Korean Job Discussion Forums

Mithrae · Joined: 22 Jul 2009

My friend is looking for a job. He's here on a tourist visa while he looks for one. A recruiter phones him today, and during the conversation he says he's here in Korea now on a tourist visa, has his documents ready, and is ready to work.

Recruiter tells him that it's illegal to apply for jobs in Korea while visiting on a tourist visa. WTF! How can immigration tell anyone what they can or can't do while sitting at their computer while visiting Korea?

Illegal to apply for jobs while on a tourist visa. Give me a griggin break.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

jpotter78 · Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

Mithrae · Joined: 22 Jul 2009

Netz · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:53 pm Post subject:

Immigration changed many of their rules a few years ago, with the specific intent of trying to prevent people from doing exactly what your friend is trying to do. One of the ways they've implemented this is by requiring you to interview for your E2 from a Korean Embassy (outside Korea). There are also CBCs, and diploma checks, that may require some time to obtain.

I don't know how difficult it has made it to do what you're friend is attempting, but apparently they were somewhat successful if the recruiters don't want to deal with it anymore.

Let us know what happens, because this is exactly what caused a large a number of people to leave Korea a few years back.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Mithrae · Joined: 22 Jul 2009

Working on a tourist visa is illegal. Applying for work while on a tourist visa is not illegal, unless you begin working on that visa. My friend has no intention of working on a tourist visa. He will go to Japan, get his E-2, then begin working legally. If his hagwan gets raided he has nothing to worry about.

Sheeesh!

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Netz · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:20 pm Post subject:

supernaut · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Location: Nova Scotia

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

If you have all your documents, you don't even have to go for a visa run for a public school job if you're on a tourist visa and you've already had an E2 visa.

Mithrae · Joined: 22 Jul 2009

There was a guy on Dave's a few years back called 'Austen' who used to rile everybody, and try to pull people down all the time. People got so annoyed with him, that he got banned by the Mods. I have often suspected that Urban Myth was the return of Austen under a different name.

Konglishman · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Nanjing

Way back in March 2007, I actually did come to Korea after doing a little bit of traveling in Japan, for the purpose of sightseeing. Only after I had been in Seoul for a few days, did I become interested in the prospect of working in Korea. Then, one of my Korean friends helped me set up a job interview at a hagwon. I don't see anything wrong with what I did. At any rate, it certainly wasn't my original intention.

Really, this is such a grey area. Why should people be forced to interview from overseas without meeting their prospective employers in person? To forbid someone from going to job interviews while traveling as a tourist, is silly. This is both to the disadvantage of the employer and applicants.

As for which embassy you must interview at for the visa, this is to some degree irrelevant. After all, a person can go to a job interview as a tourist and then go back to their home country to interview at the embassy there.