Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crescent]

*Edit* Aug.10..for clarifications.
Just received notice today, on an immi newsletter. The changes are in response to the guy who fled charges of sexual assault.

Changes:

As of September 1, 2010:

1. University transcripts are no longer necessary. Korean Immigration will no longer accept un-certified original degrees.

To OBTAIN, RENEW, or EXTEND an E2, we must now:
- certify our original degrees at the Korean Consulate in our home country OR
- certify it through an Apostille service in our home country OR
- certify it at our home country's consulate in Korea OR
- certify it through the Korean Council for University Education (http://cs.kcue.or.kr)

2. Regarding University Degrees:
- If a teacher leaves Korea for more than 3 months, their degree must be re-certified
- If a teacher leaves Korea for less than 3 months, their degree need not be re-certified.

As of January 1, 2011:

1. Only NATIONAL police checks will be accepted. Municipal, Regional, County, State, or Provincial checks will not be accepted. Police checks must be certified at the Korean consulate in our home country.
- when renewing or extending an E2; if a teacher leaves Korea for less than 3 months, a new police check is not needed.
- when renewing or extending an E2; if a teacher leaves Korea for MORE THAN 3 months, a new police check will be needed

2. If a teacher obtained their current E2 Visa BEFORE July 15, 2010, and wishes to change workplaces or extend their visa, they must submit a NATIONAL police check, which has been certified by the Korean consulate in their home country.

[laguna]

[crescent]

[Senior]

Getting a national check seems obvious to me. Although, I understand it is a royal pain in the US.

These changes actually benefit some countries. For NZ, for instance, it takes about 10 days to get a crim check apostilled and couriered to Korea. They are really good about it, and even have a link on the Ministry of Justice website, just for ESL teachers in Korea.

Just like the previous regs, all that will happen is people will adapt or not. Back in '08 there was a big kerfuffle about the new regs, but people coped.

[curiousaboutkorea]

What happened to the notarized copy of the diploma that was being talked about 2 weeks ago?

[dumpring]

Took me more than a month to get my police check apostilled in NZ last Nov. I hope things have sped up since then cause that was a right pain.

[itaewonguy]

[schwa]

E2 Applicants will be required to submit original degrees to Korea Consulate in their home country for certification. The certification form will be sent to Korea in place of the degree.

Thats basically what I had to do back in '99. Worked smoothly enough. There might still be dodges for people who have been abroad a while.

E2 Visa holders wishing to change workplaces will be required to RE-SUBMIT original degrees for recertification in their home countries.

Thats ambiguous. Might not affect people doing in-country transfers between continuous contracts, which immi seems to have been working on making easier in the last couple years.

E2s will require NATIONAL police checks, not local.

That one is aimed at US teachers who brought it on themselves with a few openly advocating out-of-state checks to provide false clean records.

Even a teacher wishing to EXTEND their current visa, not having left the country will require a NEW police check.

That'll be me next year, not a new check but my first. Oh well, lots of warning & nothing to hide.

[Senior]

[crescent]

I think a lot of people are missing the point.

Why on earth are we being asked to get NEW CRCs without leaving the country? How can we commit new crimes in our home countries while we are in Korea?

[Junior]

[crescent]

[schwa]

Well heres the thing.

There are already quite a few people working here on previously approved slack or nonexistent criminal checks. Looks like they're trying to sniff out any that may have slipped in under the radar before the new more stringent checks.

Sucks if it means a totally redundant check (could have been handled more selectively) but I kind of see where they're coming from.

[schwa]

[Junior]