Korean Job Discussion Forums

[William Beckerson]

I've been told to come back to Korea on just a tourist visa. I did it last time I came, and all I had to do is tell them that I had a job waiting for me.

This year, my airplane ticket came with a warning that can be basically summed up as: "Have a work visa or have a two way ticket."

Shoot, I couldnt afford a two-way ticket, so I have a one way.

In case they dont believe me, what would they do to me?

[kimcheeking]

You may not be allowed to board your flight. If immigration doesn't allow you in the country (not likely), then the airline is responsible for getting you back to your home country. It is also thier responsibility to ensure that all passengers have an onward ticket.

Use your credit card to buy a return ticket, or borrow some money from your family if you have to. don't be dependent on an employer for your ticket home.

in the same vein I advocate getting your own housing as I don't like to be dependent on my employer for anything. If I am, then it feels like I am just endentured labor.

[The Bobster]

Try this. Explain the sitch to your prospective boss, who likely knows he is getting a better deal because you are paying your own way here. If he needs you, he can either deal with immigration on your behalf (letter or a phone call). Maybe it would help if he is there to meet you at the airport, have a word with the men in the blue coats if necessary

Or perhaps he can buy you the return ticket. I guess he's gonna pay for your visa run to Japan so he might not feel like he oughta pay your way over also, but I guess you could work out a reimbursement thing with the first month's salary. It's an idea.

If you really can't afford it, that's the way it is, I been there, but I gotta say that even though I'm not worried about war here I do feel better knowing there's a ticket made out in my name if I need it or want it.

Good luck.

[kojangee]

That's weird man because I always come on a tourist visa, but my school always gets me a two-way ticket.

[William Beckerson]

I guess I should explain more.

I was offered a job, but the guy cancelled two days after I bought the ticket. Since I simply didnt have enough cash (Credit card? Whuzaat?) to buy a two way ticket, I got a one way. I did this last time I went to Korea.

I try to cancel the ticket, but the agency told me, "it's 50% non-refundable". I cant take a financial hit like that, so I bust my butt looking for a new job.

I manage to snag a new job. Now I'm going to Korea again. When I got the travel advisory about the visa, I posted my question.

Basically, I'm worried that my new boss' bribe wont be big enough for immigration.

[Zyzyfer]

Fly, Forrest, fly!

[The Bobster]

Ralph, as far as I know this has always worked in the past - it has worked for me, anyway, and I'm American so I can only get a one-month visa while I look for work. However, it all depends on how strictly the customs folk want to enforce the regs, I think, and it looks like Mr. R.F. Run here is worried about it ...

Let's see, my own experience - I finished my last job in early July, got cash in lieu of return ticket to calif and went off to bangkok to see some people I know there, and the plan was to scour the internet and my email contacts for my next job while relaxing there, but I didn't see anything I liked well enough and truth be told I was just having way too much fun to get serious about a job search, ya know ... so I'm back in Seoul a month later and since I was disembarking from the return portion of the RT ticket, and no job yet, of course I had no E-2 and I had no outward bound ticket. What could I do?

Well, didn't have to do anything. Just told the guy what was what, said I'm an English teacher, don't have a job yet but I'd be staying with some friends and when I found my next gig the boss there would send me to Japan to get a visa. He said, okay, and stamped the passport and sent me on my way like it happens all the time, and I have no doubt it does.

Probably Forrest here will have no trouble just like I had no trouble but he's thinking about it and that means he's a savvy traveler. Good for him.

In your case being married to a Korean national will probably make it even easier, but who I am to say? Plenty of others are in that category, and I'm sure they'll tell it here if they notice the thread ... if they don't, you could open a new thread about your own situation, see what pops out.

Congrats on the impending nuptials, Ralph, and best wishes for the lady in your life - maybe should wish her good luck also cuz she'll have her hands full with you ... hey, I'm just joshing around here, ok?

[William Beckerson]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Um...

Why did you pay for the airflight?

Schools should pay for it...

[Zyzyfer]

Hey Bobster...did you post your message in the wrong thread? Methinks ya did...

[Anda]

You should be able to arrange a Beatle (Hovercraft) ticket to Japan direct by phone from the terminal in Busan. This way you can show that you have a ticket out of Korea. You can use it when you do your visa run. Cost about 85,000 won one way. If you dead broke then the ferry is 120,000 won return.

[The Bobster]

Z... I looked up at the board and for a minute there I thought you were right. Then, I remembered.

Ralph put a post in here explaining his situation, and then decided to start his own thread - the wierd thing is, you look at the date stamps and you'll see that he opened that thread exactly ONE MINUTE before I posted mine ... twilight zone, to think he had the exact smae thought as my suggestion here at prettymuch exactly the same time.

And then with his new thread there, it looks like either he or the mods decided to delete his post from this thread, it being redundant here ...

This is what my memory tells me, and I haven't had a drop to drink since saturday night, promise you, so I trust my brain cells this time.

[Zyzyfer]

[Ralph]

[The Bobster]

See? My testimony has been corroborated.

Now, where did I put my drink?