Ready to Teach English overseas?

When you travel overseas, there is so much planning that goes into it that one wonders what they may have forgotten. It gets quite overwhelming when you have to fill in all the forms. Contracts are especially important as it is supposed to protect the employer and employee. However, if you are not familiar with the countries laws, you may sign a weak contract and unwittingly put yourself in an undesirable position. Not to mention the information overload, it is just too easy for a newbie to forget or overlook red flags. I have been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

 I compiled some information to help teacher’s be prepared and make informed decisions before taking the big leap and living in a faraway land for a year or two.

Passport

  • Your passport must be valid. Its expiry date must be over 6 months at the time of applying.
  • Passports must be from an English-speaking country such as United States, Canada, UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Police clearance certificate

  • Police certificate is required as you will be working with children.
  • You need to go to the police station to have your fingerprints taken.
  • Your fingerprints are sent to the head office where they verify if your criminal record is clear or not. You will get a notification when your certificate is ready for collection. This takes a few weeks depending on your country.

Degree

  • You must have a bachelor’s degree from a 3+ year university. Any degree is fine.
  • You need to get your degree apostilled by the notary high court in your country. This can take a day to a week to do depending if you go direct or use a third party company to help you. Your recruiter will probably know contact details of such places.

Finding the job

  • EPIK (English Program In Korea) and GEPIK (Gyeonggi-do English Program In Korea) are the biggest recruiters for finding a job at a public school. 
  • EPIK provides teaching opportunities everywhere in the country except for Gyeonggi-do. i.e Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Jeju and Gangwondo.
  • GEPIK provides jobs ONLY in Gyeonggi-do province
  • Tip: Don’t fuss too much about where you will be located. Transportation in South Korea is one of the most efficient in the world. 
  • Find a private recruiter: Teach ESL, Korvia, Gone 2 Korea, Hands Korea, Work N Play, Morgan recruiting services and  Dave’s ESL Cafe 
  • Word of mouth. Sometimes a teacher about to leave their position leaves a post on facebook or reddit. You can arrange with them to take over their position

Application Forms

  • Summary of the teaching application forms. The recruiter helps you through the application process.
  • ​Apostilled copy of your University diploma  
  • Apostilled Criminal Background Check (clear of any record of offenses)
  • Colour photocopy of your passport information page
  • The school employment contract letter signed by you (School will give this to the recruiter to give to you)
  • Passport photos (prepare 6 photos. Keep one passport photo with you for the later visa process)
  • Resume, with your home country address, phone number on it​​
  • Visa Application Form (Recruiter will give you this)
  • Self Medical Statement Form (Recruiter will give you this)

Teaching visa

  • Once all your paperwork has been approved. The Korean embassy will put the visa in your passport
  • E2 visa

Flight Ticket

  • Flight ticket – back in the day flights tickets offered were 2-way but a lot only offer a one way ticket. 
  • If the school makes you pay for your air ticket. Make sure how and when they pay back your air ticket is included in the contract.

Signed a satisfactory contract

  •  Contracts are usually 1 year and you can extend it if you and the school agree to it.  
  • Schools offering 6 month contracts are extremely rare. 

Public school’s main benefits:

  •   Flight reimbursements to AND from Korea​ (depends on school)
  •   18-25 paid vacations days per year 
  •   Fully furnished accommodation
  •   No taxes (USA citizen’s aren’t taxed, may or may not apply to your country)
  •   Year End Bonus (Called severance. It is one pay check)
  •   50% Health Insurance
  •   50% Pension
  •   A visa to live and work in Korea
  •   10 paid sick days (varies on each school)
  • Free lunch at school (Some may deduct meal costs from your pay check)

​Private school’s main benefits:

  •   One way air ticket
  •  10 vacations days per year (5 in winter and 5 in summer)
  •   Accommodation provided
  •   A tax amount is deducted from your salary monthly
  •   Year End Bonus (Called severance. It is one pay check)
  •   50% Health Insurance 
  •   50% Pension
  •   A visa to live and work in Korea
  •   3  sick days (varies on each school)

Working hours

  • Working hours – Clear start and end times that you are required to be at work.

Teaching hours – How long will you actually be teaching? 40 min, 60 min, 80 min?

  • My recommendation: 
  • At a monthly salary of 2.4 million won cap it at max 33 hours of teaching a week. 
  • 25 hours of teaching a week is ideal but don’t go less than 2 million won a month

Overtime clause

  • Overtime ranges between 13 000 – 23 000 won/hour

​Weekend work agreements

  • get it in writing how often the school expects you to do weekend shifts. As long as it’s agreed on beforehand then it’s not going to feel unfair. 

