Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jellobean]

Will controlled bipolar disorder (always medicated, never had any problems even before diagnosis and medication) prevent or lessen someone's chances of getting a public school job (SMOE especially)? Or even a visa?

Would a physician's letter documenting the medical history lessen any possible impact? Would the letter need to be translated?

Does anyone have any experience with this or similar conditions.

I know with minor stuff people say it's better not to report and bring your meds, but I think the bipolar meds would show up on the drug screen. This isn't quite like the asthma medication folks who can try to stay off it for a week or two to get a clean read.

Thanks.

[ttompatz]

Do you want an honest answer or should I lie and tell you what you would like to hear?

This is not home and the protections you have come to expect at home do not exist here.

If you give a positive answer to the mental health question on the visa application / questionnaire you will be refused an E2 visa. A doctors note won't make any difference. Blind policy takes precedence over logic or common sense.

If you lie and it is discovered AFTER you are here you will probably be fired and given an exit order (you would probably fail the drug screen and have to explain why) for lying on your visa application.

There were several people here with bipolar before the regs changed and they managed to get by OK by staying under the radar about it but I haven't heard of any of them successfully renewing under the new regs either.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I wish I could cite even one example to prove otherwise but I can't since the new rules came into force.

.

[hari seldon]

This list may be useful:
http://www.sdrl.com/tech_briefs/DrugsThatAffectATest.html

Of course, in the U.S. you could easily buy a take-home drug screen at the local pharmacy, but I doubt they're available here.

[jellobean]

Thanks for the honest answer ttompatz.

Perhaps I shouldn't continue along this line of questioning, but my belief system is western so.....

...here's another question. If the drug being used has alternative uses and one were to list one of those as the medical condition, what would be the person's liability (for falsification) if it then came up on a drug screen?

Also, is Korea the only Asian country that has problems with mental health issues? Would someone be able to stay under the radar in Japan, China or Taiwan?

[sillywilly]

what about A.D.D.? Do they count that? And does anyone know if people who aren't getitng an E-2 like an accompanying child with ADHD need to be tested or whether they have to fill out the form in the first place?

[ttompatz]