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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Ekaia
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject: �Vulnerable Sector Screening" Candian English Teachers |
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Anyone here ever had to submit this document?
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2897140
"An English teacher from Toronto was baffled after he learned a couple of months ago from the Korean immigration office that he had to obtain a document he had never heard of from his home country to renew his visa.
The document is called �Vulnerable Sector Screening,� and without it, the teacher was stuck." |
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Bread
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, it's something that only Canadians have to get for the new visa regulations. That's all I know because I'm not Canadian. |
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Korussian
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) said that they cannot do a VSS - the local city police do it. I went to the city police, and got estimates that it could take between 20 minutes and 2 months to complete, depending on from which city you request it. At the same time, I was told only the police in your home city can issue the VSS - you can't just choose a city and get it there.
To avoid the hassle of going back to my home city, I did the standard RCMP CRC, and it was rejected by the Korean consulate.
I then went to my local city police in Ontario, and they did my CRC with VSS while I waited for an hour. Once completed, I had to get the original notarized, for some reason, and the Korean consulate accepted it. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I guess they don't want Canadians coming over to Korea. If I was a first timer, I'd simply look to get a job in Japan. |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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You get the VSS from your local police station. however if you have lived in another district any tiem in the last 5 years then you the police office must also get one from, that district station as well. This does not create more work for you other than writting in where you have lived in the past 5 years. I had lived in both ottawa and Toronto over the past 5 years so they had to check both jurisdictions. It was only a pain in the ass because Ottawa took a full 2 weeks to respond, so I was royally delayed. My suggestion to you is that if you dont have it within 4 working days return to the police station demand an update and if its still not done ask them to put it on an expediated basis.
It is time consumming mainly in that you have to wait around needlessly for a few weeks while this essential paperwork comes in. |
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RyanInKorea
Joined: 17 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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To make matters even more pleasurable and efficient the Ottawa police department updated the VSS application stating that they can no longer give this out to someone not residing in Canada. They recommended the RCMP CRC (Criminal Records Check), which can be done with me in Korea, but I am not sure if this is acceptable.
Visa run back to Canada anyone? wtf...
Ryan |
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Korussian
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| espoir wrote: |
You get the VSS from your local police station. however if you have lived in another district any tiem in the last 5 years then you the police office must also get one from, that district station as well. This does not create more work for you other than writting in where you have lived in the past 5 years. I had lived in both ottawa and Toronto over the past 5 years so they had to check both jurisdictions. It was only a pain in the ass because Ottawa took a full 2 weeks to respond, so I was royally delayed. My suggestion to you is that if you dont have it within 4 working days return to the police station demand an update and if its still not done ask them to put it on an expediated basis.
It is time consumming mainly in that you have to wait around needlessly for a few weeks while this essential paperwork comes in. |
We lived in both Ottawa and South-Western Ontario. We made a pilgrimage to Ottawa to get my girlfriend's CRC + VSS, and it took about 40 minutes of waiting in line, plus 15 minutes of waiting at the reception desk. 55 minutes from walking in, we were walking out with her original CRC + VSS in hand.
Similarly, when I went to my local police station in Southwestern Ontario, I put on the application that I had been living in Ottawa for 4 of the previous 5 years. Nevertheless, I had my criminal record check + vss in hand 30 minutes or so later.
I think I was stubborn + lucked out both times. After the RCMP Criminal Record check was denied by the Korean consulate, I had made it my mission to get the local police CRC/VSS immediately, and had called ahead, knew my stuff, knew the full names of the people in charge of the paperwork, etc. |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| RyanInKorea wrote: |
To make matters even more pleasurable and efficient the Ottawa police department updated the VSS application stating that they can no longer give this out to someone not residing in Canada. They recommended the RCMP CRC (Criminal Records Check), which can be done with me in Korea, but I am not sure if this is acceptable.
Visa run back to Canada anyone? wtf...
Ryan |
I was told that a VSS was basically good for 2 years. I may be pulling that completely out of my ass, but beleive so. It was either that or 6 months, cant remember atm.
Either way if you still have copies of your old VSS (notarized copies) and you haven't gone back to canada since your initial arrival, you may be able to get by with your old VSS (probably not if its more than a year old though) and a copy of your passport showing that you havent returned home.
I know when I came here a few months ago i made sure to get several notarized copies of my VSS as a just in case. |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Korussian wrote: |
| espoir wrote: |
You get the VSS from your local police station. however if you have lived in another district any tiem in the last 5 years then you the police office must also get one from, that district station as well. This does not create more work for you other than writting in where you have lived in the past 5 years. I had lived in both ottawa and Toronto over the past 5 years so they had to check both jurisdictions. It was only a pain in the ass because Ottawa took a full 2 weeks to respond, so I was royally delayed. My suggestion to you is that if you dont have it within 4 working days return to the police station demand an update and if its still not done ask them to put it on an expediated basis.
It is time consumming mainly in that you have to wait around needlessly for a few weeks while this essential paperwork comes in. |
We lived in both Ottawa and South-Western Ontario. We made a pilgrimage to Ottawa to get my girlfriend's CRC + VSS, and it took about 40 minutes of waiting in line, plus 15 minutes of waiting at the reception desk. 55 minutes from walking in, we were walking out with her original CRC + VSS in hand.
Similarly, when I went to my local police station in Southwestern Ontario, I put on the application that I had been living in Ottawa for 4 of the previous 5 years. Nevertheless, I had my criminal record check + vss in hand 30 minutes or so later.
