Korean Job Discussion Forums

[noelinkorea]

I have five questions relating to my desire to leave my contract teaching at a large, well-known hagwon in Seoul. I would like to end my contract at the six-month point, though I do have a one-year contract and E2 visa. My reasons are many, but overall I have been let down on a number of fronts and feel that my contract has not been honoured by my emplyer "in good faith". I would like now to study Korean at a university (Yonsei). I will give my employer two months notice, and intend to be friendly about it all. I have my own place, so there is nothing to pay back except my earlier airfare to Japan. My questions:
1) Will Immigration allow me to cancel this current E2 visa, and then come into Korea again on a study visa?
2) Can I apply easily for a new kind of visa, even though I am currently on one?
3) Will Immigration even allow me to go for a new visa if I had cancelled the previous one, and the old period runs through to December this year?
(hhmmm...all these questions seem very similar...)
4) Is it possible, perhsps, to work at my institute part-time, even though my visa might remain as a full-time E2?
5) Has anyone had any previous experience with this sort of thing?? Any info would be cool...
Cheers!

[Mashimaro]

I'm looking into getting a student visa at the moment (though I am changing from a tourist visa not work)

Here is a good place to start for student visa questions:
http://www.moj.go.kr/immi/08_english/02_business/service_01_f.html

Most Korean university websites seem to recommend applying for a D4 (general trainees) visa. I think the D2 is for people studying 'proper' university courses.

This is from the immigration site:
"�� In the case of individuals who desire to learn Korean language at a University language center or exchange-students who are coming to Korea to be trained or educated at a University according to the agreements between Universities.

- Certificate of an admission to University or a certificate of student registration.
- Substantiating documents for expense's coverage in Korea, remittance or money-exchange bill(over U.S$ 3,000)
- Sponsorship paper(in the case of insufficient substantiation for the expense's coverage in Korea or deemed necessary to submit by the Minister of Justice)


�� In case an individual who could not obtain this visa(D-4) due to the time limit, he/she enters Korea first with a status of short-term visitors (C-3). Then, he/she can apply for permission to change his/her status of sojourn to this visa(D-4) to the district or branch office which has a jurisdiction over his/her stay."

I'm really hoping I don't have to leave the country to process my student visa, and according to the above, I won't have to... However I have learnt to never get my hopes up when it comes to these things