Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bruce W Sims]

I have not found a similar resource here on Dave's so I was wondering if the mods thought this link was worthy of a stickie.

http://www.internationalschoolsreview.com/nonmembers/age-article.htm

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[schwa]

A definitive thread about max teaching age in Korea isnt possible.

Public schools, universities, & private institutes each have their own policies (or no set policy because the situation hasnt arisen yet). Many older jobseekers have run into arbitrary limits but anyone who's been here any length of time has run into someone up in years & happily employed.

Immigration has no age cap for issuing an E2 visa as long as you can find a willing sponsor.

[Ramen]

especially true if you are good looking like a movie star.

[Bruce W Sims]

So far the only firm policy I have run into has something to do with retirement age as it involves EPIK and GEPIK but I have not been able to find out if this is a policy with these two agencies, or by the National Government through these agencies. The number bandied about is 55.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[schwa]

I see the EPIK homepage states a maximum age of 62, but I think they mean 61 which is the mandatory retirement age for K-teachers (national law). Thats when I've been told I'll get the boot, though anecdotally I've heard of older foreign ps teachers in other provinces.

Fat chance being a new hire at that age though.

[litebear]

Bruce I still fancy that if you applied to EPIK directly and stated you'd happily be located absolutely anywhere (infact, if you made it clear you'd prefer the middle of no-where) then they might end up taking you.

[Ramen]

[Mr Lee's Monkey]

Many POE's invoke their own restrictions. The best way to find out is to call, write, or check the website of the respective POE. That's just concerning public schools through grade 12. One southeastern POE listed their cutoff at 40, but then hired someone I know who is 43 because she was certified and had lots of experience in Korea. Someone, maybe TTompatz, mentioned a definite cutoff age for universities that was in conjunction with federal regs for retirement, but I've met a few people in their mid sixties who teach at universities here. I think Schwa nailed it - there are always exceptions to the rules, and the rules vary pretty significantly within the country. International schools seem most often to require certified teachers, and to have a much higher age limit. Anybody know the percentage of Dave's users who are certified? Or the percentage of foreign teachers in general in Korea who are certified?