Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiteflyer]

I have a visa expiration date of April 02, 2009.

My current employer is not renewing the contract, so I booked a trip to Japan for a day on April 04-returning April 05.

The contract states April 07 as the "end date." Even though the contract I originally signed stated April 03 as the release date.

I have a 90 day tourist visa when I return.

Employer is not answering the phone when I call.

Only telling me, "Do your job appropriately 'til the contract is finished."

Originally, when they informed me on such short notice that they do not want to renew our contract, they'd give me a letter of release, severance pay and the plane ticket money however I wanted (I buy it first and then they'd reimburse me).

How do I get the severance pay and plane ticket figured out?



I have not heard from them since, and well, it's one week until I must leave Korea. They aren't aware of my visa dates.

[last goodbye]

I am pretty sure you have 2 weeks, once your visa expires, to get out. As for getting severance, etc, you can do it when you come back.

Call the labour board hotline (on your cell). The #'s 1350. Then 7 for English. Tell 'em about what's happening and they can direct you.

I called them about wrongful dismissal. I went to the Labour board last Fri. and got something in the mail today about what to do next. So, it's quick.

The Immigration hotline's #(on your cell) is 1345 - for English push 3. They'll tell you how long you have, or maybe how to extend and getting the release, etc...

[ED209]

[lifeinkorea]

I don't see what the big deal is. Get an extension on your visa. This will let you stay a month I believe. Then, if you go to Japan and come back for 90 days, you could have actually 120 total.

As far as the plane ticket goes, I would take them up on their offer. Ask them to just deposit the amount they offered into your bank account, then buy your ticket when you want. 250,000 won is nothing to sweat over. You could lose a lot more, and if you buy your ticket out of the country, why would they want to reimburse you? They won't.

[kiteflyer]

So, I am receiving conflicting information.

If the folks at immigration spoke English, I'd call them, but they do not.

Here's the deal. Visa in passport expires April 02. ARC expires April 03.

Plane ticket to Japan on April 04th.


How much of fine for staying an extra 8 hours in the morning, on the 04th, to catch the plane out to japan, returning on Sunday the 05th?


I still have to "work two days" in order to receive my severance, as the contract ends on April 07th. The recruiter is not answering the phone, so I want to break with them ASAP, not extend anything with them. Plus, I have my NPS coming to me when I leave the country.

I've already applied for my pension refund, which is nice and means I must exit the country to receive it.

Not taking the ticket the employer/recruiter (who is not answering the phone) is trying to ask me to accept:

1) because I've never seen it; this exists only in theory

2) I have no control over the dates, times and inbound airport locations if they attempt to arrange it

3) I have no way to refund the ticket if I am not using it (which I may do, if I find another contract) if they pay for it and arrange, themselves.

Again, the dates on the ARC and visa are a concern and I am not aware that staying for the plane out (another 8 hours beyond midnight, April 03, is worth a visa extension) is a problem, real or imagined. What are the repercussions of that?

One poster is saying I have 14 days to leave the country after my visa in my passport expires, one is saying I have to leave the very day of my passport/visa expiry date and the ARC date of expiration, which are one day off, respectively and, according to the ARC date, is one day off per my plane ticket date out of here.


All of these dates and the actions related to them seem to supercede, legally, the actual contract end date, which is April 07.

I don't believe showing up for work two extra days, April 06, 07 (of which I have sick days available to me and may use) is gonna be anything, simply so I can work until the end of the contract and receive my severance pay. And the penison I've filed for, already, and must leave Korea to receive.

[daystar]

There is no grace period. You need to be out the day it expires or you are overstaying your visa for which you could be fined, delayed, given problems next time you want to come to Korea, etc. Now whether or not it will happen to you really depends on your luck. Some people have stayed 30 days after their visa expired and had no problems, other people have been fined after just 1 day. So if you don't get a tourist extension, you're taking a chance (it's online and free so I don't see why you'd risk it).

This also applies to working here. Technically you'd be working those 2 days illegally. Will someone check up on you? Who knows, probably not. I had a similar issue with my contract finishing 1 day AFTER my ARC expired, and if you check Hi-Korea you'd see that extending the E-2 VISA is pretty complicated so I contacted GEPIK (seeing as how it was ridiculous to have to go through all that for 8 hours of work) and in one brief sentence I was told I must extend my visa.

As for the airfare thing, I can't really help with that.

[Juregen]

Extending ARC is not complicated at all .....

you just need proper docs

1. Document that officially shows immigration that you HAVE to extend your ARC. That could be a new or old contract or even a ticket out of the country.

2. the companies certificates ....

3. passport (which is still valid !!!!)

4. ARC

That is it.

[kiteflyer]

I went to immigration this morning, where I applied for a free-of-charge extension of stay. (for up to 30 days after my ARC expiration date).

Apparently, according the the Immigration officer, no plane ticket was required in order to extend my stay "traveling in Korea" up to 30 days.

I brought it with me, anyway.

As for the passport visa stamp that reads April 02, 2009 last date of entry (or what one may refer to as "expiration date") falls subordinately to my ARC expiry date. So the "visa" truly expires on April 03, the ARC expiration date, according to Immigration officers.

Yes, I MUST have filed for an extension, or I would have had a "report on my file" that I overstayed, even by eight hours, officers said. Which would have made applying for a new work visa nearly impossible.

When I return (from Fukuoka), I'll have 90 days in which to settle things and also receive my pension refund, which is unaffected by the extension of stay, as I leave the country on the 05th --turning in my ARC.

[Sector7G]

[kiteflyer]

Here's where it gets really screwed up.

The Korean recruiter that holds the contract is still sending orders to the Co-workers, who are then writing me text messages EVERY morning, changing my job site, ONE HOUR before work time.

Now, it's up to FIVE different public school after-school programs which, of course, are not part of my original contract, nor listed as the second place of employment as stamped in my passport/ visa-sponsored.

So, I went to immigration yesterday to get this ridiculous-ness to stop, whereupon Immigration called the head recruiting office in Seoul (my "manager") who then called me in tears asking, 'Why did you call immigration?" (duh) ...Since you've left me no other choice by asking me to do actions that are not in my contact and which are illegal, that's why.

Another thing is: I got a copy of the contract that is on file at the Immigration office AND IT'S NOT SIGNED BY ME! Someone else in the Seoul office forged my signature, so I never even reviewed that contract. What happened is: they changed the dates. By that time, I already had my E-2 visa.

What to do?

Calling the Labour Board is my next step.


I am getting indirect commands and unable to contact the recruiter/ "manager" in Seoul, who is evasive, not answering the phone (and when she does "my battery is dying"... click --) and keeps changing things on a daily basis, on purpose, via the "chain of command" my Korean co-teachers.


This is more about controlling someone, not teaching the kids. I have done an exemplary job teaching and not taken ONE sick day.