Holiday/vacations

  • Holiday agreements – hagwons typically offer 10 days. 5 for the summer and 5 for the winter. 
  • Public schools offer 18-25 paid vacations days per year 

​Salary

  • Salary offered – stated clearly what amount you will be paid and when it will be paid.
  • For a full-time teaching job, don’t go for less than 2 million. 
  • Monthly salaries for teachers with non-education degrees and no previous teaching experience currently range from 2,000,000 – 2,200,000 KRW. 

​Tax 

  • If you are getting the E2 visa, you are supposed to pay taxes as an employee and not an independent contractor. Some schools will try treat you as an independent contractor so they can save on pension, medical insurance and taxes.
  • It is illegal to be an independent contractor on an E2 visa.
  • If you have any concerns then contact your nearest tax district Tax page

Pension 

  • By law pension money should be paid. However, if you are from certain countries then you don’t get enrolled into the pension.
  • All foreign employees between 18 and 60 years-of-age are obligated to the National Pension Scheme except  if you are from one of the following 17 countries who do not mandate Korean citizens to pay into their pension plan. Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Tonga, Vietnam.
  • Here is the National Pension Service site to go do your own research: Pension page
  • Employer contributes half

Severance

  • By law all full-time employees, Korean and Foreign nationals are entitled to receive severance pay.
  • If you complete your contract. The school by law is supposed to pay you a one month salary for each year of employment.
  • Make sure the contract clearly states that you receive one month’s salary for each year of employment.
  • Some sleazy employers will try get employees to waive this right in contracts, or have them sign an 11 month contract or suddenly fire staff just before the end of the 12 month contract.

Deductions for utilities

  • Some schools have this clause because previous teacher left outstanding bills and the school was left to foot it.
  • Unfortunately one has to ask why the teacher left. Were they shitty or was the school shitty?
  • It actually goes against the law to garnish wages.

Deductions for compensation for damages

  • Deductions for delayed repayments of airfare is a way of stopping you from quitting.
  • Employers cannot deduct from wages for shitty job done or damage to the school’s reputation. Hiring is always a risk.

Sick days

  • Private schools sometimes offer 3 days depends on the school
  • Koreans generally don’t take sick days off.
  • Public schools offer 10 paid sick days

Extra duties

  • Some schools require you to attend special events etc
  • As long as you are told before hand it should be fine
  • If you disagree with the extra duties then give the contract a pass

Medical Insurance 

  • All employees must be enrolled in the Health Insurance Scheme by law . NHIS

Housing

  • By law, the school must provide the teacher with accommodation.
  • Always ask for pictures of the place before signing the contract

Warning clauses 

  • A school is supposed to show that they gave you 3 warnings to try and fix any issues before firing you. 
  • You should get a 1 month warning or advanced 1 month pay before a firing.

Quitting clauses

  • It’s very common to see a clause where they say you have to give the school notice by 2 weeks, 1 month or 3 months before you quit.
  • Obviously if a job has a threatening boss, dangerous kids and just absolutely awful. You have every right to leave.
  • However, if it’s another reason. I think 1 month’s notice is fair because if it’s the other way around. By law the school has to give the teacher 1 month’s notice. 
  • Remember that your visa is tied to your employer. So when you leave them, your visa gets cancelled and you have a month to either find another visa or leave the country.
  • If you leave the school in bad taste. You can be absolutely sure that the school will not give you a letter of release (LOR). You need this letter to be able to find another teaching job.
  • You are supposed to be paid up to the last day worked and not be forced to pay back recruitment fees, plane tickets and damages. Against the law.
  • If you move to another residence. You need to inform immigration of your new residence within 2 weeks otherwise you get slapped with a 100 000 won fine (85 USD). If you did not know this. You are welcome to buy me a reward coffee for saving you from this horrible fine 😀 Coffee treat

Certification

  • You must obtain a 100+ hour TEFL certificate. TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) is a certificate that will enhance your teaching position to be an effective teacher and attract potential employers.
  • Depending on which course package you choose. The price ranges from $200 – $800.
  • You can purchase your tefl class via this link: TEFL (This is an affiliated link. I got my certificate from this company)

Interview with school/Contact a NET 

  • always try speak to the Native English Teacher who is currently or has worked the school. Find out about how the school treats its staff, students, housing, if they pay on time and general working conditions.

Medical check

  • Your weight, eye sight, hearing, chest x-ray, pee sample, blood sample will be checked.
  • Traces of drugs or infectious diseases will lead to a very negative report

Upon arrival

  • A school representative or/and recruiter will pick you up from the airport.
  • Hagwons will probably take you straight to the school to meet everyone and start teaching the next day
  • Try get a good night sleep after the long flight

Helpful resources

Life in Korea

  • It’s safe
  • Food is tasty
  • Fabulous night life
  • Transportation is amazing
  • Get yourself out there and make some memories.
  • And of course if you found yourself a good school, good boss and awesome kids. You might even stay for a few years before heading home.
Get going! Fly to your big adventure soon!
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