Korean Job Discussion Forums

herenorthere56 · Joined: 15 Oct 2010

Anyone had any success being here in Korea as a foreigner, and found decent employment as an au pair/nanny? I've done this type of work in the past, and I am trying to broaden my horizon. My hakwon gig is really giving me the run a round. Any comments, advice, stories about going from teaching to nannying? Any ideas, contacts, help! I would so appreciate it. (Oh, and yes, I have a CBC, a bachelors degree and years of experience as a nanny. And some teaching. So, any ideas for me? Maybe you know someone who might?

Cheers,
Jenny

Lynns · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Location: Korea

I don't think you can get a visa to do that legally, unfortunately.

Modernist · Joined: 23 Mar 2011 Location: The 90s

I really don't think Koreans typically 'do' nannies as we think of it in the West. Seems like either extended family [e.g.grandparents] or at-home spouses handle child care. And why do you think kinder hagwons are so popular?

And I'm 99.5% certain that no foreigner would ever get a visa for such a thing. Search for 'list of Korean visas' on Wikipedia and you'll see. Plus, even if they were culturally and legally open to it [they're not], why would they bring Westerners in instead of, say, Filipinos, who would be far cheaper, are practically next-door neighbors, and are equally capable in English?

You'd be better served searching for a new hagwon.

hwarangi · Joined: 17 Nov 2008

It is possible for wealthy ex-pat families to sponsor domestic help.

Usually they move here with the family, though.

http://www.korea4expats.com/article-sponsoring-homehelp.html

Depending on your age/ nationality (Australian/ under 30), you might be able to get a working holiday visa and pick up up some nanny work that way.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

4000 "foreigners" = yes.

Foreigners with a visa to work as a nanny = no, or not many.

Many of them are either illegals; personal experience at the help center and documentation from the foreign migrants center:

i) undocumented (ran from their employer (often E6) and unable to return home).
ii) F3 (family working without permission from immigration).
iii) in a few cases (personal friends among them) married to a Korean (F2).

Jobs an "E2 qualified" person would want to fill = probably not.

I wasn't disputing your claim... just clarifying who those 4000 were and the terms many of them work under and it is within the context of your post and the thread.

.

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

As entry level nannying - you'll have to do it on a tourist visa. greataupair.com has a few Korean posts. For more professional positions, you'd be better finding a high-brow governess/nanny agency - lots in the US and Europe, but not sure about agenices in Korea. Usually you need tons of experience and quals to land the best gigs that also include visa sponsorship.

My two cents - teaching is much easier than being a live-in nanny. At least you get to go home and have a break at the end of the day as a teacher. As a nanny, you're under even more scrutiny than at a school, and can be called upon to serve the household round the clock. It can be much more exhausting than teaching.

Swampfox10mm · Joined: 24 Mar 2011

Though I'm sure you couldn't legally get a visa to be a nanny here, we have a Korean nanny. Close enough, anyway, as she is here 8:30am to 7:30pm five days a week. We pay 1.2 million, if you're curious. She does a really good job, and we're happy. She also does laundry for us, although she doesn't have to. Has a very cheerful personality, and I can see where it has rubbed-off some on our daughter. Her daughter went to Yonsei, which makes my wife happy.

There was a gov't babysitter service we were using for a few months, but it was annoying because they kept changing people on us every 2 to 3 weeks. We had some who I liked, and some I didn't feel confident leaving our daughter alone with. Shocked

My favorite scary story is when my 10 month-old daughter had something on her face, and the babysitter, who was there for the first day, grabbed the chemical toy-cleaner wet tissues, which smell like ammonia (which were clearly marked in Korean, too) to try and wipe off my daughter's mouth. Luckily, I was there to stop it!