A.  We’re passionate about people living and working abroad – we genuinely believe it is one of the best things a person can do! Living abroad adds invaluable elements to our personal stories; it changes us and enlarges our world view, teaching us in ways that nothing else will. But it’s hard to know where to start when looking for work in other countries… can we get an amen?!
 
And that’s where we come in. You can think of AT as your partner as you set your sights on finding work abroad. Everyone on the AT team has lived and taught in Korea and we use our industry experience to help you navigate the Korean job market, offering the most extensive upon-arrival support in the field. We provide our teachers with an honest, upfront, “no-bull” perspective, and work tirelessly to prepare our teachers to live and work abroad for a year. We are aware of and interested in each teacher’s unique needs and desire because were all teachers once, too!
 
Our methods can be a bit different than other recruiters. In a nutshell, it’s not our practice to just throw a bunch of random schools at you, like most recruiters do.  We try and do as much filtering work as possible beforehand, so that you’re not just getting thrown random interviews and random contracts.  So rest assured, when a school extends an interview offer, it’s most likely a school we’ve had in mind for you specifically.  It is always our hope that a contract offer will be quick to follow an interview, as that particular school is usually one of our top 3 choices for you.

A. An important FYI about the Korean market – jobs don’t typically open until 1-2 months before the actual start date. Might seem crazy to those of us in the West, but in the East, things always come together last minute. Chalk it up to a cultural difference! That being said, it will likely be anywhere between 3-8 weeks before your desired departure that interviews will start for you. The Korean market is more competitive than ever – in all the years we’ve been in business, we’ve never seen so many people trying to find work in Korea! Also keep in mind that all interviewing and hiring is done exclusively by individual schools in Korea, not AT. Each school has a unique contract, although the vast majority are essentially identical in the details (salary, housing, vacation time, teaching hours, etc). After you interview with a school, if they offer you a position, they will send us a contract for you. We will be sure to look over the contract, making sure everything is in order and nothing looks fishy. The best advice we can offer? If you get offered a contract, keep in mind that you might not get offered another one!

A.  First off – universities in Korea do not usually use recruiters, so if you’re serious about a university job, you’ll have to go straight to the university to apply. Also, university positions are considered to be the most competitive market for teachers. University professors typically have masters degrees, if not Ph.D’s, to accompany years of teaching experience.

A. A typical salary for a new teacher is 2.0-2.1 million won per month.

A. This depends on your personality. Some people like to have complete creative freedom and to run their classroom the way they like. For most, a structured, provided curriculum makes things a lot easier. If you are a first year teacher, without much training and or formal teaching experience, we would definitely recommend accepting a job with a more structured curriculum. Rest assured, we’ll be looking for those types of positions for you in the first place!

A. Holidays depend on the Korean calendar, and most national holidays are paid days off. Pick up a Korean Calendar when you arrive, and you’ll see that all national holidays have RED dates (hence Koreans refer to national holidays as “Red Days”). Every year the actual date of each national holidays changes, so be sure to check before booking a vacation or weekend getaway.

A. Most likely, yes!  It would be very unusual if you were not paid for your normal school-sponsored holidays. For extra time off not outlined in your contract or considered a government sponsored “red day,” you will most likely not be paid. These specifics will all vary from school to school!

A. This is entirely up to you! The process can go very quickly once you turn in your visa documents, or it can take months. We suggest a 4-5 month window, giving you plenty of time to gather the necessary visa documents before that 3-8 week period of jobs opening arrives. Please look at the timeline under “AT Process,” and you can see how dates line up (when to apply, send visa documents to Korea, etc). Sometimes people come to Korea after 2 weeks of starting the process because they  have all their visa documents ready, and other times teachers have been preparing to depart for Korea for 5 months. It is really up to you, as jobs are opening and closing each month of the year.

A. Any actual teaching time over 120 hours is considered overtime by Korean law. You have to be very careful when you calculate your actual teaching time, as your employer will count only the time you are actually in a classroom teaching as teaching hours. They will exclude breaks, lunch, and passing periods, and then calculate your total teaching hours.

