rights concerning contracts, leave and termination.

FAQs

Is it possible to come to Ghana with only a TEFL or CELTA?

Yes to international language schools. But in the case of K-12 schools NTC normally needs a Bachelor of Education or Postgraduate Diploma in education (PGDE).
Am I required to take the licensure exam (GTLE)?

Yes. By 2025, foreign trained teachers will have to submit a GTEC assessment and enroll in the GTLE in order to have a professional license.
What is the duration of the work permit?

The GIS normally takes 4 to 8 weeks to provide a Work and Residence Permit once all the documents (including the NTC clearance) are submitted.

Final Thoughts

Ghana is an excellent place to be as a teacher, yet the 2025 policies focus on professionalism and local equivalence. When you start your GTEC assessment early, have a Subject Justification Letter in place, you can easily circumvent the usual traps of the so-called Silicon Savannah immigration process.

Disclosure

It is an informational/educational piece of writing. It is recommended that readers should only make decisions based on the trusted sources, i.e., the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) or the National Teaching Council (NTC).