Shadow education refers to supplementary private tutoring that operates alongside mainstream education systems. This study, grounded in Biesta et al.’s (Teachers Teaching 21:624–640, 2015) ecological model of teacher agency, qualitatively examines the experiences of eight language teachers engaged in English private tutoring (EPT) in rural Astana, Kazakhstan. It explores how they exercised agency in navigating the emotional labour associated with fee-based EPT. Drawing on two semi-structured interviews with each participant, the study highlights the iterational, projective, and practical-evaluative dimensions of agency. Financial goals predominantly influenced participants’ engagement in EPT. Additional goals within the projective dimension included professional development, fostering a passion for teaching, celebrating students’ success, and contributing to national progress. Within the iterational dimension, some prioritised their teacher identity, viewing EPT as secondary, while others favoured EPT for its flexibility and closer teacher-student relationships. The practical-evaluative dimension revealed challenges such as exhaustion, low salaries, strained relationships with parents and administration, and unmotivated students. Participants acted agentively by employing coping strategies such as positive self-talk, handicraft activities, and confiding in trusted individuals, yet two considered leaving teaching entirely. This study underscores the need to regulate private tutoring, recognise language teachers’ agency in this sector, and address their well-being and professional identities.