Korean Job Discussion Forums

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Dear folks,

I want to return to a Korea (a hogwon) asap. If i accept an offer from a school that wants me immediately....who should pay for the flight?

If i pay, it could be risky cos the school could find someone else by the time i get there.....and pretend they never had any agreement with me. I'd be screwed over big time.

Yet the school might also hesitate to pay for the flight because they might be afraid of me doing a runner as soon as i arrive in the airport.

I know the usual E2 process of getting the visa at home prevents this problem cos at least you have some proof of an offical agreement.

But for this situation where there's only a verbal agreement...how can this mutual lack of trust on both sides be solved? I've heard of recruiters paying for the flights, but they'd have their own fears too.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? How did it go for you? Thank you.

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

Easy solution - do it all legally and on the up and up - get your E2 first.

The delay is only 12 days or so if you have everything ready.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Yeah, have the E-2 in hand when coming to Korea and have the company pay for your flight. If they don't, tell them no deal. (If they screw you, do you really want to work for them for a year?)

sojourner1 · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject:

Make sure they agree to purchasing the flight before sending your documents as many say they offer free FT flight, but do expect you pay it up front and then get reimbursed a short while later.

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

thank you all. I agree that the best thing to do would be to get the E2-visa at home first, and then go to Korea.

I just wanted to know what others might have done when the school wanted them immediately (no time to process visa at home). Thanks.

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

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

thank you. That may be true, i used to see 'ASAP jobs' as a bit dodgy...

However in my last school, we had 3 teachers do a midnight run for no good reason. The hogwon treated them fairly well (as good as a hogwon could) yet they left everybody high and dry. So often an 'ASAP job' could be from a genuine school that has no bad intentions.

But as a previous poster said, it might only take 12 days to get an E2 if you have everything prepared (which i do) and you live quite close to the Korean Embassy (which i do, lucky me), so i'll ask the school about that.

I just thought i'd hear from someone who had gone to Korea immediately without an E2 and just had a verbal agreement. Fair enough, thanks anyway.

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

even if it's immediate and even if you're willing to work while not on an E2, there's no reason you should pay for the flight. c'mon, it's 2007. they can easily send you an e-ticket if you really want the job. don't take the risk of losing 700,000+ won

jellobean · Joined: 14 Mar 2006

I agree. Make them pay for the ticket. If you were going to pay for your own, you could get a much better job on arrival.

mspencer1983 · Joined: 17 Sep 2007

i agree i think you should make them pay for the ticker...BUT if they won't and you do want to get to korea ASAP as you say....you can always pay for the ticket yourself...they will PROBABLY reimburse you unless they're really really sketchy...and even if they do screw you, you can find another job that will reimburse you for your plane ticket.

i left my first job in korea fall 05....and i had to pay back my plane ticket but i found another school who needed a teacher asap and they "bought me out"..so i wasnt out any money

ontheway · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:37 am Post subject:

There are many good schools that will NOT pay for a teacher's ticket in advance. It is too easy for the teacher to either take the free flight and not show up or skip the flight and not show up. The school is out the cash.
Or the teacher misses the flight and needs another ticket, but still can't or won't pay. I suspect that the provision of prepaid tickets is being offered less and less.

You should NOT come to Korea without the E2 in any case (other than those adventurous teachers who come here job hunting). You shouldn't teach without an E2 visa and the only reason to come to Korea right away without the E2 is so you can teach illegally for a while before doing a visa run. There are many reasons to avoid being an illegal teacher. Best to just avoid it.

But as for your ticket, when you have your E2 in hand, it is perfectly reasonable for the teacher to pay and be reimbursed on the first working day. The date should be made clear in your contract.