[jasonbvr]

Although I don't particular condone breaking immigration laws, you can, kind of, teach without a visa. Also even if you have a visa, you can teach without the pay being reported. Honestly, most of the times this happens it is to avoid the paper work.

Alright, here's the deal. If you teach someone English and they pay you for that service without reporting it and paying the taxes (regardless of your visa status), that is illegal. Now if you meet someone, have an English conversation and they happen to give you a cash "gift," (again, regardless of visa status) it is not technically illegal. There is also another method of going about this which is even more acceptable. The person "paying/giving" you such generous "gifts" can go and buy a gift card that can be used at numerous chain stores, malls, and convenient stores for the amount of the agreed gift.

You can't really live off this type of work. So don't just think you can fly over and get an apartment for a few months and suddenly have lots of private classes to support you. You really need a steady job or if you are a student a bank account with money from mom, dad, the government, scholarship or a student loan.