Korean Job Discussion Forums

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

Immigration sent a message to my employer requesting to verify that all employees are verified for their degrees. I think immigration is getting strict and is squeezing us foreigners. Luckily, I have an F2 so don't get too bothered about this situation but those with E2s are feeling the heat.

Anyone else noticing a difference with immigration policy? Any schools had people doing midnight runs due to degree verification policy? Just curious.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

What is the threat?

They are just following up on basics that should be respected.

Boodleheimer · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:16 pm Post subject:

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

FUBAR · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: The Y.C.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

Two years ago I was requested to go to the Immigration office with a form and the original copy. I took about five minutes.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Do you mean degrees being verified during the application process, or when you're already in your new school? I respect the process of verifying documents during the visa application process. However, I would find it extremely disrespectful if my employer or immigration or whomever would ask for my degree again. That happened my first year, during the whole mess with that Kang recruiter . . . I, like most of us, felt that immigraiton should have done its job properly in the first place. Then later that year, immigration wanted to see my degree again, although they had already seen it several times (during the blue letter application, during the visa process, during that mass collection, and again when I transfered campuses). I said no, caused a stink, but eventually it went away.

Again last year they wanted to see my degree twice. I think if they would ask for it this year I'd have to stand my ground and say no. Unless they were verifying alll the Koreans' degrees as well.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

My employer is saying that they need degree information so that they can contact the university to confirm people did indeed graduate from the course. They take this response to immigration and immigration leaves the school alone. Guess who has the lucky job contacting universities? So far universities are unwilling to confirm previous students graduated their course due to some law related to confidentiality of private information. It is immigration's decision to tell the employer to confirm the degrees. They have also mentioned to my employer that they will take longer checks for new E2 Visa issuance (2 months) due to new immigration policy. So anyone been in this unfortunate incident yet?

ED209 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:49 am Post subject: Re: Degrees Being Verified

Intrepid · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: Yongin

I don't get it. What universities are refusing to verify degrees? I did this many, many times while working at an international school. I had to call the registrar, give the person's name, degree, and date of graduation, and the registrar said "Yes, that is an official degree" (there was never a "No").
What other method of verification will circumvent the wizards of Khao-san?

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:14 am Post subject: Re: Privacy vs. verfication

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Yeah my school wanted a photocopy of my degree and my ARC card (yeah I know). And yeah a couple years ago I went down to immi and had my degree verified. I guess they don't keep records and want the labor repeated. And Koreans wonder why they work more hours than anyone else and yet have the lowest productivity ratings. Uh huh.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Yeah, that's all really bizarre. Nobody's asked for mine this year (yet). I just think enough's enough. It goes without saying that the level of disorganization is mystifying. As I said earlier, I won't hand it in again unless they're checking Korean degrees, too. (I think I've shown the original to immigration six times now). It's not like the school website I wrote on the form back in December, 2005, has changed. Rolling Eyes

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

The Metropolitician podcast has an excellent 3 way talk on all this crap.

They had an interesting point. Sometimes it isn't always the person's fault regarding claims of certain degrees. You give your school or university the proper information. The low level schlub doing the web page/brochure can't understand the english and awards you a degree from a university you never attended. You ask them to correct it. It doesn't get corrected. You ask again. It doesn't get corrected. I know my school some how transmogrified my BA from the university of windsor into a degree from UBC or University of Toronto. They also claimed I was once a columnist for a milk newspaper. No clue how they transmogrified "a major toronto daily paper" into "milk newspaper".

I think the "Koreans with fake degrees" has played out. You have to understand the media here is always out to hang the government. The government is always trying to curtail the media. It's pretty hard to hang the government on the immoral actions of free citizens. However, the government has direct control over what foreigners are being let in. If the government is seen to be letting in pot smoking, child rapists with fake Harvard degrees, well, you can hang the government on that.

So add in one part establish anger over fake degrees, another part evil foreigners here to despoil our women (everyone knows that's the job of Korean men), and another part government can't be trusted, and you've got great news, boyee.