Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mdsb87]

Hi,

Here is my situation. I must be in Spain in May 2012 for a week or two.

My contract ends on 31 Dec 2011. How legit is the following plan:

Extend my current contract until May 2012.

Between now and then try to find another employer who will take me on from say 1st June 2012.

Try to take my return airfare as per my current contract in cash and use it to get to Spain.

Get my new employer to pay my return fare from Spain to Korea.

Start work again.

All above board etc? Do most people go away for a few weeks between contract anyway? Go home and see the folks etc and then get their new employer to pay their way back out ?

Cheers for any info you can give.

[bluethree]

Getting a contract extension instead of a full year depends on your employer. I've heard some places will do it, some won't. I was told I couldn't do it at my school.

And some places will only pay for your airfare if you're going to/from your home country.

Doesn't sound like a bad plan but it all depends on your current workplace and your next job after you get back.

[mdsb87]

Yes I understand.

I think my boss would be happy to extend as it would put off the airfare for a while.

I would also definately consider paying my own airfare back to Korea as I wouldn't be leaving at all unless I had to.

What would the situation with immigration be in that case? Would I be able to sort out all the visa stuff while in country and take off on a sort of holiday between contracts ?

My other option is to get a different job in Jan 2012 and try to book off the days I need in May 2012. I have a bad feeling that this would work against me though as I would have to mention it in interviews.

[Jotun_Symph]

If you can get your current employer to extend your contract for only 5 months (which may be difficult unless they really really like you), then in theory the 1st part should work. I'm not sure about your visa situation, but I'm sure you know you would have to go to Japan or do the paperwork via mail from Korea to extend it.

As for finding an employer for June 2012, it's too early for that and I think you would have to wait until March or April before most schools will consider you.

I'm assuming your home is not in Spain. If it is, then you shouldn't have any further problems. If not, getting your airfare in cash is possible unless you are working at a public school (which I assume you aren't). My old hagwon boss did it, if they won't do it then offer to knock off a couple 100,000, they might go for it then.

The last part I'm not sure about. Most cotracts say they'll pay for a ticket from your home airport to Korea. If it's cheaper from Spain to Korea, than your home to Korea, they'll probably do it. If it's more expensive, IDK.

Bottom line, yes most people take time off between contracts even if they renew so it's nothing new to anyone involved.

[mdsb87]

I understand that I won't know about jobs in June 2012 until much closer to the time.

You are right my home is not in Spain. However I could return to my home country for a week or so if necessary to facilitate the employer.

I don't work at a public school, so it's good to hear that there is more possible flexibility with a hagwon.

So the first thing I should do is talk to the boss about an extension. I will do that very soon I hope.

My biggest concern is having my next contract sorted before I leave Korea. I'm from Ireland and the market is a lot tougher for us than it is for US/CA citizens.

I do not want to be back home dealing with the potentially long process of sorting out my next job. I want to get back here ASAP.

Let's say that I can get my extension.
I would need to allow about a week unemployed in Korea to go to Japan to activate my new visa is that correct?

Or would Spain be a perfect substitute for Japan as I am going there anyway.

We are a couple too so do you think that will make it more complicated?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[TheUrbanMyth]

What about the paperwork? Last I heard for a new job you have to submit a new CBC and certified copy of your degree?

[bluethree]

^ I've been told by Seoul immigration that as long as you do not leave the country for more than 3 months you will not need a new CBC for a new job. (Presumably besides paperwork all other aspects of the visa process will be the same - visa runs etc). Given how inconsistent info can be and how things can change at the drop of a hat I still ordered a new one but this is what I've been told more than once.

[mdsb87]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=208893&highlight=

This is what Ttompatz told me a while back about getting a new job . . .

[mdsb87]

Ok so the boss has agreed to take us on until the middle of May.

We must just iron out the details of the next contract.

My new problem is trying to get him to pay for our flights to Spain. As we want to return immediately to Korea after Spain, say on the 1st June, we are worried he will think it is unfair for him to pay our flights out.

What do you think ? Does he definitely owe us our flights out even if we only stay out for about two weeks?

Do we need him to give us a letter of release in order to sort out our visa for our next job - hoping to start around 1st June? Or can we just let the contract end then and get a new visa ?

Thanks for your help.

[mdsb87]

Some addition to this situation and a bump for the thread too.

Our boss has agreed to the requests including flights to Spain as far as I know. The only problem is that he doesn't want to give us any holidays.

We will be working 4.5 months. A standard contract has 10 days plus publics for twelve months. If you take it to be an equal contract to a standard one I think we are owed 3.75 days holidays. We have asked for 3.

He says that there is no "good time" to take the holidays between Jan and May 15th due to Winter intensive and blah blah blah.

Should we fight for it?

We are having a meeting about it tomorrow.

Thoughts please!

[bluethree]

Unless there's something you really need those three days for I would personally just let it go.

[mdsb87]

Ya it's looking like that's what we will have to do.

Another question, if I was to go back to my home country for a few days/weeks, can I do my visa run at the embassy there? I assume Japan is only used as it is the closest one to Korea. . . .

[mdsb87]

So here's the latest on this plan.

The embassy in Madrid can give us the visas. Excellent.

The boss has agreed to fly us to Spain in May. Excellent.

The extended contract has been signed. Excellent, BUT

He said that immigration wanted a contract lasting one year to do the extension.

Don't know how true that is but we signed because I am worried he will get snotty about giving the flights to Spain if he know we will be returning shortly after we leave.

That chapter is now closed.

This leaves us with two options for our next visa, or at least I think it does:

1. Get new documents. Leave these documents with our future employer. Hand in our ARCs at immigration on the way out of Korea. Have new visa number sent to us by email and haul ass to the embassy in Madrid for new visas.

2. Try to get a letter of release from our current boss and transfer visas to our new employer. Go to Spain and return in time to start the new contract.

I would rather go route one for reasons mentioned above. If I do what documents will I need and is the method I think the correct one?

If I transfer my visa will a new employer likely be cool with us taking a holiday before starting etc?


Thanks for any help!