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rtc926
Joined: 01 May 2012
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:57 pm Post subject: Can't work in Korea with a BA English Degree? |
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Question for those smarter than me...
I am a native speaker from America, with an American passport, and got a scholarship to study in Thailand. I just graduated from an International school here, in Bangkok, and received a BA English degree.
I really want to live and teach in Korea, but according to a few recruiters,(since my degree isn't from one of 7 native English speaking countries, I am ineligible for an E2 visa).
Is there anyone that experienced this in the past? Are there any ways around it? Maybe having the Korean embassy in Bangkok verify my degree and transcripts?
Any and all help is appreciated.
Regards,
Rob |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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AFAIK, the only "way around it" is to go get another BA, but this time from one of the Big Seven countries. |
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Gorf
Joined: 25 Jun 2011
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 5:02 am Post subject: |
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The "Big 7" only has to do with your native country and where you grew up. Your recruiters are dumb. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008 Location: Korea
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 5:27 am Post subject: Re: Can't work in Korea with a BA English Degree? |
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rtc926 wrote: |
Question for those smarter than me...
I am a native speaker from America, with an American passport, and got a scholarship to study in Thailand. I just graduated from an International school here, in Bangkok, and received a BA English degree.
I really want to live and teach in Korea, but according to a few recruiters,(since my degree isn't from one of 7 native English speaking countries, I am ineligible for an E2 visa).
Is there anyone that experienced this in the past? Are there any ways around it? Maybe having the Korean embassy in Bangkok verify my degree and transcripts?
Any and all help is appreciated.
Regards,
Rob |
How about teaching in Thailand? |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 5:40 am Post subject: |
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Gorf wrote: |
The "Big 7" only has to do with your native country and where you grew up. Your recruiters are dumb. |
You can study abroad and apply credits for a degree from one of the acceptable countries. I know nothing that states you can do what the original poster wants to do. It is dumb, but it's not the recruiter's call to make. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 5:50 am Post subject: |
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YTMND wrote: |
Gorf wrote: |
The "Big 7" only has to do with your native country and where you grew up. Your recruiters are dumb. |
You can study abroad and apply credits for a degree from one of the acceptable countries. I know nothing that states you can do what the original poster wants to do. It is dumb, but it's not the recruiter's call to make. |
Yeah, I've definitely seen requirements that you attend high school and uni in one of the seven. One of my friends didn't attempt to teach in Korea because he would have had to lie about his high school attendance (NZ citizen who went to high school in SEA). I also heard from a lifer that one of his friends had to leave when the new visa requirements went into effect in 2008, as the guy had gotten his degree in Korea and didn't qualify under the new regulations. Now, I can't speak to whether this is still the case, or confirm 100% that it was the case previously, but based on what I know you need to attend uni in one of the seven. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 7:04 am Post subject: |
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Did you go to Assumption, where I think the degree is accredited by the USA system? Assuming that your degree is accredited, find out some information on it and find another recruiter. It will have to be verified by the Korean embassy because you will not be able to get it apostilled. that is the crux of the issue. I would contact Korean immigration about it before doing anything else because they decide if you work in Korea or not. |
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Troglodyte

Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 9:54 am Post subject: |
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You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. If you're a born citizen and graduated in there, they won't ask about high school, they just assume you did it. If they realize that you immigrated to a Big7 country and attended uni there, they might ask to see your high school diploma, but really they're probably just turn you away because they can't imagine how it's possible that you could be fluent in English if it's not your native language.
So.... if it says on the degree and transcripts that the university is in Thailand, you're probably out of luck and you'll need to get creative to resolve this problem. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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young_clinton wrote: |
Did you go to Assumption, where I think the degree is accredited by the USA system? Assuming that your degree is accredited, find out some information on it and find another recruiter. It will have to be verified by the Korean embassy because you will not be able to get it apostilled. t |
Verification is only for Canadians...the other Big Six have to get it apostilled. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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Troglodyte wrote: |
You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. . |
True...unless you did that in Quebec in Canada. Then you are not allowed to teach here. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 5:17 am Post subject: |
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TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Troglodyte wrote: |
You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. . |
True...unless you did that in Quebec in Canada. Then you are not allowed to teach here. |
Wrong. There are a ton of us who went to school in Quebec and teach in Korea. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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northway wrote: |
TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Troglodyte wrote: |
You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. . |
True...unless you did that in Quebec in Canada. Then you are not allowed to teach here. |
Wrong. There are a ton of us who went to school in Quebec and teach in Korea. |
Actually I was referring to native Qu�b�coises whose first language is French (high school and college.)
