How do I teach English in Korea?

To teach English on an E-2 visa, the first thing to know is the nationality requirement: E-2 is generally limited to citizens of seven designated countries where English is the primary language, namely the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Beyond that you need a bachelor's degree in any field and a clean criminal background check. The usual path is that you first secure a job offer from a school, either a public school through a program like EPIK or a private hagwon, and the employer sponsors the visa.

The core documents are your original degree and a criminal background check, both apostilled or consular-legalized in your home country, sealed university transcripts, a valid passport, photos, a signed contract, and a health statement, with a medical and drug test done after you arrive. The apostille step is the one that trips people up, so start it early. Timeline-wise, from accepting a job to landing in Korea is usually about one to two months, mostly driven by document prep and the apostille; the school then gets a visa issuance confirmation number and you apply at a Korean embassy or consulate, which takes a week or two. After arrival you register for your ARC within 90 days. The immigration hotline 1345 has English support for status questions.