Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OTL]

I am an English teacher in Seoul who, due to incompatible dates with the end of my contract and the beginning of graduate school back home, will have to stop working and break my contract 2-4 weeks early.

I have more or less worked out the benefits that I will still be able to receive with my boss, and she has offered to at least pay my flight home. I will be forced to stop working on July 28th, but don't have to be back in the US until August 15th.

So my question is, what will happen to my E-2 visa after my employment as an English teacher is officially terminated at the end of July? Originally it was supposed to be good through Sep. 1st, but since I will be unemployed a month earlier than that, will my visa similarly become invalid early? If so, does anyone know how long I will have between when I stop working and when I can no longer stay in Korea?

Also, ideally I'd like to travel (to Uzbekistan..) for the first week of August. How will this affect the visa situation I've just described?

Thanks!

[balzor]

[salgichawa]

[Troglodyte]

It depends on whether or not your employer is going to cancel your visa. If he's not cancelling it, then you're good until the final date on your ARC. If you're leaving on good terms with your employer then check to see if they'll wait to cancel the visa until you're out of the country. If you're working until 28 July and then the next week you're going abroad, then it shouldn't be a problem for the school. Ask them to find out for sure.

[ttompatz]

FACTS:

If you quit early you have a few options:

1) leave Korea within 14 days and don't return.
Keep your ARC as a souvenir (assuming you have a valid re-entry permit/ multi-entry visa). This is just like going on vacation but you forget to return.

If you don't have re-entry status they will ask you to surrender your ARC when you leave. Failure to do so will result in a fine of 100k won.

2) Leave Korea within 14 days of the end of employment and hand in your ARC as you leave (canceling/voiding your visa). Return on your way home with a 90 day entry on arrival stamp if that is your desire.

3) report your change of status to immigration within 14 days (as required by law). They will issue an exit order (mark the back of your ARC) for 30 days after your last day. You MUST leave Korea by that date. They will take your ARC as you pass through immigration.

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[OTL]