A. This is one of the mysteries of the industry. In Western countries, and in other professions in Korea, overtime pay is substantially more than the hourly wage (when your monthly salary is broken down). With foreign teachers in Korea, average overtime payment runs from about 17,000 won per hour to 25,000 won per hour. The overtime wage will be outlined in your contract.

A. Your Health coverage should start when you begin work at your school. The school is responsible for beginning you health coverage immediately. As soon as you get your Alien Registration Card you are eligible for health coverage in Korea. Your school should apply for ARC card immediately. You cannot leave the country without it nor can you receive health insurance. Once you have received your card the school will begin the process of getting you insured by submitting your ARC card and paying in three month increments. You will be responsible for 50% of the cost which can run you anywhere from 40 US a month to 50 US a month. Your ARC card can take up to 10 working days and after that Medical coverage can be applied for within a day. Your school should take care of both processes for you.

A.. You will receive basic health coverage. Visits to the doctors and medication will be supplied to you for very little cost. With your health coverage each visit to the doctor is around 3,000 won which is just under 3$ US. Major accidents and events such as pregnancy or surgery will not be covered. For Major coverage you will have to go through a private health insurance program that most schools do not provide, however this can be discussed in a case by case circumstance with different schools.

A. No, your Korean health coverage does not cover you on trips home or to other countries other than Korea. Once you leave Korea your health coverage will be at your own cost.

A. With your health coverage a doctors visit is around 3,000 won which is just over $3 USD. X-Rays and other minor procedures will run around 10,000 won or just over $10 USD. Medication is also subsidized with your coverage at a very low cost depending on the medication. Dentist visits are very inexpensive and coverage as well by your Medical. Minor procedures can run anywhere from $15 – $20 USD. More major procedures such as wisdom teeth will not be covered however it is still relatively cheep in Korea regardless.

A. If you are coming to Korea with a condition that requires regular medication or there is a current prescription you are taking you should supply yourself with a years worth. There is no guarantee that you will be able to get the same medications here as you are taking. You may be able to check with you pharmacy if the medication is carried in Korea but whether they carry that information or not will be on a case by case situation.

A. Yes you can buy birth control pills here in Korea, however they may or may not carry the exact brand you currently taking. If it is important to you that you continue using the same Birth Control then we suggest you bring with you a years supply. Brands of Birth control and medications differ from country to country.

A. Culture Shock Korea or Thinking Like a Korea are both great books to begin your preparation for your time here in Korea.

A. Yes, you can buy a good bike in Korea. The prices range from $20 to $1000. Riding a bike is a great way of getting around but can be quite cold in the winter. When teachers leave Korea they are often looking at getting rid of what they have. Find one of these teachers to get a great bargain! There are also lots of small bike shops to buy from, or to get your bicycle fixed.

A. A housing allowance is provided to you if you choose not to take the housing provided by the school. This can range anywhere from $300 US to $600 depending on location and contract with the school. This would require you to then find your own means of living. You would receive the allotted allowance monthly on top of your salary.

A. Most apartments come fully furnished however this could mean a wide range of possibilities. Some apartments may only have one or two pots and pans with bowls ect, while other may have more then enough. All these things can be purchased at good price here in Korea if you require more then what has been provided. Kitchen ware can also be handed down by past teachers or can be found at any department or grocery store.

A. Although it wouldn’t hurt, it isn’t necessary especially if you are working in a fairly large school. This is not a common practice amongst foreign teachers coming to Korea to teach English.

A. We recommend bring about $250 cash that you can exchange to Korean Won at the airport upon your arrival to Korea. This should help you get through a few days and locate an atm that will work with your foreign card. Sometimes it is necessary to search for an atm machine that will accept foreign cards. They are around, but sometimes you will have to search for them. Usually atms found at convenient store will work with foreign cards, where as many atms at banks will only take domestic cards. You might have to request the assistance of a Korean when using the machines in the convenience stores though because many do not have English. It’s all part of the adventure.

