Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Andyc24_uk]

Hi

I'd appreciate people's up-to-date thoughts on this, as the original post runs to 60+ pages and is largely out of date.

I'm coming to the end of my contract, and looking at moving to another employer. I won't be going home (UK) between ending the old contract and starting a new one. In Summer 2008, I did a visa run to Japan directly after my E2 expired, and came back on an F4 to work at a camp - this time I'd be looking for another E2.

So, the 3-part question is -

1 - What will I need to get a new E2 visa for a different employer, without having left Korea? Will I need the notarised and apostilled Criminal check, sealed transcripts and original degree, or only some of the above?

2 - If I need the criminal check, can I get it apostilled by the British Embassy in Seoul? I did this last year when I got the F4 visa; and it was accepted - Is this still the case?

3 - Will I need to do a visa run in order to get a new E2, or can it be done within Korea?

4 - Alternatively - If I were to extend my current visa with my current employer - which is easy to do - and then obtain a letter of release from the current employer, could I then transfer that visa to a new employer, thus bypassing the need to reapply from the beginning?

Thanks!

[OculisOrbis]

#4 is your easiest option. new contract, application form, LOR, cash and sponsorship form and business license from new employer....not sure what else, but not much, if anything.....call immi at 1345 to make sure.

you need to go to immi with all the docs sometime in the final 30 days of your current contract to make the transfer - you cannot tranfser after you current sojourn has expired (look at the date on your ARC for the last day you are eligible to be in korea). You can also do the extension at the same time. It will cost you about 90 000 total for the transfer and extension combined and you dont have to leave the country.

[Andyc24_uk]

Thanks, that's very useful... Will Immigration be happy with me doing that, especially all at once? I guess it'll be pretty obvious that I'm trying to get round the system...

[lifeinkorea]

4 isn't the best route if you really want a new school. You can simply get a transfer form from your current school before the end of the contract. It will have a space for your current employer to note when you will finish. Then you will get another form from your new school which has some license number of the school. Take those with your passport and ARC card to immigration, fill out the application, and you will get it back in a week.

I actually did this in August, then problems came up with the school, so we decided to break the contract. Since it didn't start, I found another school, and we went to immigration. They did it all on the spot and handed me back my passport and ARC card on the same day.

[OculisOrbis]

maybe there is some need to be clearer....you dont extend with your original employer - you transfer to the new employer, and then extend with the new one. This can be done on one application form and in a single visit to immi. With the documents I described, you dont need any employers to accompany you to the immi office and theyre documents that your emplyers are supposed to submit even if they do attend the immi meeting with you.

there should be no problem with you doing that as long as you have an LOR. that's the key or it wont be possible. once you get the LOR then you can worry about preparing the other things youll need.

[Andyc24_uk]

Thankyou - Very useful information!