Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jhicks99]

I'm going to be returning to Toronto in November when my contract is up.
I quit my job in October just prior to leaving for Korea. I don't anticipate being able to find work in my field for a few months (or being able to find another teaching job in Seoul if I choose to come back so quickly).

I tried searching through the gov't web sites to no avail... will I be eligible to go on EI upon my return? I graduated university in '02 and was employed for 6 straight years after (earning a minimum of $40k/year), so I certainly contributed my share to it... I'm just not certain of my eligibility and am wondering if anyone has ever come back to Canada and been able to claim EI do to not being employed? You generally don't qualify if you quit your last job, but I'm on a contract that's expiring... It would be a huge help.

Anyone know?

[yingwenlaoshi]

Not if you quit or get fired. Well, if you quit or get fired, you need to have a valid excuse like there being problems at work where the employer is at fault.

No EI for you.

[roknroll]

Though I'm not up on any recent changes, I'm willing to bet:

1. They only look at the number of weeks you've worked in the past year and paid into EI. You don't qualify on this note.

2. If you want to have your work in the ROK considered, then expect to payup on the EI premiums and Cdn tax on your ROK earnings less the 3.3% or whatever you've been paying here. Based on 30M won here and say 26% Cdn tax (less 3.3% already paid here), you'd be looking at a tax bill for approx. 6,800,000 Won or about $6000. Then add in EI and CPP an you have a conservative estimate of how much you'd need to pay.

Using this payroll calculator:
https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/rhpd/handleResultsOptionsJul08.do

Pay period Monthly (12 pay periods a year)
Pay period ending date
Province of employment Ontario
Federal amount from TD1 Claim Code 0 (No claim amount)
Provincial amount from TD1 Claim Code 0 (No claim amount)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary or wages for the pay period 26,000.00
Total EI insurable earnings for the pay period 26,000.00
Taxable income 26,000.00
Cash income for the pay period 26,000.00
Federal tax deductions 6,711.26
Provincial tax deductions 4,019.50
Requested additional tax deduction 0.00
Total tax on income 10,730.76
CPP deductions 1,272.56
EI deductions 449.80
Amounts deducted at source 0.00
Total deductions on income 12,453.12
Net amount 13,546.88

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So using the example of 30M Won or @ 26,000 Cdn, you'd have paid 26,000 x 3.3%= $858 here. 12,453-858=11,595 owing for deductions.

Course this excludes any possible deductions you could use to reduce your taxable income (which may be offset by your free rent taxable benefit), but I think it gives ya the picture.

[jhicks99]

thanks for the response...
so unless I'm crazy, it doesn't seem worth it at all?

[brainfreeze]