Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Stephne]

I wish I had read all these posts BEFORE accepting a position with Wonderland. It is absolutely the worst institute I have EVER had the misfortune to come across. And that includes mental institutions across the world!
I am currently in a battle to get my passport back from them. Today I was told to get out of the apartment immediately, despite the fact that they haven't given me my salary for the past six weeks (I worked 10 weeks with no E2 applied for - which is why I refused to continue working for them) or my passport. They have also grabbed the apartment key. And I mean grabbed!
Anybody out there know where I can go for help? I have no money for a flight out of here, no passport, no place to go and they are keeping my salary for the prepaid flight costs. Please understand that I am NOT asking anyone for money or a place to stay, only advice. I have been to my Embassy, they can't help me. I have been to SHC, but they say it's a matter for Labour Court. I don't have money to stay in Korea while I wait for the Labour Court to take action. If I go to Immigration, I will be put in a detention centre to be deported. My visitors visa expires in 10 days' time.
And before you start telling me how dumb I was in coming here believing they would "immediately apply for my E2 visa"............... I know!! Now. They say hindsight is 20/20. I can only say in my own defense that I have never had a problem like this in 12 years of working in South America, USA and South Africa. I should have done more research!!!

[xingyiman]

Actually I would find a school who needs a teacher and tell them about your situation. Most people can get a job in pretty short order and usually there are plenty of reputable schools who will understand your dilemna and start you on a new VISA process. Teachers are in short supply over here.

[Stephne]

So basically take it up the @$$ and write it off?

You are probably right. It just really sucks, because I also had to spend thousands of dollars to get here, as they only paid for PART of my flight from South America. And without my passport I can't do anything. I also don't have a spare set of SEALED transcripts.
Thank you for the advice though. I will hunt around and see what I can find.

[Alyallen]

You went to your embassy and told them they had your passport and wouldn't return it and they couldn't do anything??

And since you don't have an E-2, calling the police might be a problem....damn....have you posted this on the job-related forum? People on that forum are usually quick to jump into this kind of thread....

That a real shitty situation....sorry

[Gwangjuboy]

[Seoul_Star]

You need to march straight back to your embassy and either:

1) Tell them that a person stole your passport from you and will not return it

or

2) Tell them that you lost your passport, and you need a new one.

They will either issue you a temp one or a new one, and put a tourist stamp on it that would expire at the same time your original did. Then all you need to worry about is getting a new job. Search around for a new job, they are easy to get. Take the ferry to Fukuoka before your tourist visa expires (and after you have your new Passport). As for not having any money, well damn, don't you have a credit card, or someone back home who can help you?

Be sure NOT to overstay your visa. This should be priority number 1. Overstaying your visa (unless you can get an extension because of your cirumstances) will not make immigration happy at all. Immigration detention is filled with Nigerians and other friendly folks who will make your stay there unpleasant.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Hm. Go to the cops anyway. It's a simple case of theft. Don't mention the teaching thing. It's still your passport and they aren't allowed to have it. They won't rat you out as an illegal teacher, it would get them in trouble too. And yes, your embassy will help you. You may have to press your case a bit, but they will help you get that back.

[Stephne]

Thank you for all the advice.

I did tell my Embassy about my passport, but the director of the school told them a long story about me still owing him $500 for the flight and costs etc. I will see what they say today. I have prepared a spreadsheet of all the salary, deductions, expenses, etc to give to them.

In reply to a question about my credit card.... Yes, I have one, but it has been maxed out with having to pay thousands of dollars to get here and also living expenses for the past ten weeks. I do have family, but nobody in a position to send me at least $1500 dollars.

Anyway, I am now on my way to the Embassy and then possibly police. I will post about the outcome.

[Gwangjuboy]

[jdog2050]

[ajgeddes]

I don't understand how you paid thousands of dollars to get here. Did you fly first class? You said they reimbursed you for some of it too. How much did it cost you to get here?

[Stephne]

Well, here's the update. I went to the Embassy, they sent him another fax. Then called the police to collect the passport from him. He was not there. Big surprise that! Police then told me to go to Immigrationm. Bad move. They phoned him on his cellphone and he arrived 5 minutes later, even though the school is about an hour's drive from Immigration. The Immigration Officer and he spoke in Korean, even though I requested that they speak English. At the end of their "discussion" I was told the school has to pay a penalty of 3mil WON and I have to pay 1.5 mil !!!! I asked the officer how long do I have to pay this money and he told me one week. I then requested that we postpone the "meeting" for me to get a Korean interpreter and the officer told me to return today at 11am.
My Embassy says they can't get involved in the part of the issue, as I was in the worng TOO!!! The officer totally ignored the fact that I was basically held hostage by the owner and forced to work between 50 and 70 hours per week, with no overtime pay and he also refuses to pay me any leave pay. I have no idea as to the contents of their "discussion", but the whole thing smells really bad. When I was waiting at the elevator to leave, the officer came running up and said we had to write a statement. I saw the owner barely wrote anything, maybe ten words. I wrote two pages. I have no idea what the outcome will be and will post after the meeting at 11am. If I am not put in the detention centre by then.
It is the South African Embassy. Due to the unique political situation in South Africa, I am not surprised at the response I got. It is exactly the same response we get in SA when our families are murdered, raped, etc. Oh and before we left Immigration, the owner told me "You started this. You will be very sorry. You will see what will happen to you." When I got home an hour or so later, my husband told me the owner had showed up with two goons and tried to intimidate him. Fortunately my husband is quite big and knows how to handle himself. This is another reason I want to get all this out there for everyone to see, so that if anything happens to us, there will be witnesses. Moral of the story.............. DO NOT TRUST KOREAN EMPLOYERS AND DON'T TRUST ALL RECRUITERS - MAKE SURE OF THE FACTS. MOST OF ALL, DO NOT COME TO KOREA AND START WORKING WITHOUT YOUR E2 VISA IN YOUR HAND. AND NEVER GIVE A KOREAN YOUR PASSPORT FOR ANY REASON.

[ajgeddes]

You are in the wrong though, as well. You are working illegally and of course you will have to pay a fine over this. I don't understand what immigration has done wrong here.

[BuHaoChi]

...

[Stephne]

LOL Well, I did know there would be flames, but ah well.............
Thank you very much for the advice from the people who tried to help. Sorry for the typos earlier, but I was in a hurry and also flustered.
Yes, I was wrong and I have to swallow the pill, but that still does not make right what the school did. I have to pay the fine within the next 3 days.
I may have been wrong in generalizing about immigration, but after some of the posts I have recently read here, I am not too far off the mark.
Two sides to every story? You have that wrong. It's actually 3 sides.
ajgedde.... I had to pay for part of my trip myself, as I was finishing up my contract teaching in Ecuador at the time and the airfare was almost double what it would have been from South Africa or the USA. Where did I say they reimbursed me for part of it? They paid for PART of the flight over, an amount equal to what it would have been from the USA.
Anyhow, just thought I would let people who may want to know the results know what happened.
BuHaoChi wrote:
Finally, there are bad seeds everywhere you go. As a South African, you should be well aware of the consequences of making stereotypical remarks and generalizations.
What consequences? For what? I was only stating MY views as regards to MY experience here, the same as you choose to state yours. I think it's called free speach, or something? I am very happy for you that you have found Korean employers, immigration and police to be so perfect.