Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MissMaggie]

My job in Seoul fell through I couldn't get my Visa Issuance Number because some guy in immigration showed up and changed the rules regarding temporary degrees. My recruiter wants me to apply and interview for a position at two public schools in Jeju (between hallim and aewol). They want someone to start ASAP and said I should enter on a tourist visa and that they would take me to immigration to process my visa once I get there. Has anyone heard of this before? I thought you couldn't get your first E-2 outside of your home country?

[blonde researcher]

You are correct with your thinking that this is not possible to do for a first job in Korea.
You mention these are public schools. Ask him if the Jeju office of education is doing the visa letter for you, or if the school is going to do this in immigration.
Expect a straight answer as he has to know !
If the office of education is issuing a letter of appointment, you may be OK to submit your papers and then go over to Japan for the visa. BUT you cant do this if the immigration office is doing a visa number.

What was the situation with having "temporary degrees"?

[DrOctagon]

[MissMaggie]

No, I don't know the name of the school, sorry.

I get my official degree in June, simply because my school has a policy where you can get a degree only after the winter and summer semesters, but not after the fall semester. My recruiter called Seoul immigration and they said (twice!) that for a public school job, they would accept a letter from the registrar saying that I had completed the degree requirements even though my degree had not yet been issued. At my school, they give you what is basically a degree, but printed on school letterhead instead of parchment, with "temporary degree" across the top, and a note at the bottom saying an official degree will be issued in June.

I got it notarized at the consulate no problem, sent it all off to seoul, and they changed their minds and decided that the line about my official degree being issued in June meant that I didn't have a degree yet and wasn't eligible for the visa.

[MissMaggie]

So the issue is whether I get a visa issuance number from immigration, which would mean I'd have to get my visa from the korean consulate in Canada, or a notice of appointment from the office of education, which means I might not?

I expect that it would be the second scenario, since the recruiter also sent me a link to an office of education website. I searched the site a bit and it sounded like you can apply EITHER through certain consulates in Canada OR in Korea itself. (Not that the rules matter anyways... )

[losing_touch]

You will need to leave Korea to get a visa. If you haven't had an E-2 visa issued before, you will first need to have your degree confirmed by the KCUE. I wouldn't know the first thing about it in your situation. Your future employer must do this for you.

[n�fara]

er, just to throw some confusion into the mix:

Jeju is a Special Self-Governing Province. There has been precedence where an E2 visa was issued on the island. I came here in one of the big EPIK intakes and when I landed in Korea I had no E2 visa, and therefore had a tourist visa for the orientation. Afterwards, on Jeju, I applied for and received my E2 visa at the immigration office the very day I arrived on the island.

However, this was before the recent visa changes.

So, it's indeed possible that you might get the visa on the island. Things do work a bit differently down in our Self-Governing Province. However, I'd ask the Jeju POE to be sure, as it will be their phone call to the immigration office that will help get things done.

No idea how your temporary degree will affect things.

[MissMaggie]

[berrieh]

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[MissMaggie]

I've been planning to go to Korea for two months already. I sold everything I owned to go. Staying here, working 7 hours a week for minimum wage while living with my mother isn't really a great option. I was supposed to be there three weeks ago, and I've already got a friend teaching over there who's waiting for me to get there.

[berrieh]

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