Korean Job Discussion Forums

[oxfordstu]

I acquired a job through Netkorea at a public middle school in Busan. I was hired back in December. I sent in all my documents, and apparently, they are "still in process". My recruiter has been really great up to this point, and she says that it's up to the education dept. in Busan (who has all my docs) to issue me the visa number. But I'm set to leave in a week and I still don't have my visa number (still need to go to the consulate here in CA with it), or my flight. Is it normal to wait until the last minute for these things? I'm really getting worried that next week will come and go and I'll still be stuck in the US without a job.

[Scouse Mouse]

I was hired for a public school job back in January... only this morning did I recieved my visa docs and I start on March 1st. The problem I now have is getting my passport stamped in time to travel... guess I will need to take a trip to London to collect it

I was also surprised to find that public school jobs don't get a visa number... they send you a certificate of employment which does the same thing, so you will need to wait for that to arrive by fedex before you can do anything.

[HAITAITIGERZ]

welcome to korea ... of course it's going to be done at the last minute ... you'll be notified a day or two before the end of the week and you will have to rush to the consulate, only to rush to korea ... realizing you forgot to bring some important items ... you'll than realize how unprepared and unorganized your middle school is, to only find out they hired you to work little hours and stay in school doing nothing for the rest of the time!!! this is only a small taste of what korea is going to be like for you ... learn to deal with it, start drinking alcohol to prepare for the madness which is KOREA!!! WELCOME TO HELL... but the pay ain't bad!

[Satin]

I hope California is faster than Texas. I sent mine in last week (Monday), and have yet to receive the visa back. It takes a minimum of three days to process at the Consulate; whether you take it in or mail it.

If I don't receive it Tuesday, I'll let the recruiter know. Not much else you can do.

And, for your info: I received the visa issuance number through e-mail.

Kind of makes for a tight feeling in the stomach. But hey, there will still be other public school positions should yours and mine fall through over the visa issue. I would hope the schools would just accept the lateness.

Don't worry so much. It's more their problem than yours.

[cdninkorea]

Yeah, it's normal. I got my job late December and just got my visa number late last week. I'm picking up my passport from the local Consulate Thursday and leaving Saturday. Get used to things being done last minute.

By the way, nice avatar.

[oskinny1]

It is also taking awhile because this weekend was a big holiday and nobody was doing any work (that includes the consulates throughout the world) and Monday was a US holiday. Just going to be a slow week.

[NeonRain]

It's pretty normal to wait till the last minute. I got my post at the beginning of November last year and sent off my documents. I was supposed to leave on the 26 November but I still hadn't received the visa number by the 24th November. It takes a further 3-4 days in South Africa for a passport ot get to the Korean Embassy and have the visa inserted. I had to delay my flight, which wasn't too much f an issue because I had bought a ticket where I could change my departure, but it was nerve wracking. I only had my passport in my hands again the day before my flight.

[Thunndarr]

I was applying for a certain public school job last year. I applied early, actually taught the winter camp for that school (for decent money) and was waiting, and waiting, and still waiting for word about whether or not they wanted to hire me. By the middle of February (I'd applied back at the end of November) I still hadn't heard anything, so I interviewed and signed at another school. So, the first day of school rolls around and I get a call at lunchtime from the head teacher at the other school offering me the job. Yeah, um, a bit late there sweetheart!

[two roads]

I had problems with the visa number this time last year (also public middle school, Busan). The recruiter told me that they had given all the information to the nearest consulate to my city and that I should go there and get my visa. I didn't want to travel all the way to the consulate (out of state) and find out that my trip was wasted, so I called the consulate to make sure that they had the information. They didn't. I told the recruiter. Then the recruiter supposedly took care of it. Then I called back the consulate. They told me that no, they still didn't have the information. The cycle kept repeating itself. The recruiter kept telling me that they had fixed things, that everything was okay. I was talking to the consulate and the recruiter every day. Then, finally, less than three days before I was supposed to leave, the evening before the last business day, the consulate called me and told me that the recruiter had finally given them the information. I got up very early the next morning, rented a car, and made it to the consulate just in time. Things certainly are last minute here. Half the people hired at the same time as me came without their visas and had to do visa runs.

[oxfordstu]

Thanks for all your replies. It's good to know that I'm not the only one with this issue. I came to Korea 2 years ago to work at a haggie and didn't have this problem at all (although I had many MANY others).

My recruiter did call me today, said she's email me the application forms today, big surprise, nothing is in my email box. I don't really want to blame the recruiter on this -- I do think that it's the board of education who is at fault here for waiting until the last minute. The recruiter is just the middle man. Anyway, she said that she would fedex my documents (including the letter to the consulate) and it should be here in a few days. But there's no way in hell I'm going to make it to Korea by March 1. She also said that coming late wasn't a problem -- so I'm a bit more optimistic now than I was before, but I just want this solved.

[oxfordstu]

The good news: I have my visa. Went to the consulate a week ago and it took an hour to process. I'm packed and ready to go.

The bad news: I still do not have a plane ticket. My recruiter told me that their travel agency will call me and that I will probably be leaving Monday. But school started......yesterday. I'm tempted to just buy a plane ticket myself and get out of here, because this is really getting ridiculous. Is anyone else still stuck in their home town waiting while school has already started????

[mrsquirrel]

I'm not starting until next week.

I could have been there this week but I want a weeks holiday before going.

Relax and enjoy a few days of freedom before 40 vacant faces stare back at you.