But even for other cases there are people who went to school in Quebec and were rejected. There was a thread on this site about this a couple of years ago. The poster was rejected because his degree was from Quebec.
A couple others chimed in as well.
However that "are" should have read "may" as in "MAY not be allowed"
as it appears there is no official policy on that.
http://www.korea4expats.com/article-E2-English-teaching-visa-Korea.html
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Graduates of Quebec universities may be rejected when applying for an E2 visa - although there is no official regulation excluding them from teaching English - due a perception that they either cannot speak English well enough or that they have the �wrong� accent. |
So while it is by no means a blanket exemption as the poster claimed...it apparently has been known to happen. Then again as we all know each Immigration office is a law unto itself. |
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ttompatz

Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 12:36 am Post subject: Re: Can't work in Korea with a BA English Degree? |
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rtc926 wrote: |
Question for those smarter than me...
I am a native speaker from America, with an American passport, and got a scholarship to study in Thailand. I just graduated from an International school here, in Bangkok, and received a BA English degree.
I really want to live and teach in Korea, but according to a few recruiters,(since my degree isn't from one of 7 native English speaking countries, I am ineligible for an E2 visa).
Is there anyone that experienced this in the past? Are there any ways around it? Maybe having the Korean embassy in Bangkok verify my degree and transcripts?
Any and all help is appreciated.
Regards,
Rob |
The requirements, as they stand, state that YOU need a passport from one of the 7 "approved" anglophone countries AND you need a degree from one of those same 7 countries.
There is NO workaround. Get a new degree or pick a new country.
. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 3:44 am Post subject: |
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TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
northway wrote: |
TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Troglodyte wrote: |
You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. . |
True...unless you did that in Quebec in Canada. Then you are not allowed to teach here. |
Wrong. There are a ton of us who went to school in Quebec and teach in Korea. |
Actually I was referring to native Qu�b�coises whose first language is French (high school and college.)
But even for other cases there are people who went to school in Quebec and were rejected. There was a thread on this site about this a couple of years ago. The poster was rejected because his degree was from Quebec.
A couple others chimed in as well.
However that "are" should have read "may" as in "MAY not be allowed"
as it appears there is no official policy on that.
http://www.korea4expats.com/article-E2-English-teaching-visa-Korea.html
Quote: |
Graduates of Quebec universities may be rejected when applying for an E2 visa - although there is no official regulation excluding them from teaching English - due a perception that they either cannot speak English well enough or that they have the �wrong� accent. |
So while it is by no means a blanket exemption as the poster claimed...it apparently has been known to happen. Then again as we all know each Immigration office is a law unto itself. |
I've known encountered fifteen or twenty McGill grads and another five or so Concordia grads in my time in in Korea. The only problem any of the McGill grads have had is getting their diploma translated from Latin. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that immigration might actually have a clue on this one. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 5:05 am Post subject: |
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northway wrote: |
TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
northway wrote: |
TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Troglodyte wrote: |
You're supposed to be a citizen of a Big 7 as well as attended highschool and uni in a Big 7. . |
True...unless you did that in Quebec in Canada. Then you are not allowed to teach here. |
Wrong. There are a ton of us who went to school in Quebec and teach in Korea. |
Actually I was referring to native Qu�b�coises whose first language is French (high school and college.)
But even for other cases there are people who went to school in Quebec and were rejected. There was a thread on this site about this a couple of years ago. The poster was rejected because his degree was from Quebec.
A couple others chimed in as well.
However that "are" should have read "may" as in "MAY not be allowed"
as it appears there is no official policy on that.
http://www.korea4expats.com/article-E2-English-teaching-visa-Korea.html
Quote: |
Graduates of Quebec universities may be rejected when applying for an E2 visa - although there is no official regulation excluding them from teaching English - due a perception that they either cannot speak English well enough or that they have the �wrong� accent. |
So while it is by no means a blanket exemption as the poster claimed...it apparently has been known to happen. Then again as we all know each Immigration office is a law unto itself. |
I've known encountered fifteen or twenty McGill grads and another five or so Concordia grads in my time in in Korea. The only problem any of the McGill grads have had is getting their diploma translated from Latin. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that immigration might actually have a clue on this one. |
Well perhaps you shouldn't assume too much because there were at least three people who were denied E-2 visas because of this.
Also like I said above
Quote: |
Actually I was referring to native Qu�b�coises whose first language is French (high school and college.) |
In order to get a E-2 visa to teach English one of the requirements is that your NATIVE (First language) be English. Yes there are many people from Quebec who speak French as a first language who can get around this by simply having a Canadian passport...it's not like Immigration is manning fluency tests at the border. I've met quite a few over the years. While some had excellent English...some should not have been issued a visa to teach it. |
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