Most schools pay once a month, for the previous completed month. Because you will not be paid until you have worked roughly 1 month, the average individual will need to have access to about $500 – $1,000 to support themselves until they get their first pay check. The amount you will need is directly related to your spending habits. I know people that live on about 350 per month and others who spend their entire pay checks frivolously. It completely depends on how you budget your money.
To access money from home, you will need to make sure that you have a major symbol on the back of your atm/debit card/bank card (ie. Plus, Cirrus, etc). If you are unsure whether your card will work at atms in Korea, be sure to consult your bank at home, or we can check to see if the symbol on the back of your card will work at atms here.

Also, because some banks charge you a foreign withdrawal fee/exchange fee (usually around $5.00 or more), you might want to raise the amount of money you can take out in a single withdrawal. If you can withdrawal a larger amount, you will avoid paying this fee over and over.

A. The majority of schools will pay you by automatic deposit into a Korean Bank account, which means that you will need to set up a Korean bank account. This is a very simple process that your school director/representative should help you with. Banking using your Korean bank account is very easy as they provide you with a “pass-book” and an ATM card. The passbook helps you keep track of all of your deposits and withdrawals, and can be used like an ATM card. The ATM card allows you to access your account from ATM machines conveniently located throughout Korea.

A. Most people choose to wire money home instead of leaving it in their Korean bank account. Wiring money is also a pretty simple task, as long as you have your bank information from home. The fee for wiring money is pretty small, in most cases between $7 and $20 depending on your bank at home and the bank you choose in Korea.
Tip: After wiring money home the first time, save your receipt, so you can show it to the teller the next time, and avoid any confusion. To wire money home you will need:

1. Your bank’s name
2. Your bank’s address
3. Your bank’s phone number
4. Your bank’s swift code (ask a representative from your bank what the bank’s swift code is. They will know what you are talking about)
5. Your account number

Q. How much should I expect to pay in utilities and other bills? (Prices listed are in CDN/USD)
A.

1. Depending on the size and location of your apartment, you should expect to pay about $50 – $150 per month in utilities for a one person apartment. The bill is typically broken down into 2 parts:
2. Apartment Maintenance Fee. This fee is directed toward the building guards, maintaining shared areas, and other building fees. In some places, this fee includes cable T.V.
3. Gas, Water, and Electricity
4. Phone bill (cell phone), will be about $15 – $40 per month depending on how much you use it. We recommend using Skype to call home. It is a very good and inexpensive computer phone. Please have a look at www.skype.com for more details and the free download.
5. Phone bill (home phone). Most people choose to only have a cell phone, but home phone numbers are readily available and cost between $7 – $12 per month.
6. Internet Service. Internet service is available everywhere in South Korea. It is very fast and costs roughly $35 – $45 per month. An installation fee of $35 is typical as well, unless you take over another teacher’s contract. Your school should help you get connected to the internet. If you don’t have a computer, PC Bongs (Internet Cafes) are located in most neighborhoods very inexpensive hourly rates.

A. There is no set level as to how much your living expenses will be because it fluctuates according to your lifestyle. We know some single people who live on about $300 USD a month and others who push it easily over $1000 USD per month. It depends on how thrifty you are and how often you go out. $600 USD is pretty reasonable for a single person. This allows for dinners, drinks, nights out, movies, small weekend trips, etc…

A. Many times unexpected bills or expenses come up in your home country after leaving you arrive in Korea. In order to prepare for these instances, we recommend leaving some signed blank checks with a trustworthy family member/friend etc. If you don’t like this option, you can also think about having a signer added to your account (a parent, sibling, trusted individual) to help you manage your affairs at home. Whatever the case is, try to make sure that as many of your money matters are in order before leaving for one year. Typically it is much easier to deal with these things in person than trying to do them over the phone or through family members. Make sure you have set up on-line access to your bank accounts at home. Double check to make sure you know your login name and password.

If you are going to be making consistent payments to things like a credit card, or student loans, or other loans try to set up it up so that you can make your payments online from your current bank account at home. We recommend doing these things before you leave as well, to ensure that you won’t have any trouble doing them when you are here and unable to care of these things in person.

