Korean Job Discussion Forums

[elliemk]

I am very worried. I have been at my new job for six weeks. I really like my job, but my director has been dragging her feet about my visa.

Facts: I gave her my criminal background check on March 13.

My old director canceled my visa around the same time.

I understand I have 14 days to go to immigration and get an exit order (yes, I had a letter of release).

However, I STILL don't have my visa number, nor have I (obviously) gone to Japan for my new visa.

She keeps telling me it will happen this day and then that day. She says she has (and will) talk to the head of immigration in Busan.

What am I to do? I am so nervous. I don't have my passport. I don't have my ARC card. According to everything I know, I should have had my visa number within a week to ten days at the most.

I have asked my recruiter to help and still nothing.

My stomach is butterflies. I can't sleep.

Isn't it her job to make me legal?

I know the school likes me and my teaching and probably waited for a "trial" period. But six weeks should be more than enough.

Please advise what I should do if you know of anything. I have already expressed my upset (did it in a tactful way) several times.

Thanks.

[valkyrian2]

Where is your passport?

She does NOT need it to get you a visa confirmation number.

You had 30 days from the day your visa was canceled to leave Korea (and return if it suited you).

You are working illegally. You don't have your passport. I hope you have at least been paid and have some money in the bank so you can deal with the immigration fines you will be faced with when you do try to leave.

Oh, and she can't get you a visa confirmation number while your status is illegal (in an overstay position).

I think you may be in a bit of hot water.

Get your passport and take a weekend trip to Japan ASAP. At least get your status in the country legal again. Then worry about the job and new visa.

[elliemk]

[ontheway]

What to do:

1. Get your passport back tomorrow. Ask your boss nicely and explain that you think you're here illegally now. Not just working illegally, which you are, but in Korea illegally.

2. If your boss won't give it back, tomorrow, call your embassy tomorrow and tell them that your boss has your passport ...

3. Check with your old boss (if you're on good terms) about when EXACTLY your visa was cancelled. You might still have time to leave within the 30 day period. (I've heard that 30 days is the new rule.) Then, call Immigration to check on your status. If you're already past the 30 days though, I have no idea what they'll do. Maybe someone here knows. There are fines, of course, but will they do something more serious?

4. Leave Korea. Get a new legal tourist visa and come back if you still want to teach here.

5. If you like this new job and boss, try to work out the details to get a new E2 visa and work there. Your boss should take the heat and pay the fines. If not, get your stuff, move on and look for a new job. You have no obligations to the people who have made you an illegal alien against your wishes.

[crescent]

Get your passport back. Tomorrow.
There is no reason for her to have it.

If she gives you more excuses, put your foot down. Immediately. Don't play games. Tell her you want it back and if she doesn't give it back, then call the your embassy or the police.

[poet13]

elliemk. The other posters did not use enough of these, !!!!!!!, or these, ??????.

They should have also used large font, bolded, and underlined type to express the urgency of your situation.

1. Get your passport. Do NOT be nice. Put out your hand and say, "Give me my passport right now please." If they do not, do not ask twice. Call your embassy. Your embassy will deal with it very swiftly.

2. Go to Japan. I think the overstay fine is 100,000 won a day. Hopefully you will only be fined a few days. If you are lucky, maybe nothing. Come back on a tourist visa.

3. I would NOT go back to work for that school. They have already shown a willingness to play fast and loose with ironclad law, and they have demonstrated that putting you in a precarious legal position is unimportant also.

4. While you are one your tourist visa, find a better job. If you know where you want to live, go there and look around. Before you start another position, make sure you are legal. No ifs', and's or but's.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[elliemk]

Thanks, everyone, for your help. I will tell them today that I want my passport back now. I can't go to work for another school right now.

I've had to change jobs four times my first six months here. Immigration will never grant me a fifth job. It's a long story, but you can see part of it if you search my name for my Changwon job horror.

I also fell and broke one ankle and sprained another at my third job. I'd only been there three days. They fired me because they didn't want the parents to get upset.

I just got my first full paycheck (at the end of March) since September from this current job. So, I have no savings except for 400,000 Won.

[poet13]

I think she's saying this is her first full paycheck since last year....from all of her jobs.

[elliemk]

Yep, that's what I was saying. Evidently someone posted something and then deleted it. I had to send most of this check home as well to pay my taxes from my writing and editing jobs last year.

[crescent]

Second step...
Have your current boss go with you MONDAY, to the immigration office in Busan. Have her straighten this out, because you have already overstayed your exit order and liable for fines for each day you stay here.

Another thing. Did you notice on your pay stub, that you are getting pension and health care? Was the tax rate around 3-4% ?
If you answered no to any of that, it is another warning sign that you're boss is screwing you.
If she is and you think you can't get another job here, then look at China for a while. Take your next pay and take off.

[blade]

[elliemk]

Yes, it was canceled. My old director is sending me the exact date later today. I'm glad you reminded me not to tell immigration I've been working. I hadn't thought of that. I will demand to go to immigration on Monday. I would have done it for today, but the school is taking out all the teachers for lunch. Of course, I would rather have gone to immigration, but not much I could do about this gathering.
I didn't receive an exit order. Maybe my old director has that and that is the paper she is talking about. I'll ask.

[blade]

[elliemk]

I don't have my ARC card. She took that and was supposed to take to immigration. Will Seoul immi give me info without it?

[blade]