What can and can't you do with an E-2 (Foreign Language Instructor) visa?

With E-2, you can only teach foreign language conversation at the place (workplace) where you have permission. You may not be paid for teaching at a place not registered as your workplace. You also may not do work other than conversation teaching.

What you can do

• Teach foreign language conversation at a foreign language academy (including online classes)
• Teach at an elementary school or higher, or at a language research institute attached to a school
• Work as a native-speaker assistant teacher hired by a city or provincial Office of Education (EPIK, CPIK, TaLK)
• Teach conversation at a lifelong education facility, an institution's attached training center, or a vocational training facility
• Teach conversation to employees at a company or public institution that has a classroom
• Change or add a workplace: A conversation instructor can change or add a workplace by report only. There is no fee.
• Teach volunteer classes without pay at places like schools, religious facilities, and community centers (주민센터)

What you can't do

• Teaching for pay at a place you did not report. Paid classes outside your registered workplace, such as private tutoring or classes at a cafe, are not allowed.
• Any work other than conversation teaching. To do translation, office work, part-time jobs, and so on, you first need permission for activities outside your status of stay. The fee is 120,000 KRW.
• Teaching at a camp that an academy holds outside its own facility, or at a camp run under another organization's name
• Working mainly on outside teaching trips. Permission is limited for businesses that make instructors teach outside for 1/3 or more of their monthly teaching hours.

⚠️ Points to note

If you work without permission, you may be punished or be subject to departure from Korea. It may also hurt you in future extension reviews. Before you start new work, check whether it can be done with a workplace addition report or whether it needs separate permission.

Before you start new work, check once more with HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or 1345.