I think I was stubborn + lucked out both times. After the RCMP Criminal Record check was denied by the Korean consulate, I had made it my mission to get the local police CRC/VSS immediately, and had called ahead, knew my stuff, knew the full names of the people in charge of the paperwork, etc. |
yea I definately got the shaft in my situation. If I hadn't lived in Ottawa I would ahve gotten my VSS the same day from the local station, but not wanted to make the trip up to Ottawa I just let them send it, apparently the Ottawa station lost my request and thats the main reason it took 2 weeks for me. If only I hadnt shown them my University of Ottawa ID card I would've gotten away with just my toronto VSS and made it here two weeks earlier than I originally intended. |
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crescent
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: yes.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| RyanInKorea wrote: |
To make matters even more pleasurable and efficient the Ottawa police department updated the VSS application stating that they can no longer give this out to someone not residing in Canada. They recommended the RCMP CRC (Criminal Records Check), which can be done with me in Korea, but I am not sure if this is acceptable.
Visa run back to Canada anyone? wtf...
Ryan |
It MAY BE acceptable to write a letter, authorizing a third party (family) to pick it up. I had to get this letter notorized at the consulate here in Korea for my local police check which included the VSS.
Then I mailed the letter home, and one of my parents took it down to the police department to pick up my VSS.
Regarding the VSS, the ontario OPP will not do them, but according to the OPP, they have already sent criminal record checks here and they were accepted without the VSS. This is as recent as October, which is after the requirement for the VSS was initiated. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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The Winnipeg police Dept was supposedly doing them through the mail, complete with VSS....at least that was what I was told.
I just sent my application away on Friday. I guess I'll have to wait a see.
Good Luck. |
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OculisOrbis
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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You can get it without problem from the Winnipeg Police Service. Go to their website, print the form and send it in with two pieces of photocopied ID. They will even send it to Korea for you. It takes 10 days to process plus mail time. If you want the VSS check done, just check the box. I think it was $33 dollars. Much, much faster than RCMP and you don't need fingerprints.
I just had mine done in October with the VSS check. I express mailed it to Winnipeg and had them send it to my friend in Ontario, who then express mailed it to me in Korea. Total time from sending the application to holding the check with VSS in my hands --- 18 days. |
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steroidmaximus
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: GangWon-Do
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| I guess they don't want Canadians coming over to Korea |
ITs because they had to cut back on the volume of pure awesomeness that the great white north was bringing them. There just isn't enough room on this peninsula from that much Awesome.
A clearance letter and a criminal record check are the only two found on the city of Fredericton Police force's website; wonder if it has VSS written at the top of the letter, since it essentially is the same thing.
An interesting thing was a brochure written in Korean about traffic tips |
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OculisOrbis
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Just want to add that ANY Canadian can obtain their check from Winnipeg Police Service. You DO NOT have to be from Winnipeg to get it. As long as you Canadian, they will issue the check with the VSS. |
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earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| �It was only an addition to the background check we have already adopted so we didn�t inform the Canadian Embassy,� Kim said. |
This is the sort of dumb ass logic that makes you go WTF? So the Canadian Embassy is aware of the background check, but how exactly are they supposed to know that they made an addition? By osmosis? By reading the minds of complete gits in the Korean government?
Sometimes I really think they need a bloody slap.
The VSS is for people living in Canada hired for Canadian jobs, it was never intended to be implemented on a population going to work over seas and worse for people living over seas and working over seas. It is a good idea and one I've undergone while working in Canada, but it really needs to be adopted in an appropriate manner here in Korea not just copied and inforced without thinking. This sort of blunder does not breed respect for the land of the Han. It breeds contempt.
They check your records in the places you have lived in Canada for a 5 year period. Each local department has slightly different methods (as it is a local check not really a national check). It isn't designed for people who are over seas and not really designed to fit the requirements that Koreans seem to magically expect it to cover. Perhaps they should have actually spoken to the Canadian Embassy and requested a similar service and taken the time to design and implement a record check that would fit the needs of Korea and teachers working in Korea.
Stupid, short sighted and just a little rude as now the Canadian Embassy, Canadian teachers and Korean schools will be expected to fix this gaf or live with it.
Korea really needs to look at the way they view foreigners a little bit more. A great number of Canadians living and teaching here, who have become valuable teachers and earned their place in Korea are being lumped in with people who haven't been here before. A criminal record check of this nature (especially making people travel home just for finger prints...hell the Canadian army isn't this dumb...is just plain stupid) is not entirely useful for people who have been here for a majority of those 5 years if not all of them and it is a little more than rude to expect someone who has put in a serious amount of time teaching the children of Korea to do this.
I would like to know what exactly Korean teachers have to submit and how often they need to do it. Perhaps long term teachers should be given residency statues more easily and subjected to those rules. Unless Korea is willing to do this, it is my feeling that Canadian teachers who are here already be exempt from this silliness.
The land of Han needs to put a little more on the table if they expect people to jump through these hoops, perhaps in terms of pay, perhaps in terms of equal rights in Korea and the potential of having a more of a future here.
Honestly I think the days of the English cash cow, the class room clown are done. English is serious business in Korea and it's time those who are doing all the work gain a little more respect...even if that means we end up being better trained and putting more time into class preperation.
From what I've seen from most long term foreign teachers here, we do just that. We have master's degrees, ESL teaching certificates, teaching diplomas, years of experience and well thought out curiculum.
If anything treating this like a real profession in Korea will have far greater effect than a bunch of restrictions. The more restrictions the fewer teachers will come, the greater the respect (in pay and in job security, satisfaction and experience) the greater the number of good teachers. Simple. They need to start looking at the issue from a different perspective. |
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