Korean Job Discussion Forums

[badbunny]

Tricky situation..
My partner and I were hired as couple for the beginning of July in Korea. We're here in temporary housing till the couple we're replacing leaves in 2 weeks, training etc. ( I have 2 years exp. here already.) All was perfect until we were informed - along with all the other school staff, btw - that he tested positive for THC and they don't want to hire him. I have been told that I still get the apt ( 2 bedroom) as promised, and that he can stay with me and look for other work once he tests clean, as we're confident he will. Our plan is to have me work, take the apt, we can go into Seoul and get the med. test done at a hospital or clinic with an English speaker ( our local hospital had none and our accompanying staff members 's is halting at best). We assume all blame for this stupid situation, should have researched more - our last information was that Korea didn't require THC testing anymore - but we need certain cooperations from the school in order for him to be able to find work in another school in the city.
Does he need an ARC to be able to transfer his Visa to another school?
We're not young nor destitute so if they totally screw him over, we pick up and leave, and leave them short 2 teachers...2/3 of their English staff.
Also, the fact that all of the staff knew what happened before he or I did was crappy, but just an example of tactless business practice.. We just want to know what the school can be asked to do to make it possible for him to look for another teaching job with a clean medical in hand.
Ps the THC was from medicinal use to enable sleep due to shift work. Neither here nor there, but there ya go.

[mike in brasil]

That sucks, especially since it can be proved it was used legally.

Just out of curiousity, how long was the time lapse between his last dosage taken to the time he took the test?

[badbunny]

It was a bit over a week. First they said it was in his blood test, then they said it was in his urine.

[Dodge7]

medicinal use of marijuana is the biggest crock in all of the medicine world. He's a pot head that wanted to get legally, nothing more, nothing less.

[ttompatz]

[badbunny]

Thanks so much for the info, ttompatz.
If he makes a run to Japan and effectively cancels the E2 , and starts from scratch, how long can he stay in the country? What's the stamp the give him when he comes back to incheon?

[madoka]

[badbunny]

Oh, I think I understand...he gets back in on a tourist visa for 6 mos. Canadian. Can the school cancel his visa, if they're being cooperative? As of yesterday, they still wanted me to stay so I think they will be.

[ttompatz]

[luckylady]

[busanliving]

To you honestly think they will be happy to pay for a couples apartment for a year for only one teacher? They want you to stay just until they find a new couple to take your places, he failed the test so they can't employ him but they can't afford to be without two teachers until they manage to find your replacements.

And whatever his purpose for taking the drugs he was pretty stupid and I really don't blaim the school for wanting rid of you both.

[Skippy]

First off the THC portion of the test is still around. When tests first came - it was done. Due to being unprepared the gov took it off. But I think late last year or early this year the THC portion is back on.

Well your BF has a positive finding, who knows and told who. Because if you got medical done - paper goes to school, they look at it and they tell you. Has anybody else seen. Does the hospital have to inform authorities if a positive findings.

Honest question does your BF dispute the THC findings. Plus have you seen the medical check paper with the details. Because I could suspect the school could be BSing. Teacher comes over, they do not like or want for some reason. Give BS reason via "you tested positive" and person has to go.

I feel if immigration got a hold of the test, then your BFs chance of getting an E-2 is slim.

Still I think ttompatz way is the best. Start the whole process over again.

Plus if your BF did what he did, then tell him to smarten the heck up.

[Troglodyte]

I agree with what some other people have said. The school is likely to fire you soon. They're probably just keeping you around long enough to find TWO teachers to replace you and your boyfriend.

Try to get a new set of documents if you don't already have a spare copy. (Note to other teachers coming here --> always bring an extra set of documents.) Since the school is potentially out 2/3 of it's foreign teachers, you've got a bit of time to get things in order.

You have a place to live, so that's a good thing. Your boyfriend should try to get a job first. It can be in any city, and preferably not in your current city (or at least not in a nearby neighborhood - hogwon owners talk amongst themselves). He should ask for accommodation and tell the school that you'll be living with him and that probably you'll also be looking for a job (at a separate school). Once he's got his new job, then you can quit (wait until pay day to announce that) and start your own job search.

It's best if you don't both work at the same school. If it turns out to be a crappy school or if the school goes out of business or whatever, then only one of you loses your job. PLUS, since you won't need housing from your new school, you can ask for a housing allowance instead. That's an extra 300k to 500k per month.

If for some reason immigration has a record that he failed the drug test, then he should claim that it was incorrect. (Maybe it was a false positive.) He should not tell anyone that he used medicinal marijuana. In fact, he should have acted really surprised and outraged when the first test came back positive and then utterly denied that he would use such a substance.

See if the school is willing to lie for him. They can just say that student enrollment dropped significantly this month and they don't have money to pay for 2 teachers until the end of the summer (which is too late for your boyfriend) so they're willing to let him go and help him get another job. He's still going to need to do a visa run to Japan, but he won't be able to leave this job off his resume because he's never been to Korea before. The first time you come here, you have to do an interview in your home country. After that, you can just get the visa at any Korean embassy or consulate. If the school is willing to lie for him, then he's probably good to go.


If all else fails, then just take a job in China, Japan, Vietnam, etc. There are plenty of countries nearby that are hiring.

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

Find a partner who doesn't use drugs. Problem solved.

[Leon]