The Ultimate Teach Korea FAQ
Common questions and answers from A to Z
Gone2Korea Services
Application Basics
Application Process
Is South Korea a safe place to live and work?
The official travel advisories of America, Canada and the UK have South Korea listed as a safe travel destination. Violent crime rates in Korea are lower than the US, UK and other highly developed countries. In short, Korea is an incredibly safe place for foreigners to live, work and travel. Safety is one of the reasons why 1000’s of foreigners choose Korea as their ‘go-to’ teaching destination.
Work Visa
About Jobs
Salary and Money
Income Tax: 3.5 – 7%
Medical Insurance: Roughly 50,000 KRW per month. This amount is matched by your employer (50/50 contributions).
Pension Plan: Some schools offer pension plan contributions. 4.5% of your monthly salary will be deducted and added to the plan and matched by your school (an equal contribution). American and Canadian teachers who pay into the scheme are entitled to a pension refund at the end of their contract term.
Vacation
Housing
Airfare and Arrival
Medical
Joint Applicants (Couples or Friends)
Dependents (Spouse or Child)
Generally speaking, Korean employers view candidates who have dependents (non-working spouse and/or children) as high risk. 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 dependents; it’s just difficult when you’re competing against many other applicants who are applying as individuals – which schools tend to prefer.
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 contract term has been completed. Therefore, when a private school has the choice between an individual teacher, or someone with dependents, they usually choose the individual. Furthermore, most schools have housing contracts for ‘studio style’ apartments which aren’t suitable for families.
Public schools 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 do if he/she isn’t working, where and how your children will continue their education, etc. Accommodations are also problematic because public schools do not offer housing assistance for families, therefore, candidates would need to find suitable housing on their own.
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 only on a 12 month E2 visa. Private schools on the other hand are essentially English language institutes; meaning, they don’t teach math, science, geography, etc. so your child wouldn’t receive the education they require.
Summary
It’s usually quite difficult for our coordinators to find suitable placements for applicants with dependents. 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 dependents to Korea then we advise contacting multiple recruiting agents in order to maximize your chances.
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