Job Discussion Forums

[American English pilot]

When and especially HOW did the salary/benefit packages become so completely uniform in Asia-particularly in Korea, Japan and China (also, of course, Vietnam and Thailand)? Was it the result of the agencies? Or, perhaps, a result of some type of action by the teachers themselves?
I'm very interested to learn how this came about as I'm teaching Koreans, Chinese and Japanese here in the Philippines. I would like to find a way to set up a similar system here as it would benefit ALL teachers and perhaps assist in opening up the Philippines as an ESL destination more quickly.
Thanks in advance!

[ghost]

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Magandang Hapon po


I'd like to make one small correction to the numbers above -

average TEFL salaries in Thailand are closer to $1,200 per month,

largely because the dollar is worth less now than it was two years ago.


If we accept that 36,000K Baht is the typical 'average salary' in Thailand -

you'd have 1157 US dollars in your pocket at today's exchange rates.

How much you can save depends on many factors ... but I'd say

around $300 per month is doable if you stay out of the bars.

[American English pilot]

Thanks for your replies.
However, I don't think I made myself clear.
What I wish to know, is when/how/why the packages became uniform, i.e. why is it that Korea offers 2.2M won (always), Japan 250,000 Yen(always), etc? They ALL over a free apartment, airfare, etc. They are basically the same rate, and I'm not talking about the savings rates!
How did this happen? The rates here in the Philippines are ALL over the place.
Thanks in advance!

[ghost]

[American English pilot]

Thanks for that Ghost!
My source for the 'equal' salary packages are the advertisements on the international job board here. They are almost completely identical, hence, my question of how this came about.
I know that there is some 'play' in the numbers, but (at least from the job board) 2.2M for Korea seems to at least be a base salary figure.
So...how did this occur?

[Glenski]

I agree with ghost about Japan. You are terribly misinformed.

No uniform free apartments.
No uniform airfare paid. (vast majority of employers don't pay)
The so-called uniform salary is only for entry-level work at conversation schools, not other teaching institutions, and that 250K is falling. I believe it was based on being equivalent to what a Japanese person makes, but that doesn't explain why it was 250K for decades.

What purpose does it serve to know the why's anyway?

[American English pilot]

Thanks Glenski!
The purpose is in knowing the HOW it came about. If you look at the international Job board here, you will see that it SEEMS uniform.
The reason I wish to know HOW this came about is to try to apply it HERE in the Phlippines. The academies here ALL charge the same tuitions, but salaries are all over the place.
So....was it actions by the agencies, the teachers, or simply coincidence? I find it hard to believe that it was coincidence though. Please do a quick check on the international job board and you will see what I mean.

[Glenski]

I think you are not going to find the answers you seek. Employers will set whatever they feel they want for the jobs. The 250K "standard" mentioned for Japan is certainly not for university jobs. It is for conversation schools here, and even that has changed in the past 2-3 years (gone down, in fact).

Good luck anyway in trying to get a whole system of institutions to conform to some standard. I think it is a losing battle. Universities come in different sizes, locations, and types (private, public, national, etc.), so you really can't expect a uniform salary, can you? What is good for a major private uni in a large city is not going to be the same for a smaller one in a smaller town.

[American English pilot]

Hi Glenski.
I understand that market forces are a big factor in it as well. FYI...I received FIVE email notifications from www.seriousteachers.com today about openings in Japanese language academies...ALL were 250K minimum and ALL included living accommodations and ALL included upfront airfare.
I HOPE this is not a 'tilting at windmills' situation for me. The only way I've come up with to attempt this is to contract with a large number of the teachers here. Then, test/evaluate them, train/certify them and THEN approach the academies one by one. Guarantee to provide certified, experienced ESL teachers at rate of 'n' per hour. What do you think?
Thanks again in advance.
P.S. FYI...ALL the Korean academies here, regardless of size, charge the SAME student tuition fees. I was told that several years ago, the owners all got together and decided on this. They charge the SAME rates as are payed in Korea, PLUS a surcharge for room and board. BUT, they DON'T pay Korean teacher SALARY rates!

