Korean Job Discussion Forums

SpuddyJ · Joined: 10 Jun 2007

I arrived in Korea on the 15th of october for a job, we were scheduled for one week of training and then we were to finalise our contracts and then go out to our repespective schools.

Anyway, the job sucked and half of the people quit training, including me. I was then told I had 2 weeks to stay in Korea, the Canadian embassy agreed and also advised that I should try my best not to overstay or I would get fined. (she said 2 or 3 days and I would be fine.. I asked her about a week and she kinda hinted I'd be pushing it, but yeah). Also, with regards to the letter of release both ym old employer and new employer said I don't need one because the contract never went into play... I never actually worked for the last job (I wasn't fined for leaving, they didnt pay for my plane ticket.. no repurcussions came from it.. I signed the contract and faxed it to them from Canada but they didn't actually sign it. They said that after training was sucsessfully completed they would then sign it and the job would actually begin).

Anyway, my new E2 visa application has been in process since last wednesday but I don't know how long this is going to take. Right now, i've overstayed my visa by about a week and i'm starting to think that this could interfere with me getting a new visa. My current employer of course has been telling me not to worry and they'll take care of it, that they know the system and not to listen to the Canadian embassy and blah blah blah. But now i'm getting pretty sure that i'm quite screwed.

I feel like this new E2 visa (my old one was of course cancelled when I quit on the 20th of Oct, giving me two weeks) application will not go through and then i'm left with my #### swinging in the wind. And all through this i've been all over immigration trying to figure things out and I get different answers everywhere.. its pretty fucked. But I've read some good posts here and now I'm pretty sure my little korean adventure is going to become a very bad misadventure and that i'm quite fucked.

Anyway, what will the repurcussions be if my new E2 visa doesn't go through and I must leave Korea having overstayed by over a week? What will the fine be? Will they even let me leave? Please help.

shaunew · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Location: Calgary

Rule number 1 never listen to or trust a Korean. Especially a hawgon owner. If the Canadian embassy says you could be in trouble believe them. They have no financial interest in you. But the greed owner needs a white face and if you get deported thy can replace you.

buymybook · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Location: Telluride

You should go to Immigration and speak to them, if you haven't received an exit order(usually through the mail) ask them for one or a print-out of the original. If the contract never went through then you may still be on a tourist visa. Who told you you had 2 weeks?

The process shouldn't take much more than a week.

SpuddyJ · Joined: 10 Jun 2007

Where is the immigration office I should go to? I'm in Seoul. I allready went to two... the first one said I should go to the second one, and at the second one nobody spoke english... There was no english writing and I didn't know where to go. So then I went to the Canadian embassy... they told me I had two weeks, so did my old employer.

I've been doing some more reading and found that if you've exceeded your visa less than 30 days then its a 100,000 won fine, which isn't that much. Anyone else heard of that?

What is this exit order you mentioned? I guess it means they send it to you to let you know you have to leave, of course i'm no longer at the address indicated on my visa application so i wont ever get one anyway.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Yesterday · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:22 am Post subject: Re: I think i'm in trouble...

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

SpuddyJ · Joined: 10 Jun 2007

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Hmmm... I have been to the mokdong office many times and there are plenty of English signs and people there that speak English.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

jadarite · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject:

To add to a previous post about being on a tourist visa, if you aren't on it officially, can you simply leave Korea, go to Japan, and then fly back? This would I think cancel your E2 visa, and upon re-entering establish yourself as being on a tourist visa. Perhaps this idea is a week late, but it might work in the future for someone in the same situation.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

Is it possible to get an E2 without a signed contract? Seems odd.

TexasPete · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Koreatown

Don't you--as a Canadian--get a six month tourist visa here? How can your visa already be expiring?

Scarlet13 · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Changwon

What is the date stamped in your passport?

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

If you came in on a tourist visa, you get 6 months (as a Canadian). It doesn't make sense to me why you don't have 6 months if you haven't received your E-2 already. Are we not getting the full story here? I don't see why the Canadian embassy would be telling you such things unless you had been living/working illegally in the country for several months prior and were at the end of your tourist visa.

Not calling you a liar... just saying that we don't seem to have enough to go on here.