"I Want to Pack Up and Move to Korea Right Now": Overseas Gen Z Drawn to Jobs Offering Housing and Health Insurance

Young people from the US and South Africa head to Korea and Asia
"Paying off debts, saving money, and even traveling"

An increasing number of young foreigners are choosing to teach English in Korea, motivated by the relatively secure treatment offered—such as stable housing and health insurance.

On August 30 (local time), the UK’s Guardian introduced stories of young people from the United States, South Africa, and several other countries who had faced economic hardship and job shortages at home but chose to begin new lives as English teachers in Asian countries including Korea.

Busy Incheon Airport. Photo by Yonhap News

Ariana Marie, 25, who had worked as an elementary school teacher in Florida, found it challenging to manage students in her classroom just a year prior. Though it was her first job after graduating from college, teacher shortages had led to overcrowded classes, and to save on high housing costs, she lived with her parents. Her passion for teaching quickly faded.

Reflecting on that time, Marie said, “I was extremely burnt out,” and added, “Every classroom was overcrowded because there simply weren’t enough teachers.”

Housing, airfare, and health insurance support... "In Korea, I’m respected"

Her then-employer had suggested a transfer to another school, but instead, Marie began looking overseas. She soon secured a job teaching English in Korea and now lives in Daegu. The salary and benefits have enabled her to save money and travel. The popularity of K-pop and K-dramas also played a positive role in her decision to move to Korea. Above all, she says she has regained her satisfaction with teaching while living in Korea.

Marie explained, “I don’t have to struggle with controlling student behavior, and both students and teachers show me respect. I’m now able to focus entirely on teaching.”

Photo of native speaker class materials. The Asia Business Daily DB

Marie landed her position through a Korean government English education program that places native English speakers with a degree and a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate in public schools. The Guardian reported that Korea is increasing its spending on education, and that the program offers free housing, airfare, health insurance, and a starting monthly salary of $1,400 (about 1.91 million won).

Unstable employment environments at home are also driving young people to look abroad. In the U.S., a college degree no longer guarantees a stable job as it once did. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate among recent university graduates has exceeded the overall national unemployment rate.

Even those who manage to find jobs sometimes struggle, as wage growth often fails to keep pace with rising prices. In U.S. public sector jobs—including teaching—an increasing number of newcomers are quitting early, citing low wages and high work-related stress.

Some young people are inspired to pursue overseas English teaching jobs, or actually take the leap abroad, after viewing content on social networking services (SNS). Certain teachers working abroad introduce their daily lives on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Marie herself shares her travel and teaching experiences on Instagram.

The photo is not related to specific content of the article. Unsplash

Korea, Japan, and Taiwan attract foreign teachers with welfare benefits

According to the TEFL Institute, which operates TEFL certification courses, the global English education market is expected to reach $95 billion (about 130 trillion won) this year. The number of available related jobs exceeds two million.

The market is projected to grow to $181 billion (about 247 trillion won) by 2034, with the Asia-Pacific region expected to lead this expansion. In practice, not only Korea but also Japan and Taiwan are expanding their hiring of full-time English teachers and using various welfare benefits, such as housing support, to attract young foreign talent.

The Guardian noted, “Amidst cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, a majority of whom are women, American public school teachers are showing increased interest in overseas jobs.”

Similar experiences are found in South Africa. Zwiwe Dlamini, 28, who worked as an administrative assistant in Durban, quit after becoming exhausted by repetitive clerical tasks. “I was always behind a desk, taking minutes, organizing meetings, and working for CEOs—I was extremely burned out,” Dlamini said.

With youth unemployment in South Africa nearing 70 percent, it was difficult to find better work. Dlamini searched for a job for six months before turning her sights overseas.

Dlamini applied to the same program as Marie and is now working as an English teacher in Incheon. Thanks to free housing and relatively low living costs, she has been able to pay off her debts, save money for travel, and even prepare for graduate school. “A year ago, I never imagined living like this. Back then, I couldn’t even afford food and my debt was piling up, but now I’m able to pay it off and enjoy life, which makes me feel very grateful,” she said.

John Bentley, co-founder of International TEFL Academy, which provides overseas English teacher certification programs, explained: “Due to difficult political and economic conditions, Gen Z is turning to TEFL. Many initially plan to stay just a year, but often get drawn to the country or the experience and end up staying for three to four years, or sometimes much longer.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.