Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Austin Powers]

When I came here 2.0M won was $3076 Aussie dollars, now its only $2352. A huge 25% drop in pay, on top of that hogwan owners are trying to cut back on conditions such as paid holidays, lower pay, and not wanting to reimburse for airfares (I pay my own way).
Personally I going to visit some friends here and them I'm off, either Taiwan or earning more money back home cleaning toilets.

[just because]

I've also noticed the Australian and new Zealand exchange rate going the wrong way lately. This year it has drifted about 200 won the wrong way. Stupid Australian economy. get weaker!!!!!!!!

[Ilsanman]

Currency rates change. They may change back.

As far as the other problems, those things are illegal and you need to kick your boss in his tiny balls.

[kimcheeking]

[ratslash]

long live the pound!

[Butterfly]

Bye bye.

[crazylemongirl]

As I keep repeating the australaisan ecnomies are one of the few that aren't in the toilet at the moment. I read online yesterday that unemployment in new zeland is down to 4.4% - the lowest in 16 years.

CLG

[rapier]

It will make no diff. There's still enough unemployed grads in the west right now who will keep on coming out here,.. I can't see that koreans will have to raise wages or better conditions to keep finding people...

[crazylemongirl]

Rapier, just pointing out why aussies and kiwis are complaining. These two curriencies are out all time highs, so korea isn't as attractive as two years ago to grads from there.

Having said that, these are countries that tend to have travelling populations. 20% of new zealanders live outside new zealand (granted most of them in aussie) you are right they will still come over.

CLG

[Paji eh Wong]

I'm not an economics expert, but heres my understanding of the situation.

The US economy is in the crapper, so they've lowered the value of the dollar to export their way out of it. Unfortunately, all of the Asian currencies are tied to the greenback. The $US goes down, the Yuan, the Won, and the Yen all go down too.

I'm Canadian, and our exchange rate is going to hell too. We're getting boned by walking condom ads. Simple thuganomics I think not.

Someone with an econ degree drop some knowlegde please.

[jpal75]

I arrived a couple of years ago and there has been a significant change but..I'm focusin on the 5% TAX!!!! At the end of the day, I still see the money I work hard for.

FORTUNATELY; I don't work in a hagwon and I'm confident of the fact that the company I work for will not rip me off, they just have a good track record.

[waterbaby]

The way I look at is the majority of my money earned here is spent here (or at least in Asia)... so I don't care about the exchange rate b/w here and Oz. I'm earing 400,000 won more than this time last year I'm doing good!

[Homer]

The exchange rates will change again so it is not "not worth working in Korea anymore"....
Just be patient...for canadians, the canadian dollar will not keep rising..or even maintian its position for ever. The won might gain on it as well.

[shawner88]

It's about time us Americans got a break on the exchange rate. I only need to send home 1,200,000 now to get a grand in the bank. Before I was sending over 1,350,000! I got a raise, Yahoo!

[BTM]

Depends on where you work, and how soon (if ever) you plan to go 'home.'

Me, I just doubled my take-home with my new job, while halving my contact hours (and I was teaching at a slack-ass university before), and I'm living in the nicest place I've seen in Korea since I came here for the first time (of three) 7 years ago.

Not gloating (well, ok, a bit maybe), just saying that Korea can be superbly rewarding, even in these semi-hard times, if you're in the groove.