Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ballor]

Hello,

I'm a Polish citizen living in the UK, and I'm engaged to a Korean girl. Lately she's been feeling quite homesick and we've been talking about moving to Korea for a few years, or maybe even permanently. Unfortunately I am ineligible for British citizenship so the standard E-2 ESL route in Korea is out of the question for me; so, I'd appreciate any information about what my employment options would be through an F-2 or E-7 visa.

I run a small newspaper for the Polish community in my city and I am trilingual to native level (English, Polish, and Russian). I speak some Korean, sufficient for basic conversation for now, working on improving it. I have several years of experience in translation and writing-related jobs, and studying towards a BA degree part-time. On to the actual questions:

1. Is it at all possible to get an E-7 without holding a university degree? I've read a lot of conflicting information about this, from masters being almost necessary to BA+a few years expertise as requirements, to random people getting it by virtue of employer sponsorship.

2. How likely would a person with fluency in my languages (taking something like IELTS or whatever tests to prove it wouldn't be a problem, and I know for a fact I'd have highest marks on these tests) to find language-related jobs in Korea?

3. Would going to Korea in person on a visitor or job-seeker visa and looking for a potential E-7 sponsor while in country be worthwhile in my situation?

4. If getting an E-7 is unlikely with my current qualifications, would completing my BA improve my chances? My major is in English & Linguistics, at the same time I'm working towards the UK teachers' license thing and considering taking on some official translator qualifications.

5. Assuming we get officially married, would I be able to find work as a language instructor at a Hagwon, keeping in mind that I do not have an English passport or a degree, but I can easily get a TEFL or CELTA certificate. If no, would finishing my degree (but still not being an English citizen) allow me to get work as a language instructor through an F-2 visa?


I would sincerely appreciate any advice on my situation; either on the questions listed above, or any other avenues worth exploring. We are quite well-off financially and I don't mind spending a small fortune while looking for work and settling in there, but I'd have to work eventually; besides, getting married for an F-2 is really a last resort option as both me and my fianc�e would rather wait with marriage until we are clearly settled on one spot etc and without marriage, I'd need some sort of a long-term visa to even stay in Korea...

Thanks in advance for your time!

[Whistleblower]

I would suggest that as you are not a passport holder from the UK, you may find difficulties but that is not to suggest that you don't have the potential to be a teacher in Korea.

If you are married to a Korean and you are able to get an F2 Visa combined with completing a CELTA, you will have little worries. Some mom and pop hagwons will see your nationality as an issue but some of the more reputable institutions will see it as a possible asset.

You should try to complete your degree as this will always benefit you and to be an English teacher, you need a degree and the CELTA will complement this.

You don't know it if you don't try it. I am sure Ttompatz will help though with anything that I have missed or misunderstood.

[ttompatz]

[12ax7]

[oppa637]

For me to get my E-7, I was told I needed a degree and proof of 2 years experience working.

If you are coming, I believe your only chance is to get married and get a F visa to work here.

[ballor]

Thanks a lot for the responses. Guess she'll just have to be patient while I'm working on my degree, then.

One last question: is a degree required by MOE to give private lessons also? Or would it be possible to do that on a marriage visa?

[big_fella1]

[alongway]

[ballor]

Again, thanks for all the replies, this is something to consider. One more thing; could the "business", D-8 I think, visa be an option? I recall hearing that some of the online content writer folks in Korea used that to stay there continually, it seems a little too... simple to be true? From what I'm reading, you just need 50million won in a bank account and a lease of... pretty much any kind of a space in Korea to get it?

[ttompatz]

100 million... went up a few years ago.

.

[ballor]

Mm, that's a little less simple then. Do you just need to have that money in your account at the time of application / period of a few months, though? I could probably pull that together without getting into 'official' loans if it's just a temporary thing, and I'd prefer that route over marriage, I think. I assume being on that visa would mean I can only engage in whatever work outlined in the business idea, but that shouldn't be too much of an issue anyway, and after a few years we might end up marrying or I could opt for the points visa - after spending more time in the country to improve my language skills and having an easier time deciding whether I really want to settle there for a longer period.