Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ulsanchris]

AS some of you might remember i was trasfered from one school to another last month. My work visa was supposed to be switched shortly after I started my new job. AFter a few weeks of nothing happening i asked my boss what was up? he said the my old director wasn't going to shut down his hogwan like he planned and it was now impossible to switch my visa. I was very sceptical of this story. I told my boss to phone immigration and find out if this was true. I also contacted EFL and asked them what I should do. THe man at EFL told me that there should be no reason why my visa can't be transfered. I also had my girlfriend contact immigration (i tried first but the guy's english wasn't that great) The immigration person said that it should be possible for my visa to be switched. I just had to go to immigration with my old boss.
I told this to my director and he said a person at immigration said that this used to be possible but not any more. Immigration thought that foreigners were abusing this and stopped allowing visas to be transfered.
I had my girlfriend phone back immigration to find out what the real story is. She talked to a different guy this time and he said that I should leave the country for a week or two and then come back and get a new work visa for my new school. BTW if i am caught i will be deported.
the problem is which line do i believe?????????
I"ve sent a new email to EFL to ask for advice. What a mess of a situation.

[kimcheeking]

This might be related to the 9 month rule. supposedly if you have more than 3 months left on your contract immigration will not allow you to switch employers.

[kylehawkins2000]

It sounds like immigration can be rather arbitrary with their decisions. From what I've heard it's possible to change your workplace and employer if both your old and new employers agree. The fact that your old employer's business is still running is irrelevent.

I would insist to your director that things get changed. Tell him you'll go to immigration in person and tell them the whole story if he doesn't. Sounds like a load of BS. I always had the impression that the immigration folks in Ulsan were pretty corrupt. Perhaps they are simply trying to leverage for a payoff.

[ulsanchris]

I think i will try getting my former boss to agree to a letter of release. I will have to do a visa run but that would be better than the current situation. If my former boss doesn't agree then i will to go immigration and tell them what is happening. OR just leave the country for a couple of weeks and come back. If the sh*t hits the fan i don't want to be the one hit by it.

[kylehawkins2000]

If you get a letter of release you shouldn't have to leave the country. Basically getting a letter of release then going to a new school is the same as having your E2 visa transferred to another employer. You're just getting dikked around.