Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Zyzyfer]

[mithridates]

Don't forget that English teaching is not the only job in Korea. If your Korean is good you can pretty much do anything, music, trade, research, franchising, computer programming, you name it. Korea looks bleak if one thinks of it as merely a place to sell one's soul to a Hagwon for a year, but that's because most people who work there aren't capable of anything else here. Just as most English teachers here work the same hours or less than they would in a company back home, most Korean people in Canada work the same hours in companies over there as they would here in Korea, though the taxes are much higher. There is also a glut of English-speaking Korean people looking for good jobs in Canada which makes it very difficult to stand out and get any worthwhile work. If the two of you do end up moving to Canada however I recommend she learn French before she goes so that she can do something worth doing over there. I heard that the government had upped the bilingual budget by 35%, and part of that is getting/training more bilingual public servants, and their goal is to have 50% of high school graduates fluent in both languages in 10 years.
One of these two options seems to be the most likely way of making the two of you happy. Be open to learning Korean though.
(Unless you already know Korean?)

[Trinny]

I totally agree with mithridates on the french part in Canada. Almost all the federal government and private sector jobs advertised these days say "Bilingualism imperative." It seems to me that you cannot even apply for any decent job, unless you are very fluent in French (Federal government level C, which means you speak French as if it is your mother tongue). No wonder there are so many francophones in the federal government. Typical requirements for any job will be like:

- Excellent command of English/French
- A relevant degree;
- 5 years of hands-on, relevant experience;

Here is my dilemma. I have no heart for learning a new language, while I am having a hard time getting my English up to speed. So, whiner. I hope your girl friend doesn't take my path and well prepared before coming to Canada.

[Oaklandstroke]

It sounds like your girlfriend is not as serious about you as you are about her. She may be misinformed about the citizenship issue but she also may be searching for a reason to split that doesn't involve telling her parents. I don't mean to be too cynical but I've heard similar tales before. Good luck

[DHC]

I am married to a Korean woman with a child born in Korea. My wife retains her Korean citizenship even if she immigrates to the US as long as she doesen't obtain US citizenship. If she obtains US citizenship she must renounce her Korean citizenship ( Korean law , not US ). If at a later date she desires to become a Korean citizen again , she must renounce her citizenship and apply for Korean citizenship , based on blood , and bring proof of renounciation of US citizenship and a copy of her Family Census Register showing her birth in Korea. Korean citizenship is then granted.

For information purposes , our daughter is both a Korean and a US citizen at birth , holding both passports. Her US passport is stamped with a notation , in Korean , that she is a Korean citizen and must exit and enter Korea using her Korean passport. When she attains the age of majority , she must choose one citizenship ( Korean , not US law. ). When in Korea she is treated as a Korean citizen ; no Alien Registration Card , visa , etc. ).

Many Koreans do not like the citizenship laws and often give incorrect information , including Immigration.

[The Man known as The Man]

[chiaa]

[the dakota kid]

Edited

[JustJohn]

[soy]

This is a little bit of a derail but does anyone know if I can get an F2 visa and work if I'm married to a gyopo (F4 Visa)? I currently have an F1 visa and from what I've been told it is illegal to work with the F1. I'd appreciate being pointed in the right direction to find out, should I just contact an immigration office or something?

[nobbyken]

I was in the OPs position a year ago, my future (now) wife couldn't see herself leaving Korea as she felt she couldn't leave her family.
I found out I could teach here, so I came.

After spending a month with my family in Scotland before we married, she wanted to stay.
After more than a year back in Korea, she likes my family more than her own and would rather live near my folks. We have webcam and mic chats, which helps us feel closer to family.

Compromise and ability to adapt to change are as essential for a marriage as love.