Korean Job Discussion Forums

[klipspringer5]

So, for the beneft of all, please answer the question in the subject. If anyone can give advice for my specific case, that would be nice too .

I'm in Seoul collaborating on some projects with a small Korean theater company, and hoping to continue working with them for a while (a year or two or more). Unfortunately, as a small, non-profit company they have just about zero clout with immigration, who have told us that the best thing for us to do is to have me go and come every three months on a C-3 visa. I/we don't like this for several reasons, which should be obvious; most noteworthy being the cost (airfare, application, and notarized document saying expenses will be covered, etc. every three months) and the dubious legality of it (despite being the course of action recommended by at least one immgration officer).

The solution, find another way to be in the country. Neither of my options quite solves the dubious legality issue, but at least they give me a more legally substantial reason for my presence here. So first, there's the possibility of being a student of Korean on a D-4 visa. However, I'm not sure how long my funds will support that, nor how long the visa will last after the course finishes. The other option is finding a very flexible, part-time job teaching English (and I have a college degree, a TEFL diploma, and teaching experience to back that up).

In the latter case, what I'd be looking for first is an E-2 visa, second some spending money, and third an apartment of my own. Of course this wouldn require a lot of flexibility on the part of the employer. Sometimes I have a lot of free time, but sometimes I'm only free in the morning, or on certain days, and it's highly probable that we'll be out of the country touring from mid-May to mid-September, if not longer. Are there any employers who could put up with this? If it's a matter of an hour or so a week of teaching, or maybe a couple hours a week of "English corners", and all I get is an E-2 visa, cool. If putting in some more time (maybe 5-10 hrs/wk) will get me a little money or a place of my own, I'm sure I can work it out, when I'm in the country. And the employer would probably have to be reputable, not a scumball, all that. Is any of this a possibility?

General replies welcome, but if you have any specific contacts or information, please PM me. Same if you have any idea how to get a D-1 or E-7 visa (I've read everything relevant in the Immigration Bureau and Justice Ministry websites, so this is more like if you're a personal friend of the Minister of Culture). Thank you, very much.

[bellum99]

You will never find a boss to do this. There is an entertainment visa that is possible to get. Perhaps I would look into that. Schools need a teacher for pre-determined class times....not whenever you feel like it.

[klipspringer5]

that's what I figured... it shouldn't be a problem to work out a class schedule a month or so in advance, but even that's probably not enough, huh?

[klipspringer5]

as a corollary...

Are there any schools that legally provide teachers to do private/in-home lessons and could use someone willing to travel around the city and work at odd times? Or schools that just act as a link between you and some students, taking their cut and giving you a visa in return?