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rpark411
Joined: 11 Oct 2010
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 Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:34 pm Post subject: Want to teach in Korea: Best course of action? |
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Hey guys,
Here's my situation: I'm a Korean American looking to teach English in Korea. It seems I have two major options which I've been diligently exploring..
1. Respond to a job opening online and find a job through a recruiter. It's my understanding that most schools will pay for airfare to and from Korea, as well as provide housing and do all the paperwork in order to obtain an E-2 visa. I had a recruiter try to charge me $300 for the application process. I read online somewhere that the hagwon/school usually pays for all the recruiter fees so I said no way. I hope I wasn't out of line.
The only problem with option 1 is that I recently found out that I never actually graduated from my college. I thought I graduated about five years ago. It gets a little complicated but long story short, turns out I was like 2 credits short of graduation. I'm currently working this out with the university.
2. Obtain an F4 Visa. I'm pretty sure I'm eligible for one since I was born in the states, I meet the age requirement and my mother, who is now deceased, became a naturalized US citizen. If she renounced her Korean citizenship I don't know but I'm looking into it.
I'm leaning more towards option 2. I've been reading on the forums and online that f4 visas give you more flexibility and is, in simple terms, just better.
So here are the questions I desperately seek advice for.
So given my situation what would you guys recommend my course of action be?
Assuming I go with option 2, do I obtain the f4 in the states first or get it once in Korea?
Do I secure a job in the states first? or do I just go to Korea and look for one?
Was the recruiter trying to hustle me?
That is all. Thanks! |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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To teach English in Korea at a private or public school you need a degree. F-4 or no F-4. That is a MOE requirement. You might want to look into private tutoring...that can be done legally without a degree if you are F-4 from what I understand, but I would make sure first.
That said some places will hire you without a degree but that is illegal and if caught you can be subject to a big fine and possibly be deported. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
That said some places will hire you without a degree but that is illegal and if caught you can be subject to a big fine and possibly be deported. |
F-4 deported? not for working as a teacher.
Immi rarely pinches employers that hire F-4 visa holders. |
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rpark411
Joined: 11 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies guys.
I read somewhere that people without degrees can still teach legally.
Anyhow, I plan on getting the whole degree thing cleared up.
Aside from that, is it better to secure a job first or go to Korea first and then look. I've been told by numerous people that it'll be easier finding a job once in Korea. Get the f4 before going to Korea or after?
Oh yea, and what about that recruiter? |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
That said some places will hire you without a degree but that is illegal and if caught you can be subject to a big fine and possibly be deported. |
F-4 deported? not for working as a teacher.
Immi rarely pinches employers that hire F-4 visa holders. |
It is not so much an Immigration issue but a Ministry of Education issue when it comes to hiring F-4's as teachers. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| rpark411 wrote: |
Thanks for the replies guys.
I read somewhere that people without degrees can still teach legally.
Anyhow, I plan on getting the whole degree thing cleared up.
Aside from that, is it better to secure a job first or go to Korea first and then look. I've been told by numerous people that it'll be easier finding a job once in Korea. Get the f4 before going to Korea or after?
Oh yea, and what about that recruiter? |
You are thinking of the intern option then. Yes those people can teach legally but they are usually placed in rural locations and paid much less than another teacher with a degree. And they are not usually asked to stay after 1-2 years. Some former interns were discussing this not so long ago. |
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rpark411
Joined: 11 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for addressing the f4 visa/MOE thing but any input on the other questions?
And just wondering, what sources are you getting your info from? |
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kp_vtekniks
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:20 am Post subject: Re: Want to teach in Korea: Best course of action? |
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| rpark411 wrote: |
Hey guys,
Here's my situation: I'm a Korean American looking to teach English in Korea. It seems I have two major options which I've been diligently exploring..
1. Respond to a job opening online and find a job through a recruiter. It's my understanding that most schools will pay for airfare to and from Korea, as well as provide housing and do all the paperwork in order to obtain an E-2 visa. I had a recruiter try to charge me $300 for the application process. I read online somewhere that the hagwon/school usually pays for all the recruiter fees so I said no way. I hope I wasn't out of line.
