Korean Job Discussion Forums

sepowers54 · Joined: 06 Aug 2009

Hey guys,

I've been searching around for this everywhere, but came up with absolutely nothing.

My situation is this: I'm in Korea on an E-2 visa and I've been working for this small private school in the countryside for 4 months. Things really aren't working out here so I've decided to leave with the complete support of my boss. So getting a letter of release is no problem.

My plan in so move into Seoul and get a part-time teaching job. This is enough for me right now. Housing is not an issue so the free housing provided by full-time gigs isn't a huge incentive.

So can I get visa sponsorship for a part-time job? Is this plan feasible?

sepowers54 · Joined: 06 Aug 2009

does anyone know anything about this?

Carla · Joined: 21 Nov 2008

howie2424 · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

I�ll take a stab at it as I was once in a similar situation myself about 5 years ago when I was still on an E2. I had worked at a hagwon for 3 years and also had a legal part time job in the evenings. The school I worked in the day time was about 30 hours a week for the first 3 years I was there. I was on very good terms with the owner and trusted him. When it came time for my fourth contract the owner suggested that he was hurting for cash and wondered if I would be interested in renewing for a fourth year but only working part time for him, 3 days a week instead of the 5 days a week I�d worked in the previous 3 years. As I had a legal second job and my own housing, I said I would do it, but wondered if immigration would allow him to sponsor an E2 visa with only part time hours. He called immigration and they said that it wasn�t possible.

We got around it by simply renewing my E2 using the same contract we had used in the preceding 3 years, which showed me working 30 hours a week. We had a gentleman�s agreement that I would only work three days a week at a certain salary and not the 30 hours a week the contract we filed with immigration stated. He kept his end of the bargain, as did I, and it worked well for both of us.

Bear in mind that the information about not being able to sponsor a part time E2 was completely second hand, as my old boss made the phone call and not me. I always wondered exactly how many hours a week your contract has to show in order for immigration to permit E2 sponsorship. Why don�t you call immigration yourself, or have a Korean friend call and see what they say? Hope this helps. Good luck.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Most PT jobs want F-2's so they don't have to go through the visa process and pay benefits.

curlygirl · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Location: Pundang, Seohyeon dong

I'm doing this right now. I work 10 hours a week, no housing (I had my own apartment before I took the job). My contract states that I can legally hold other work if my boss okays it (and he would as he's a top bloke).

So yes, you can find these jobs but they are few and far between as most hagwon bosses, understandably, want a full time staffer.

Look around and see what's out there. Don't give up if you don't find something right away.