Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poet13]

Hello all.
First the situation, then the question.
I work at a hakwon. There are two teachers here, one Korean, and myself, a Canadian. During the past year, I have been asked to teach classes outside the school. Five classes. Two were short city sponsored "camps" (though i dont know if that was their legal decsription), that ran 8 and 10 days respectively. 2 hours each day. The others were 12 and 16 weeks, 1 day for two hours each week. Two of the classes were adult housewives, and three were school kids... 9 to 13 years old. Three classes were run at the city library, and a couple at the cities youth training facility. This appears to be a long standing arrangement with the school. I have also gone outside the school once to "test" Korean elementary school teachers as part of some government testing requirement. (3 hours during 1 day). I teach full time at the school as well.
I recently read a thread that said that teaching outside the place of employment listed with immigration was illegal except where immigration was notified, and there was one other acceptable condition that i dont remember.
Thats the situation. Here's the question.
IS TEACHING OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL LEGAL? How do I find out if it is legal? I really dont want any grief to come my way, through ingnorance or other.
Would appreciate any comments or links.
Thank you.

[peppermint]

If you're working at a hagwon, it's illegal unless you get permission from immigration, full stop. If you've got immigration's permission, they should've brought your Alien card to the office, and written something on the back.

[BigBlackEquus]

Yes, it MUST be approved by immigration, and written on the back of your card. I have done this 3 times, myself. They will approve you, if you fit the right situation. There are various other threads on this, but it is possible. Especially for camps.

Common bad-boss lies:

1. It's OK... I have a close friend at immigration who says it's fine.
2. I am sponsoring your visa, so if it's work for me, then it doesn't matter where it is.
3. If you don't do it, I will fire you.
4. I own both locations, so it is OK (no it's not, without approval).

And the worst lie of all:
5. I will take care of you if something happens.


If you get caught working outside of your legal workplace, YOU will get fined, and YOU may have difficulty getting your next visa. Depending on how much money you make, you will likely be fined between 500,000 and 5,000,000 won. Probably closer to 500,000. If immigration decides to revoke your E-2 for your current school (they disallowed mine when I got busted) you will be out another 500,000 won plus in charges for your exit visa/trip to Japan or wherever you leave the country for. Also, they didn't let me get a full year visa at my next school. I was only allowed 6 months (negating any bonus I could receive). So, in all total, it cost me about 4,000,000 won (if I include the loss of a bonus, the fine, fee to exit to Japan, and lost work pay).

It sucks, but this is the reality, and it's why I do everything legally now. In my situation, immigration was lenient with me, because my school had a history of screwing teachers around/not getting their E-2's, and immigration knew it.