Korean Job Discussion Forums

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

I just finished my year of teaching children in Korea, and I've been at home for a week. Now granted I might still be in the "relief" stage of getting back home, but I have a feeling like I never want to live abroad again.

I want to hear from anyone who has taught ESL at a private language school in Canada, particularly the Vancouver area. What were the working conditions like? If it's $14 an hour and 6-month contracts, then forget it. But I'd like to find out whether ESL is worth pursuing, if not for a real career, then a worthwhile job for a few years or so.

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

When I finished my first contract I decided to come back to Toronto and see what the job market was like; I started teaching at an ESL school. I didn't last that long, because, there weren't working hours enough hours. I would have been lucky to work 25 hours a week for $15 an hour. There was a possibility of teaching privates, for which I had no interest or drive in seeking out (and for once no fear of being deported for doing so.) I realised quickly though that there would have been no way for me to make ends meet had I continued working there. I too, had said that I would never return to the land of the morning hangover...er, calm, but here I am. The housing, taxes and lifestyle drew me back. Hope this helps.

inkoreaforgood · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: Inchon

Vancouver is supposed to have a better pay level than Toronto for ESL. I don't think it's something a person does for a long time though. Especially if the boos is Korean Wink

. No contracts, pay should be more than 15$ an hour, I heard 18$ before. Hours are hare to come by though.

Badmojo · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:35 pm Post subject:

The story in ESL teaching anywhere is you got to keep your hours down. You can't do it for 40 hours a week. Personally, I like 20 hours a week. So I go back to Montreal and look for jobs in language schools, what am I going to find? 15 an hour for 20 hours a week? A lot of schools only pay 10 an hour. After tax, I'm bringing home, what, a grand a month?

No, if you want to do ESL teaching in Canada, I suggest you use some newspapers, put up some ads, and pound the pavement looking for private lessons. It's the only way.

And while I'm at, it's the only way anywhere.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

I worked in a college in Calgary, teaching ESL. I worked for 5 hours per day and got $21.00 per hour. No contract, it was just like a regular job. Interview, get hired and work. I worked form 9:00 until 3:00 with 1 hour for lunch. I enjoyed it tremendously, as my students were from all over the world. Argentina, Brazil, Japan, China, Germany, Spain, Italy and of course, Korea.

I made many new friends and subsequently was able to travel to their countries where they were gracious hosts and savedme a pile of money on hotels. This is just a positive spin-off.

I liked the job and the money was ok. I was hired at $18.00, but quickly got a raise. I guess the basic salary in ESL in Calgary is between $16~$18 dollars. Tops out at about $21.

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

Demophobe, if you don't mind me asking, what are your qualifications for ESL teaching that allowed you to work at a college?

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:50 pm Post subject:

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

I don't know exactly what you can make in Vancouver, but my friend has his highschool diploma and a couple of years at BCIT, no diploma yet.

He met some Koreans about a year and a half ago and has been making $15 an hour tutoring the people he's networked with. He made up business cards and hands them out to other Koreans he's introduced to. You may be able to make more, just network a bit and it'll probably come together.

Cheers

tommynomad · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Location: on the move

In Winnipeg--a great medium-sized city, more multicultural than anywhere but TO and all the amenities--the jobs are all over. There are 4 universities that I know of with ESL programs, about 20 high schools, as many junior highs, 4 colleges, and about 10 private "hagwons."

I started in ESL in '98 as a teaching assistant in a high school. Nine bucks an hour, four-five hours a day. (In a city where a 1-bedroom 5 mins walking from downtown cost $350, and transit less than $2/hour.)

When I left two weeks ago, I was working at a college. Three hours a day, $24/hour, benefits except dental. Based on the conversations I had with (maybe a dozen) other ESL teachers there, that was about the going rate, though unis pay more. My privates ranged from free (for refugees & those willing to trade their skills for mine), to $10/hour for each of four uni students in a group, to $40/hour for junior high kids whose parents were footing the bill.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. But I have a thing about staying in one place....

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

"In Winnipeg--a great medium-sized city, more multicultural than anywhere but TO"

hahahaha....you've obviously never been to Vancouver my friend.

jazblanc77 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004

tommynomad · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Location: on the move

"Yeah, we all come from GREAT multicultural cities... let's maintain the spirit of one-up-manship "

No kidding, sheesh.

I've been to Vancouver plenty. Even began to grow on me after a few years. YVR is the best airport in Canada bar none. Davie street is muy cool, and Stanley Park is drop-dead amazing, with the best trees this side of Vancouver Island. There are many wonderful reasons to love Vancouver, many reasons to prefer it to Winnipeg, in fact.

But it doesn't have the ethnic diversity of either Winnipeg or Toronto. Just a fact, not a rant.