Korean Job Discussion Forums

[opalessense]

Hello,
To make a long story short, I was offered a contract, I signed it (but they did not sign it and send it back to me), and I sent the school my degree (yes, the real paper).

I sent the school my degree 2 weeks before my start date, and then the day the they got my degree, I told them I would not be able to go to Korea (due to personal matters).

The school had already started the working visa.

I would like to know what legal problems I may run into.
- Could I be fined? - HOw much does it take for the school to get a working visa for a teacher?
- Could I get sued/ hassled etc?

And if it would be possible to get my degree back, and how I would get it back. And how much does it cost to courrier fron Korea to the USA.

The contract stated that it was not binding until the first day of work, and there wasn't anything in the contract stating what should happen if I decided to break it before working.

All information offered would be greatly appreciated!
I am expecting the school will contact me tomorrow (Monday) Yikes!

[humanuspneumos]

Me thinx

Worst case scenario: the E2 Confirmation has been completed and you can't process another one for 3 months. Also- you don't get back your degree.

Best case scenario: the E2 hasn't been Confirmed for processing and you get your degree mailed back (not likely).

[VC]

I'm in a somewhat similiar situation. I've been working for this school on a tourist visa. They are working on getting me a work visa. They have submitted an application to immigration. They want me to fly to Japan soon.
I've realized that I don't want to work for this school. Since only a tourist visa is stamped in my passport am I free to leave this school and apply to other schools?

[Homer]

Opal,

just notify them you will not be coming over before they make anymore arrangements like pay for an airplane ticket...
You should not have any problem witht that.
As for you degree, when I applied for my first job I sent it in and immigration sent it back.
If you worked through a recruiter ask him or her to get your degree back.
Even if you don't its not a big deal as you can just get another degree from your university by ordering one and paying the proper fees.


VC,

I assume your school flew you over and now you just don't want to work for them??
Well you can of course quit and get a different job but you will most likely have to pay back the airplane ticket if they paid for it.
If you have no work visa now then this should be easy....but it begs the question, after so short a time why would you quit your school?

[VC]

No, I paid for my own way over. I haven't received any money from them at all. I was just wondering if immigration would be able to tell that I had recently applied for a work visa through another school and whether this would make a difference when I tried to apply for another work visa. During the short time I've worked at the school, I have received daily complaints about my teaching from the owner of the school . The owner is always peering through the classroom window. At the end of each day the owner pulls me aside and complains about my teaching.
I don't want to be in this situation for a year. I finished a one year contract in Korea before and didn't have this problem.

[Son Deureo!]

[Homer]

VC,

Then, just give notice to your employer and make sure he or she has not filed the work visa with immigration.
He can cancel the application and give you a letter of release then you will be free to pursue other employement.

[keguri]

Rgarding the diploma issue: The school with which I'm about to take a job got some erroneous information from Immigration about a month ago, and they said there was a new rule that I would need to send my original diploma to them (the school) directly. I refused to do it, because I had mailed some documents to a different school (Milton Prep School in Bucheon) about a month or so before that (not the original diploma though), and Milton dumped me at the last minute. Had I sent Milton my original, I would not have gotten it back. I would then have no diploma to use to get a different job. So I was really uncomfortable sending any original docs to Korea. Turns out, the school did a little more research and found that there was no such "new rule," and that someone at Immigration had been misinformed.

With my University (in the US), there is no fee to get a new diploma, but it takes 4 months to get it.

It is not required that anyone send their original diploma (or ANY original documents) to the school with which they've accepted a position. A copy certified by your local Korean Consulate is perfectly acceptable. Take Son Deureo's advice, and hang onto that diploma like gold. Also, never let anyone hang on to your passport -- I have heard horror stories about schools telling teachers "You have to give us your passport." Then if you need to leave the country, you can't.