Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brooksenglish]

Dear Friends,

I need info on teaching privates legally in Korea with an F-2 Visa. My wife is Korean, and there is nothing in my contract that says I can't teach outside my uni.

What I need to know is that if I register with immigration, can I legally teach business people as long as I report everything to immigration.

The reason for this is simple. I teach a CEO through a very prominent English school in Korea, but my lessons have recently been canceled due to immigration sting operations. The school called me to cancel all my lessons because it's too dangerous for the company if they get caught (3 million KRW) Ouch!! So, what I want to do is set myself up independently of the school and teach legally - thereby cutting out the school of their huge commission on my wages and keeping it all for myself, save the taxes to the government for teaching legally.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks immensely,

Much Appreciation

[Ya-ta Boy]

When in doubt, go to the source. Ask your wife to call Immigration and ask for the rules on your situation. If it would make you feel safer, have her use a fake name or call to an office in another city.

[Captain Corea]

I'm pretty sure that you cannot.

A company must sponsor you for your teaching visa (E2). If you say you are going to teach at said company then that company must have the resources required to sponsor said visa. Chances are the company mentioned does not.

If you are simply "going to work part-time" for this company (with undetermined duties) then I have heard you can simply get them added on.

The truth is i've encountered MIXED messeges when dealing with immigration so do as the poster above recomends and call them.



*then tell us k.

[Mr. Pink]

[Southern Drawl]

[Captain Corea]

[Mr. Pink]

I would suggest to the OP that you consult a labor lawyer if you are really serious. I hear different things from different people.

To Captain Corea, I know the F-2 doesn't entitle you to work, it is a family visa. My point was, since it is a family visa, there MIGHT (Might meaning I don't know, but the OP can check it out) be some way for you to help your wife out with work.

The one person I heard of doing this did it like this: the wife made some kind of business. She would only do kids, and the kids would come to their apartment. While in the apartment, the husband would just happen to be there and he would just happen to speak some English to the kids. He would never recieve money, so he didn't have to seek permission from immigration, as technically, he wasn't working, he was just talking to ppl who visited his house.

I know that it can be dangerous to try that, but honestly, how are they going to bust you for doing something like that? Your wife can claim she is the one teaching them and if she files taxes accordingly, immigration would have a hard time proving your "story" wrong.

[Captain Corea]

I agree man, in the home, it'd be a pretty safe bet. In fact in my neighborhood (out in the sticks right now) I know of two foreigners doign exactly what you have mentioned. They pull in some decent cash and few seem to mind (except maybe the struggling hogwons out here)

[OneWayTraffic]

I was offered a job at a prominent Seoul hotel recently. Went to immigration to clear it and was told in no uncertain terms that we couldn't do it as it wasn't a "proper location to teach English." The location is the thing. If it's not a hagwon or a company with an educational license then you're hosed, F2 or not. I know from experience.

If your wife is registered to teach privates or such and you do it at home I think you'll be fine as long as you don't try being too obvious about pushing the foreigner aspect.

I wouldn't do illegal privates through a school; try to get your students to come to the school instead for privates and give them a cut.