[eslstudies]

In the case of China, I believe that when [mostly] tertiary institutions started hiring OS teachers, probably late 1980's, it was neither practical for them to find off-campus housing, nor legal. Universities were expected to keep a close eye on their foreign devils: you'll find remnants of this attitude in more regional parts of the country. So on campus housing, initially "guest houses" and now mainly apartment buildings, became standard. Of course, its actually one of the perks of the job provided its good standard, with broadband and utilities.
As for airfare, the salaries have always been modest, so its one of the few financial perks, and is now completely standard.
Salaries are market driven, usually in neutral or even downwards, by those willing to accept what longer term, more serious, teachers wouldn't. Some call it "backpackers syndrome."

[American English pilot]

Thanks for that information!
That's EXACTLY the problem I'm facing here! Backpackers! These 'early twenty' TWITS who think that earning 150 peso's per hour is just GREAT as it covers the cost of their BEER! While professionals such as myself, with FAMILIES, watch our rates decline!
I come from a business background, so I truly understand 'market forces' and how they 'drive' prices. However, did the current situation really result from pure coincidence?
These are businesses, and as such, there must have been OTHER reasons behind what I see out there today(??). After all, the local Korean academies essentially 'fixed' the tuition prices. So, at least I'm hoping, there must be a way to attempt something similar with teacher salaries.
Again, thanks in advance for all the great feedback!

[Glenski]

[American English pilot]

Hi Glenski!
NO.....I am not sending teachers to Japan. I'm trying to set something up HERE in the Philippines to try and rationalize/standardize salaries and teaching skills.
Here is just one (of dozens) that I've received recently for Korea:

Job Posting # 152468/2926
January/24/2008 20:46
Job Title: English Teachers to work in Korea
Located at: Gyeonggi Province (South Korea)->map
Vacancy: 5 or more
Salary: $2000000 KRW
Requisites: BS/BA Degree
Details:
Teaching positions in South Korea, available.
Free Roundtrip Airfare, Housing, severance bonus pay.
Average Teaching hours: 120/month (30 Hours a week).
Teachers need to have a minimum of a bachelor�s degree and be a native English speaker. Contract duration is for a period of one year.
Students are ages Kindergarten to elementary, and may also include adult English Conversation classes.

They are ALL like this...same requirements, same salaries, same benefits (airfare/accommodations). The ONLY difference with the ones in Japan is that the salary is 250,000 Yen and USUALLY (but NOT always) no accommodation...though many DO subsidize.
I'm NOT trying to become a recruitment agency for Japan, Korea, etc. Just trying to find out HOW the standard packages in these areas came about. Then, hopefully, I can apply them HERE in the Philippines. You might check out the site I previously posted that the above job ad is from....I guarantee you will see TONS of similar! I'm currently receiving in excess of TWENTY of these job advertisements per day.
P.S. In addition to the ABOVE similarities, the TEACHING HOURS (contact) are ALSO all the same!

[American English pilot]

Glenski and all....here are some more examples to explain what I'm talking about:

English Language Instructor
Located at: Seoul and Daejeon (South Korea)->map
Vacancy: 5 or more
Salary: $2800000 KRW
Requisites:
Details:
POLY offers the opportunity to teach the brightest young minds in Korea. We are a highly selective English education institution that focuses on teaching the top students in each district. We specialize in educating students that have lived abroad, but we also nurture those students that intend to live abroad. We test all of our students before enrollment in order to ensure that they can meet the challenge of our curriculum. These unique conditions have enabled us to grow a student body that has a level of fluency far above that of the average Korean English language learner.
We are seeking courageous, open-minded, and qualified individuals to reach beyond their borders and experience something unique and rewarding.
We offer the following conditions in our contract:
Conditions and Benefits
Salaries for all employees will range between 2.8 million Korean won and 3.2 million Korean won.
Roundtrip airfare
Medical coverage
Monthly contribution to the National Pension Fund, which is equivalent to 4.5% of total monthly compensation
Two weeks of paid vacation a year in addition to national holidays
Single, furnished housing
We currently have over twenty positions available immediately in the Seoul Metropolitan area and Daejeon.

