Philippines: Korean English Teacher Visa Policy

Diplomats from Singapore, Philippines and some other Asian countries are critical of South Korea's new Visa Policy that bars Asians from Teaching English.

10 comments

  • Louie

    I thank you and all the others who sympathize with non-native English teachers. How ironic indeed, there are so many Koreans coming to Philippines to study English and yet we are not allowed to teach there. In the Philippines, Koreans live freely. they can rent a house here and put up their businesses here. they could even come here without any visa. Filipino teachers will go there to have a decent job like teaching, and not in factories.

  • agnes

    Very true. Koreans are very much welcomed here to study so why is it that they are prohibiting us to go there instead? Are we less of a person just because were not native speakers? Mind them, we are much more proficient when it comes to grammar. If they don’t want to learn from us, then why are they allowing their people to rampantly go here instead? I’m dazed.

    • maripaz

      I am a Filipina looking for a Korean who wants to learn English language. I could teach online, if you are interested kkindly contact me at the above email address.

      Thanks.

  • Expat

    Koreans coming to RP are not workers. They are tourists, students and businessmen- in other words, they bring money to the country.

    Most immigration around the world is based on economics. Koreans come from a richer country bringing in cash so they are welcome in the RP. But people from poorer countries are rarely welcome in richer ones. Unless they, too, bring a lot of cash. That is just how it works. For example, Americans can go to Korea without a visa and can teach there with few problems. Because it is a richer country.

    If you want a visa to set up a business in Korea, go ahead and contact the embassy- they will tell you how much money to bring. If you want to be a student and study Korean language and culture there and bring money to the economy, you will be welcome! But poor people wanting to work are not welcome or treated well in most places.

    After all, Koreans do not come to the RP looking for a job, do they? Pinoys, on the other hand, rarely invest or study in other countries. They usually go there to work and send money home. Can Koreans work in the Philippines and send money to Korea? They never do that, do they? Because they can’t!

    Apples to oranges.

  • louie

    To Expat,
    The issue is Korea’s not accepting Filipino teachers in Korea and not about tourism. We intend to go there to work and help Koreans speak English. Koreans are flooding here in the Philippines to study English. How ironic, they don’t hire Filipinos?So what really prohibits us from teaching there, because we came from Philippines.
    YOU KNOW I’m inviting you to come and visit the philippines. You will see how many Koreans are here to study because they find that teachers here can teach them very well, aside from the fact that it’s cheaper here.

  • SEROUN

    i totally agree with louie and agnes.

  • I am so annoyed and bothered why is it that Filipinos are not allowed to work in Korea the fact that we are renowned for our competence and ability to work well with diiferent people. Most especially our diligence to teach english language so unjust because they are free to come here to study.

  • Sarah

    The trend is changing, and more and more the concept of English as a lingua franca is being adopted. Surprisingly, this idea is being promoted by native speaker experts in the field of linguistics who see the important role of non-native speakers in English education in today’s age. Ask penny ur, david nunan, linda levine, ,marc aldren or steven gershon and they will tell you the same thing. But while this is true, we, as non-native speakers, have to prove that we are in fact efficient teachers and very much capable and qualified and up to date with our teaching methodologies in the same way that native speakers are. Cheap education? A sense of what students’ feel? Experience? These are all not enough. As teachers, we have to continuously invest in ourselves by getting all qualifications and training needed, in the same way that native speakers would. I would not be surprised to meet teachers claiming to be ESL teachers who do not even know what TKT, CELTA, DELTA, or even TESOL mean.

  • Da Man

    The reason that Koreans come to the Philippines for English training is directly related to money. Why would you buy generic medications if you can afford the real thing. Koreans do not want the generics in their country. They want to offer their people the real thing only. Nothing wrong with that.

  • louie

    what do you mean da man?

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