Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iatemymonkey]

I thought that I was about to fly to S Korea last week but had an email from my recruiter saying that my school was about to go under. Now I am out of a job and need to go through the whole visa/job search process again. I already have an E-2 visa in my passport which I haven't used to enter the country. Can I just go ahead with my second job search? Do I have to somehow cancel the visa which I currently hold? Have I broken my contract seeing as I haven't actually made it to Korea (or had any direct interaction with the school besides my interview)?

[lifeinkorea]

You may not have to. If you act quick, there is a window of opportunity. In 2009 I had something similar happen. I was in Korea though, which made things easier, but not impossible I think.

I was hired with school 1, got new visa with school 2, and 3 weeks before I was to start school 2 and I decided to not "work together". I found school 3 and immigration just stamped "change of job location" in my passport, updated my ARC and I went on as if school 2 never existed.

In your case, you don't have an ARC card which would simplify things. However, you need your passport. How much time do you have before the contract starting date? If you can find another school and come to Korea before then, then all I think you would need to do is go with school 2 to immigration and they would do something similar.

Recruiters may tell you to get all new documents because that's the only starting point they know.

[ttompatz]

[iatemymonkey]

Wow that's bad news. Is there a good chance that I can cancel it? I'm concerned because the boss of this dying school is apparently not going to cooperate by returning documents or doing anything on his end.

[lifeinkorea]

[iatemymonkey]

My consulate told me to cancel this visa and start the process of getting another one. I don't have an ARC and therefore cannot transfer the visa that I currently have.

Looks like I'll be waiting for another few months...