A. Your ticket will be provided by the school as part of your contract. Some schools will have you find your ticket and purchase it to then reimburse you upon arrival, and others may book it for you and purchase it. Be prepared to provide the money for your ticket at first, and always check with your school about prices and schedules before booking your own ticket. Don’t forget to OK it with your school BEFORE you purchase the ticket.

A. Contracts usually state the teacher will be provided a round trip plane ticket from the “nearest international airport to their home.” However, some schools will pay the full trip if the teacher lives in a city or town that does not have an international airport. Some schools will not. Please check with your school before you sign your contract to see the specifics.

A. The school should pay you back once you begin teaching at the school. This should be discussed between yourself and your employer before you arrive in Korea. If you will need the money when you arrive in Korea, that needs to be communicated before you come. If nothing is communicated, the money is usually added to your first paycheck.

A. Click here for a list of things to bring to Korea.

A. Yes you can ship things to Korea but this can not only be timely but costly as well. Check your local post office for more details.

A. As long as you have your E2 visa in your passport there shouldn’t be any problem when leaving for Korea.

A. The school or recruiter will make arrangements for your pickup at the airport. You will be given these arrangements in the week before you leave.

A. You will need to send your actual diploma or a copy performed by the South Korean consulate nearest you. There have been a lot of people attempting to use fake degrees in order to teach in Korea. To counter this problem, the Korean government requires individuals to submit either a notarized copy performed only by the Korean consulate in Canada/USA, or the actual diploma. We have had no problems with anyone losing their diplomas because the Korean postal service is very good. Always remember that the notarized copy is an option. When you send your documents, it is important to send them with a reputable company (DHL, FEDEX, UPS, Purolator, or another well known courier). ALWAYS GET A TRACKING NUMBER FOR YOUR PACKAGE WHEN YOU SEND IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS!!

A. The contract is provided by the school that you choose to work for. Each school has a separate contract. It is the agreement that you and the school make together. After you interview with a school, and they offer you a position, they will send you a contract for your review. We will also look at this contract and make sure that everything is covered that should be and nothing looks fishy.

A. Yes they do need to be passport photos. They will be used for your visa, which is put in your passport and they are also added to a few forms you will have to fill out.

A. Click here to view the visa process.

A. Do to some recent and unfortunate cases where foreign English teachers were involved in illegal activities; the Korean Immigration Office has issued more stringent E-2 visa requirements. The new requirements went into effect as of December 15, 2008 in attempt to counter the following: More Info…

1.Fraudulent Documents
In the past few years many foreign teachers have taught in South Korea using fraudulent diplomas and exaggerated qualifications. The government has continually been seeking new methods to counter this problem and assure Korean parents that their children’s teachers are indeed qualified. The degree verification documents and consulate interviews are designed to cut down on fake diplomas and qualifications.

2. Sexual Offenses
The recent arrest of a notorious Canadian pedophile, amongst other instances, has raised major concerns for everyone involved in the English Teaching sector. Now criminal record checks are required to make sure that all E-2 visa holders do not have any previous sexual allocations in their home countries.

3. Illegal Drug Use
The Korean government has very severe penalties for the possession, trafficking, or use of illegal drugs. The stiff penalties have kept Korean Society relatively drug free. Recently, several foreign English Teachers were arrested on drug charges. The story about the teachers was aired on a major Korean T.V. network, which has led to heightened public concern about foreign teachers. As with sexual offenses, the criminal record check was implemented in attempt to avoid potential drug problems.
*Even though the criminal record checks cause an extra burden in the visa process, they are a completely reasonable requirement whenever people have the possibility of working directly with children.
The apostil and certification requirements and consulate interviews seem quite extensive and problematic for teachers, but really there is nothing we can do about it for the time being. What the government requires we must do so that you can teach in Korea legally.

