Bringing Dependents (Spouse or child) to Korea

Generally speaking most Korean employers view people who plan on going over with dependants as high risk. If you need to bring two or more dependents (non-working spouse and a child) then the risk factor increases (from a schools perspective). We apologize for the discouraging news but as recruiters we can only present schools and programs with applicants to consider; it’s the Korean employers and hiring managers who make the actual job offers. Note: We're not saying it's impossible to find employment in Korea if you have dependants; it's just difficult when you're competing against many other applicants that are applying as individuals - which the schools usually prefer.

1. Private schools tend to view people that are coming with non-working family members as ‘high risk’ because they’re always worried that if your spouse or child can’t adjust to Korean culture, get sick, can’t find suitable education facilities, etc. then chances are you’ll leave the country before your contracts been completed. In short, when a private school has the choice between an individual teacher and someone with dependants then they usually choose the individual. Furthermore, most schools have housing contracts for studio style apartments (1 person apartment) so coordinating accommodations for people with dependants is usually quite burdensome and more expensive for the schools.


2. Public school’s allow teachers with dependents to apply but they will need a signed ‘Statement of Intent’ before a job offer is presented. The statement of intent requires applicants to state what their dependent(s) plan on doing for the full year; what your spouse will be doing for a full year if he/she isn’t working, where and how your children will continue their education, etc. Likewise, public schools don’t offer any help or assistance with housing unless the teacher takes the apartment they provide (which wouldn’t be suitable for more than 1 person) so this is an important factor that needs to be taken into account. Assuming the applicant has a viable plan and a means of securing suitable housing then securing employment in this sector is possible; however, the final decision would need to come from the public school officials in Korea…after they’ve reviewed the statement of intent and conducted the interview.

Can my children attend the school I will be working at? In most cases this scenario isn’t possible unless the teacher is working at an international school that’s willing to offer free enrollment. Public schools teach all subjects in Korean (aside from their English class) and foreigners are not allowed to attend these schools unless they’re registered citizens or have the proper type of visa which is very hard to obtain if you’re on a temporary E2 teaching visa. Private schools on the other hand are essentially English language institutes; meaning they don’t teach math, science, geography, etc. so you’re child wouldn’t receive the education they require.

Summary: It’s becoming increasingly difficult to coordinate jobs for people with dependants. We do our best to accommodate people when we can but the final decisions ultimately come from the schools so our influence is limited. If you plan on bringing dependants to Korea then we advise contacting multiple recruiting agents to help with your search.