Teachers are leaving jobs in tourist areas as they can’t find anywhere to live
Education unions in the Canary Islands have raised the alarm over the growing number of teachers resigning from their posts because they cannot find anywhere to live, particularly in tourist-heavy areas such as the south of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, and on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
The problem is hitting temporary and substitute teachers the hardest. Many are required to relocate between islands to cover positions but face skyrocketing rents, fuelled by the rise in demand for short-term holiday lets.
In some cases, the cost of renting a modest flat can absorb around 50% of a substitute teacher’s monthly salary, making it financially unviable to accept a placement. In more rural islands such as El Hierro, rental options are practically non-existent.
“A very complicated issue”
Pedro Crespo, president of the ANPE teachers’ union in the Canary Islands, described the situation as “very complicated” and damaging to the education system as a whole. He explained that many teachers are turning down short-term placements lasting just a few weeks because “the cost of rent doesn’t match the salary, especially when moving between islands with no guarantee of continuity”.
This has led to delays in filling vacancies, leaving pupils without teachers for longer periods than desired.
Proposed solutions
Unions are urging the Canary Islands Government to introduce urgent measures. Among their suggestions are:
- A housing allowance similar to one in the Balearic Islands, which provides additional financial support depending on where teachers are posted.
- Making use of vacant spaces in student residences when available, particularly for teachers on short-term contracts under 21 days.
- Recovering the old “teachers’ houses” once attached to schools but now unused.
- Signing agreements with local councils to provide affordable housing not just for teachers, but also for healthcare staff, civil servants, and other essential workers.
- Stronger regulation of holiday rentals to preserve residential housing stock for local people.
Some unions and online platforms have also set up informal networks to help teachers find accommodation, but these are seen as stopgap measures.
Government response
The Canary Islands’ Education Department has acknowledged the problem but admits it currently has no housing stock to offer staff who need to move between islands.
Officials say the issue is complex and falls outside their direct responsibility, though unions warn that unless action is taken, the crisis will continue to harm both teachers and students.
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