F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does tenure exist?

I'm an F-2 visa holder and, though subject to change, I am planning to stay in South Korea for the long haul. I have a few questions:

Have any native English speakers been able to secure a tenured position with a public school or university? 

Also, what is the legality of private tutoring?  Is there a certification process to do private tutoring?  I am working on a MSEd in TESOL.  For someone with credentials--or for somewhat who isn't--what is the going rate for private lessons?  I've heard a lot of different stories from different people.

 

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

First answer, privates, you need to get a tutors license, then you can do privates legally, even with the F visa.

As to the tenure, I have never met anyone that has been tenured. I know a lot of people that have been at universities in Busan that have been there 10 years or so. There is just no option, even for regular PHD's. The university starts you off as the title visiting professor and you never can shake it. You just stay there, not even moving up the rank to assistant professor, which is below full professor. In the public school system, your position is what is called a "grant funded" position. You did not take the teachers examination to get that position, you are a hired contract worker, when the grant money is gone, you are gone, same as the US.

Don't know the rate for privates. Did one or two back in 2002 the rate was about 30-50 per hour.

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

There are tenured foreigners in Korea. Just working at a place for a long time won't get you tenure if you don't have a PhD and haven't published. However, if you have a PhD and have published you can obtain tenure. I know of a few and I'm sure there are more. Just don't expect tenure with an MA and a few years experience.

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

@teachkorea:

my information was accurate as of last year and i really don't feel like digging out a link. 

take my advice or don't.  that isn't my decision.  however, for what its worth, i've had to serve as a bridge of communication between various agencies of authority and english teachers in many more scenarios than i'd cared to.  i'm just offering up advice from my own personal experiences and research.

private tutoring is a sensitive issue in korea that dates back decades.  it is also very gray and difficult to comprehend what exactly is legal or illegal.  keep in mind, as well, that you can be busted for 'excessive' rates for tutoring sessions as well...but the standard for that isn't really even set in stone by the government...my guess is that pretty much any native english speaking tutor actually does charge 'excessively'....but i've done it as well, so no judgement passed.  i'm just trying to help.

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

Hello Michael,

I was not trying to be argumentative, I just know someone who was in this situation. Additionally it seems that it just depends on who you talk to in Korean public offices.

Finally, I find it kinda interesting that people are asking questions here rather than asking their Korean spouses to contact the appropriate public offices to sort out these questions...

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

It's at the discretion on the local MOE office.  I have never heard of a hagwon teacher being refused a tutors registration, but I have heard of public school teachers and university lecturers being refused.  But I have also met a university lecturer who got his tutors licence. 

Like many things in Korea you need to shop around and if you don't like the answer from one MOE officer try another.

As far as the going rate for legal private lessons w40,000 to w50,000 in their home one on one.  If there are 3 students at the same time then that could be discounted to w30,000 per student per hour.

Business tutoring goes for w90,000 - w120,000 an hour but as you need a business licence and contacts to do this most people work through a recruiter who will charge the client that and try to pay you less than w50,000 per hour.  You shouldn't accept less than w60,000 per hour + a transportation fee as this still allows the recruiter to keep almost 50% for placing a free ad on Koreabridge.  Obviously you can go lower than this for block work in the same location.

If you want to do this work illegally and risk deportation, you should obviously charge more than this.

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

Old topic but I wanted to add some personal experiances.
 

michaeldlee and teachkorea21

 

Hi,

 

I along with maybe 5 other friends all came to Korea in 09. Meet at church. 1 is from Mexico and 1 is from Canada

the rest of us are American.

 

We all started at hagwon. and then after 1 or 2 yrs got the tutor lisence and tutored in our free time. We all did this with out consulting eachother was kinda random. Now 1 ownes a Bar/ resturaunt and the rest of us teach at companies and tutor. I however have 2 companies, 1 hagwon and tutor. I pay taxes on all earned income and keep records. 1 friend teaches at a uni in his area along with a company and tutors.

A loophole with registering asa teacher and tutor who isnt from the 7 countries is that on an f2 or f6 visa it doesnt matter and can register as a teacher and a tutor since your a Korean resident unlike an e2 working visa. Tho if your not from the 7 and get an E7 and a filipino or something that works too. I own my own recruiting company and tutoring company, I have gotten filipinos and Indians teaching jobs at uni's with a E1 visa or a hagwon with an E7.

 

Re: F-2 visa holder; questions on private tutoring and does ...

Since the laws in Korea on these types of matters are in constant flux,  I can only tell what I did 3 years ago to get mine. First of all, you’ll need the F visa of course, then you’ll need to keep  one afternoon open to visit three offices:

1. Your local ‘Gu’ office to get a certificate of where you live.

2. An officially licensed ‘translator’, (번역사) which are more prevalent than you’d think.

3. Your local education office.

Bring originals of your college degree(s) and certificates to the translator’s. It’s quite possible they will have no idea what your major is. My bachelor’s was in ‘International Affairs’. This was quite perplexing to the lady and she asked my wife if she approved of such a thing….and how that could possibly be a major. TOO FUNNY..and no joke! So I tried a different phrasing of ‘International Affairs’ and said ‘Political Science’. It was put down as ‘Science’. I’m now a science major. A new degree for 40,000 Won.

However that comedy is not the point. It’s more of a notary type deal than an actual translation. With that ever important document from the translators, bring all that paperwork plus of course your passport and ARC along with 4 passport sized photos to your local education office, in the district you live. It must be so for tax purposes.

Unless you’re fluent in Korean, it is highly advisable to bring along your Korean spouse. My wife loves to put on her best smiling face when dealing with public servants. She’ll go to the local convenience store in advance and always keep a few cans of coffee in her bag, or visit the coffee machine in the hallway before we go in. She’ll be super polite, patient, and give a coffee or a small snack to the person we’re dealing with. She says it works wonders, and I’ve witnessed her get ahead of the line on numerous occasions!  The person involved is much more likely to be helpful.

In this case it worked fine again and the nice lady helped us fill out the paperwork, which included listing the amount of money you intend to charge hourly. I was surprised by this and didn’t know what to put. I wrote down 10,000 Won per hour, not knowing what I was doing. It turns out that was fine because they meant per student, per hour. I have classes of 5 normally or charge a little extra and keep them a little longer just having fun.

Now what you put down and what you actually charge and claim on your taxes is up to you, of course. Once every quarter I get a tax bill from my local education office for a whopping 5,000 Won. Covered, and cheaply. Your income taxes are your business and I haven’t been questioned on it yet.

It takes about a 1-3 weeks for the actual license to come in, they’ll call you, and there you have it. Scan the original for safe keeping, and you’re set.

Once you have your tutoring licence and F2/4/5/6 visa, you may now tutor in private homes, your home, or where ever you like. There’s a new site dedicated to finding you students without an intermediary such as recruiters.http://www.teacherkorea.com/index.php