Korean Job Discussion Forums

[La Gringa]

I want to come over to Korea to work, but would rather get there and interview instead of taking a job through a recruiter over the phone and hoping that the school and apartment are descent.

1. So can I enter the country with just a one-way ticket on a tourist visa?I'd like to get my prospective employer to reimburse me.

2. If I have to get a round-trip, when do you book the return date for? To get a ticket good for a year is mucho dinero. How does that work, when it comes time to be reimbursed from the employer?

[MarionG]

Most schools will not reimburse you for air fare if you are already in the country when they hire you. "Most," of course, doesn't mean all.

Also, you'll have to leave Korea in order to get the proper visa for teaching...it cannot be issued to you while you are in Korea. Thus, you'll have to make a visa run to Japan (probably Japan.) Some schools will pay for this and some won't.

Instead of coming before you get a job, ask for photos of the housing, talk to other teachers at the school, talk to the teacher who is going home, if you are replacing a teacher, and ask on this board about the schools you are considering.

Good luck!

[kiwigirl :O)]

this is the second time i have entered korea on a one way ticket....but bear in mind that i already had a job lined up for me and i had contact info for my schools to show customs if they raised eyebrows....this time around they briefly questioned me but i said i wasnt able to get my visa at home due to having to update my passport and not having enough time to get the new e2...(i also had my schools info and visa issuance number ready to show them)

it may be a better idea if you go through a recruiter and pepper them with questions....amy at kim n joe is good....

good luck
kg