Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Nick Adams]

Anyone out there made this combination work?

I swear I've read 10 threads at the other site on this topic, none of which provided a definitive answer.

My Visa situation is solid. Not worried about me. I am worried that my ex-girlfriend might have to remain an ex-girlfriend.

She is Japanese, living in Japan. She does not have a job in Korea. She has a two-year A.A. degree, but not a 4-year university degree. She has a solid work history in tourism/office work.

Japanese people in Korea have a 30-day tourist visa renewable each time leaving Korea. Does it get any better than that? (Really hoping someone can chime in with personal experience vs. posting a link to the Korean immigration site).

Scenario #1
Is it reasonable to expect that she could come to Korea for a month or two, find a job, get sponsored for a Visa, and stay in Korea and work legally? Would us being married or not married have any bearing on that?

Scenario #2
Will Korean schools sponsor the spouse of a teacher so the spouse can get a visa? I have a job at an international school, if it makes a difference. They've totally been in my corner so far. I'm reluctant to ask my school about this yet, because I'd like to find someone I can trust not to spread my personal life all over the school. Also I haven't even met anyone from the school in person yet.

I'm a bit bitter about this, because last summer my ex-girlfriend did all this in the U.S., including getting sponsored by her company's president after dozens of hours of paperwork, only to be quickly dismissed during a five-minute interview at the American embassy in Japan for "working illegally" in the U.S.