Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sophos]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but I couldn't find anything on it.

I am a UK citizen and will be taking up a post teaching in a public school with GEPIK at the end of May. My recruiter at Korvia has told me I do not have to pay tax as I am a UK citizen and will be working in a public school but she was not very clear on how I am supposed to go about getting myself exempted from paying Korean income tax. She just told me I needed to contact the UK tax office and that I should do this whilst still in the UK. On Korvia's website it says something about getting a Residency Certificate but I am really not clear on what I should be doing.

Does anyone here know how to go about this?

[chellovek]

Also British and working PS but never heard anything about it.

Given how tax is much lower here compared to back home, why not just count the blessings you have?

[the ireland]

I wouldn't mention anything to the tax office about working abroad, if you have been in the U.K for any day throughout the tax year then you are liable to pay tax on all your earnings (even those abroad) just pay the, less than 2%, tax here instead of the a$$ raping amount you would have to when you are at home.

If anyone official at home asks you where you are off too, just tell them you are travelling.

[Whistleblower]

When I returned back to the UK, I applied for Working Tax Credit and the advisor on the phone asked why I hadn't applied the year before. I explained that I had been travelling. She then asked if I had any savings and I said that I spent it all travelling in Korea. After that the application was processed. The best way is not to provide too much information to HMRC.

[stevieg4ever]

[morrisonhotel]

What is the deal anyway? Can we just move back home in early April and avoid paying anything?

[petitshallot]

I had loads of hassle with this after returning to the uk aftera year in korea 2003/4. they wanted proof i had paid tax in korea and i couldn't get it. their final line on it was that i had to pay tax somewhere if i was working, not repeating the tax in the uk for earnings already taxed in korea though... i was eventually able to find scraps of evidence for tax paid here and they got off my back. took months of squabblingover first though.

[Sophos]

Right now I'm really confused. Are people saying that I should not tell the UK tax office anything? Will that get me into trouble then? I don't really mind paying 3-5% tax but I suppose there is no point paying it if I don't have to. But does that mean I then pay UK tax somehow?

I've tried reading the UK tax agreements online but they make no sense to me. Can I just leave it and come over to Korea? Arrggh...it all seems so complicated!

[the ireland]

pay your tax here, not back home. Just come out here, pay tax here. When you finish your employment you will be given a form stating how much tax you have paid. Just take that home with you and should you be asked anything just tell them all your money you had (which has been spent...don't knwo if it's necessary to say you don't have any left but....) has been taxed in the country of origin

Why should you have to pay tax at home? are you using the roads, healthcare, education system or anything else that your tax payments pay towards?

[Whistleblower]

Nonetheless, perhaps UK citizens should think about voluntary NI contributions so that they have a pension when they reach the age of 65, 70 or whatever it will be then.

[billiexrae]

Hello All,

I presume were all UK folk here

Just wondering what companies you used to get you to Korea?

I am currently speaking with ESL Starter, who seem to be pretty good. Anyone else dealt with them?


Thanks

[morrisonhotel]

[Whistleblower]

Our pension does transfer but wouldn't you be happy with both a pension from Korea and a pension from the UK? I would also recommend life insurance, private pension and private health care whilst you are in Korea. You can take out the private pension from the UK and setup a direct debit of say fifty quid per month or so.

[schwa]

[nobbyken]

There's a reciprocal pension agreement between the governments, don't know exactly how it works.
UK residents can also declare 'non-resident status' through the tax website.
If a passport has a UK address in it, it's usually good enough proof for public schools to not take tax of your wage.