Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tigerlily20202]

Hey there Korea expats....
I did a year teacihng English in China, and was thinking about trying Korea. A good way to test the waters I thought might be to do a winter camp (I realize many camps are disorganized...but I was thinking of it as more a way to 'see' Korea, get a little familiar with the culture, instead of committing to an entire year with no sense of what I'm getting into). I've been scanning some message boards but was wondering if anyone would be able to give me some more specific info on them. I did a few summer camps in China and had a great experience, though I understand they could go horribly wrong, and I've heard Korea can be a slightly tougher teaching environment. Is taking a job through recruiters risky? Can anyone recommend a decent company? Is it possible for people abroad to get jobs at the camps? I've gotten two emails back from what I think are recruiters, but I just don't know a whole lot about the Korea 'scene.' Can most camps provide legal working documents for a month-long stint? I don't want to get deported or ripped off...just trying to find out more.

[denverdeath]

Hey. I think I can answer a few of your questions anyway. I did my first camp this past summer with a local uni. It was good. Apparently it has been in operation for at least a few years now, so I found it to be quite well-organized and all the spots were filled for eight classes, meaning it might also be somewhat popular(or the mothers are dropping their punks off there to be babysat for four hours). There were elementary and middle school students, four classes of 20 students(a bit high) each. Most of the foreign instructors worked four hours daily for three weeks. Not a huge amt of money, but not terrible. All teachers, including Koreans, were paid 30,000 per hour. I'll be doing their winter camp this January under the same conditions(I believe). Having said that, you should know that there are many other places offering a variety of conditions. Some places may pay as high as between 4 or 5 million for a four-week program. However, I'm pretty sure you'll be doing much more teaching than I had to do. If you can handle long days for one month, it might be financially worth your while. Also, remember that most camps are for kids, so you should be able to handle some bad behaviour on most days. The camp I participated in wasn't terrible, but there were a few problem students(although there were many more great kids than bad). I'm pretty certain that a school will be hiring you under a C-4 visa, given what you mentioned. Here's the conditions of that one:

http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html (click "Visa Application" then "Other documents each category of visa may require addtionally")

Temporary employment(C-4) Requirements:

1) An employment contract
2) Documents verifying the needs for employment such as;
a)A letter of employment recommendation from Korean central government agencies ,or
b)A letter of performance recommendation from Korea Media rating Board (applicable to entertainers only), or
c)A letter of assistance

The school/recruiter will handle most of the details, but I would recommend having at least degree, transcripts, and pics ready to send. They'll tell you what they need.

For example, the Consulate in Tor says you require the following for a short-term teaching visa:

http://www.koreanconsulate.on.ca/en/mnu.php?sn=144

4. Short-term English Teaching Visa

1) Completed visa application form
2) Employment contract
3) Company Registration form
4) Certificate of life-time education facility
5) Camp Schedule
6) Original Degree
7) One recent passport-type colour photo
8.) Passport with remaining validity of at least 6 months
9) Cdn$39.00 visa fee
10) Flight itinerary

The only recruiter that I've ever dealt with in Korea is Kim and Joe based in Boo-sahn. I've heard both good and bad stories about them, but I can vouch for them personally: I received a good contract(for my current middle school, not the camp) from them and all questions were answered honestly. Still, I would recommend going directly with the school if it's possible(usu means more money for you without too much more work on your part). As long as you have the C-4 in your passport, you can't be deported unless you're doing something else you're not supposed to be doing. Never work here without a visa. Ripped off? That's always a possibility, but the uni where I worked deposited my pay in full on the last day of the camp. Ask lots of questions and you should be okay.