VIPKid

Yes, VIPKid's core business model of providing live, foreign-taught English classes to students in China was heavily disrupted by China's Double Reduction policy introduced in 2021. The regulations banned curriculum-based tutoring from overseas teachers, forcing the platform to pivot. As a result, VIPKid had to transition away from its primary market, heavily reducing its reliance on North American teachers for Chinese students.

Historically, VIPKid required applicants to hold a Bachelor's degree in any field and possess at least one year of teaching experience. Teachers also had to be eligible to work in the US or Canada and pass a rigorous interview process that included a mock lesson. A TESOL or TEFL certification was highly preferred and often required to finalize the teaching contract.

Before the regulatory changes in China, VIPKid teachers typically earned between $14 to $22 per hour, depending on their performance, tiers, and incentives. Pay was calculated per 25-minute class, with base pay plus additional bonuses for participation and finishing the lesson on time. The platform offered a flexible, gig-economy schedule, making it popular among stay-at-home parents.

VIPKid used a proprietary, state-aligned curriculum based on the US Common Core standards. The lessons were heavily gamified, utilizing interactive slideshows that teachers and students could draw on simultaneously during the 25-minute session. The platform provided all the teaching materials, meaning foreign teachers did not need to plan their own lessons.