The only problem with option 1 is that I recently found out that I never actually graduated from my college. I thought I graduated about five years ago. It gets a little complicated but long story short, turns out I was like 2 credits short of graduation. I'm currently working this out with the university.
2. Obtain an F4 Visa. I'm pretty sure I'm eligible for one since I was born in the states, I meet the age requirement and my mother, who is now deceased, became a naturalized US citizen. If she renounced her Korean citizenship I don't know but I'm looking into it.
I'm leaning more towards option 2. I've been reading on the forums and online that f4 visas give you more flexibility and is, in simple terms, just better.
So here are the questions I desperately seek advice for.
So given my situation what would you guys recommend my course of action be?
Assuming I go with option 2, do I obtain the f4 in the states first or get it once in Korea?
Do I secure a job in the states first? or do I just go to Korea and look for one?
Was the recruiter trying to hustle me?
That is all. Thanks! |
I think before you spend countless hours researching, you should really get your degree situation figured out. Thats the basic requirement and without one, it makes your situation much more difficult.
The F4 is tricky now. Being born in the states doesn't mean anything, it all depends on the citizenship of your parents at the time of your birth. I know you stated that your mother is an American Citizen, but what about your father? There might be an issue if one is a Citizen and the other is not. I would give the Chicago Korean Consulate a call or check their website. They seem to be the most informed. I'm in Seattle and the Korean consulate here doesn't know jack about the F4. I know it sounds funny, but some of these consulates here in the States know nothing about the F4 requirements. I've called a handful of them when I was researching the topic and got conflicting answers from most of them. Good luck. |
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rpark411
Joined: 11 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:33 am Post subject: |
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| I just got off the phone with the Korean embassy in New York and they told me that as of May 2010, even if your parents are naturalized US citizens, you can not obtain a f4 visa. I was also told that if you are a foreigner, it is not a possibility to stay longer than 90 days. Someone please tell me I was misinformed. They told me to contact the Ministry of Justice in Korea for more information. |
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kp_vtekniks
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| rpark411 wrote: |
| I just got off the phone with the Korean embassy in New York and they told me that as of May 2010, even if your parents are naturalized US citizens, you can not obtain a f4 visa. I was also told that if you are a foreigner, it is not a possibility to stay longer than 90 days. Someone please tell me I was misinformed. They told me to contact the Ministry of Justice in Korea for more information. |
Thats exactly what I'm talking about. I have never once heard that information. You can't stay past 90 days on a travel visa. E2 is a year, F4 is 2 years. Talk to the Chicago consulate and look at their website. There is nothing on there that says you cannot get an F4. As long as your Korean and meet the requirements, you should be able to get one. |
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rpark411
Joined: 11 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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kp thanks for the response. this visa thing is such a headache!
I just got this off the Korean Embassy in Chicago website:
Apparently you have to provide this...
Documents proving not to be engaged in employment activities prescribed in each subparagraph of Article 23, paragraph 3 of the Presidential Decree including manual labor such as certificate of annual tax-payment, or certificate of income payment etc. (limited to Overseas Korean of the country which produce many illegal stayers in Korea through the notification of the Minister of Justice)
Is it just me or is this saying that you can't work in Korea with an f4 visa?
[/img] |
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kp_vtekniks
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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| rpark411 wrote: |
kp thanks for the response. this visa thing is such a headache!
I just got this off the Korean Embassy in Chicago website:
Apparently you have to provide this...
Documents proving not to be engaged in employment activities prescribed in each subparagraph of Article 23, paragraph 3 of the Presidential Decree including manual labor such as certificate of annual tax-payment, or certificate of income payment etc. (limited to Overseas Korean of the country which produce many illegal stayers in Korea through the notification of the Minister of Justice)
Is it just me or is this saying that you can't work in Korea with an f4 visa?
[/img] |
No you can work. Well, you can teach at least. Not sure about another field. I know with an F4 you can teach privates legally, where as with an e2 you cannot. |
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