Native English Teachers For Training Centres
Located at: Guangdong Proince (China)->map
Vacancy: 5 or more
Salary: $8000 CNY
Requisites:
Details:
Native English Teachers For Training Centres In China(Guangdong)
Our English Training Center is located in Guangzhou China and we have branches nationwide.
Our company needs several white foreign teachers. We need one white Foreign Teacher in Huizhou , one white foreign teacher in DongGuan and three ones in Guangzhou Branches.
REQUIREMENT
Strictly Native Speakers from Canada, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand .
Ages 25-40.
Bachelors Degree diploma and TEFL/TESOL certificate.
At least one year of teaching experience.
BENEFITS:
Salary: 8000-10000 RMB/month .
Housing allowance 800-1000 RMB/month.
5000 RMB round trip ticket upon completion of 1 year contract.
Provide a visa
OTHERS:
Starting date: 16th Feburary 2008.
Contract validity: One year.
Schedule: 5 days a week(40 hours)(including working days and teaching hours).

English Teacher
Located at: Beijing, Shanghai (China)->map
Vacancy: 5 or more
Salary: $8000 CNY
Requisites: BA, 2 years experience teaching preferred
Details:
English teachers required. Immediate openings. Visa, etc. supplied. Housing provided (Western style, of course.), Reimbursement of round-trip airfare after one year. Some medical insurance. Some positions bonuses after one year. Help in adjustment to China. Must have good English speaking skills. Need to be reliable and responsible. If here to play most of the time, please do not apply.

Great TEFL Opportunities to Start in Mar,May,Jun08
Located at: Jakarta & Bogor (Indonesia)->map
Vacancy: 5 or more
Salary: $7850000 IDR
Requisites:
Details:
EF English First Swara Group is currently recruiting TEFL teachers for Jakarta and its outskirts.

EF English First is a world renowned language institution using its own teaching books and materials specifically developed for Asian students offering a complete teaching package for the teacher to work from. The schools in our group are located in central Jakarta, the outskirts of Jakarta and the neighboring city of Bogor. Each area is unique and has varying features that our teachers enjoy living and working in. From the quieter green suburban environment to the faster pace of convenience in the more urban areas, between the six schools there is an attraction for every professional teacher.
All of the schools are equipped with the latest in teaching aids, materials and educational multi-media technology. For more details regarding our schools, please visit: .efjakarta

As one of the largest groups of schools in Jakarta that continues to grow; we employ over 60 native speaking teachers. We are continually looking for EFL teachers with a minimum of CELTA, CTEFL or equivalent throughout the academic year.
In some cases other qualifications will be considered, depending on the nature and extent of experience.
A few of our teachers are continuing to the next contract. some are completing the contract and we will need replacement for them.
Our next available vacancies will be for March, April, May 2008.
The ideal candidate will be someone who works well within a team, has a positive outlook, enjoys making friends and has the ability to adapt to living and working in a developing country.

We offer a comprehensive compensation package, which includes:
-Highly Competitive salary allowing a comfortable lifestyle and travel within Indonesia.
-A return air ticket.
-Visa & work permit.
-22 days paid leave.
-Accommodation assistance.
-Medical insurance.
-Incidental medical allowance.
-A renewable one year contract.
-The chance to work within a professional team teaching English to the highest standards in Indonesia today

I've included jobs in countries other than Korea this time. As you can see, they ALL seem to, er, have similarities. So....any ideas on HOW this came about?? I mean, besides market forces. NO business willingly 'gives' away anything....something must have MADE them offer these things. Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance!
P.S. Again, these are simply a representative sample of the FIFTEEN emails I received just this morning!