Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PigeonFart]

My current contract (the 2nd with the same school) will expire on August 31st (my ARC expires the same day). My new job with a different school should start on September 1st.

Can i transfer the visa over? I'd rather not have to involve my current school in any way as we're not the best of friends. Can i cut them out from the process and just do the E2 transfer myself or at least with my new school? When would be the best time to do it?

[Ave, L�cifer]

I'm finishing up my third contract with EPIK in Busan on August 25th and have the 13 month visa/ARC that runs until September 25th. My school has given me a deadline of next week to let them know whether I want to re-sign with my current school/EPIK.

I intend to apply for university and adult hagwon positions for the fall semester but there is no way I will have a position secured by next week. So I want to be totally sure that by declining the EPIK renewal offer I am not rejecting my only viable option of securing work.

I thought an E-2 visa transfer would be fairly seamless and would involve a similar process to my E-2 renewals with annual EPIK contracts but looking at a lot of the positions advertised mention that they want someone who is already working in Korea but then go on to mention CBC's and appostiled degrees etc. I guess this is them just covering all their bases for all applicants on various visa's? My other concern is this "change of status" issue. I've signed 3 EPIK contracts which have involved new ARC cards, change of addresses, change of schools etc.

I have in my possession a sealed copy of my degree which is not appostiled and no CBC, so the only way I'd be able to work elsewhere would be a visa transfer without those documents being required.

edit: It seems the "change of status" issue only affects americans who didn't submit a nation-wide criminal check initially? I'm South African so hopefully something I don't have to worry about since I submitted all the required docs with my initial EPIK application, I remember EPIK mentioning fingerprints with the local police being a new requirement sometime but that's an issue easily deal with I'm sure.