(click here for sample apostil)
A. First of all, what exactly does apostille/apostil mean? We had to look it up…
Apostille: A marginal note on a letter or other paper; an annotation. –Motley.
Citation: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, copyright 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

Basically… with the E-2 visa process, it means that a government office will be placing a note on your documents stating their authenticity. Because of a certain documents sharing policy between the U.S. and South Korea, Americans are able to get their criminal record check and have an apostil added. The same agreement does not exist between Canada and South Korea. Therefore, the Korean Consulates in Canada are performing the criminal record check certifications.

A. In most cases the teacher will be required to do an in person interview before the visa can be issued. These interviews must be arranged with the consulate that has jurisdiction over your state. If the consulate is an extensive distance from your place of residence, you will want to contact the consulate by phone in order to inquire about your case. Some interviews have been performed via webcam. If you are concerned about being able to make it to an interview, be sure to call and see if you can opt for the interview through another more practical method.

A. The two tests required for the health check are:
1. TBPE Test
2. HIV testing
Wondering if you will pass? Please make sure to have these tests performed in your home country before coming to South Korea. The Health Check will be performed within 90 days of your arrival, and must be completed before your Alien Resident Card is issued (ARC).

A. Because the immigration office is unable to verify documents from other countries the Apostil/or certification steps of the visa process are required. The certification and apostil steps simply verify that the documents are genuine and that the teacher does indeed have the qualification which they profess.
The process is very new and we expect adjustments will be made to make the process clearer in the future.

A. The U.S. typically requires 2 x 2 inch photos for passports. Most countries, including Canada, those in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Australia require 3.5 x 4.5 centimeter photos for passports. Both sizes are acceptable for the E-2 Teaching visa process in South Korea.

A. No. The photos do not need to be signed and dated as is required for Canadian passports. The photos should be taken within the last 6 months though, so a date won’t hurt either.

A. You will need to send your actual diploma or a notarized copy performed by the South Korean consulate nearest you. There have been a lot of people attempting to use fake degrees in order to teach in Korea. The Korean Government has created these specific regulations to counter this problem.
We know that it can be very intimidating to send your actual diploma. To-date, we have not experienced a single lost or damaged diploma. The Korean postal service is quite good, but whenever you send valuable documents it is important to send them with a reputable courier service and get a tracking number for your package so you can find the package in the case that something does happen.
In the case that something did happen to your diploma, most universities are able to print new diplomas for a modest fee. The fee usually ranges from $15.00 to $70.00. Be sure to check with your university to see what is required to have a new diploma issued if you are concerned. Also remember that a Consulate performed notarized copy is an option.

A. When you send your documents, it is important to send them with a reputable company. DHL and FedEx have the best networks set up in South Korea and are able to provide the most efficient service. Only if you have a significant amount of time extra time in the process will we suggest that you send your documents to Korea by express post (Canada) or Global Priority Mail (USA). ALWAYS GET A TRACKING NUMBER FOR YOUR PACKAGE WHEN YOU SEND IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS!!
Check the websites for a mailing center near you.

http://www.fedex.com/

http://www.dhl.com/splash.html

A.

( Box 8 ) What is the classification of my passport? (don’t know what this is Reuben, do you?)
( Box 11 ) Who is the issuing authority? This is the country who issued the passport.
( Box 16 ) What is my occupation?: “Teacher”
( Box 19 ) Purpose of entry: “Teach English for your school or institution’s name”
( Box 21 ) Desired Length of stay? “One Year, teaching contract”
( Box 23 ) Address in South Korea: Your school address (this should be listed on your teaching contract)
( Box 27 ) Who will pay for your stay: Give your school name
( Box 32 ) Guarantor or reference in Korea: Give your school director’s name, phone number, and school address. For relationship: “Employer”

A. As long as you do not have any drug related or sexual offenses on your record, you will still be able to teach in South Korea.

A. NO. The criminal check should be performed by your local police station. Online criminal record checks are currently not accepted by Korean Immigration because they cannot be certified by through the apostil services or other document certification systems.

A. As of December 15, 2007 teachers that are new to Korea cannot go to Japan to obtain their teaching visa. The process must to done in their home country.

A. Yes