Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mike410]

Hello,

Is it normal for a recruiter to ask for visa documents to be sent to them before a contract has been presented and even agreed to?

Wouldn't the required personal visa docs (passport scan, health statement, copy of degrees etc) only need to be sent once a contract has been agreed and signed by both parties?

Thanks

[Kepler]

[ontheway]

[Mike410]

Thanks for the replies. I'll avoid sending any documents until I sign a contract.

[ineedajob]

Hey, I wanted to add on to this question. What is the process of sending those documents? They require the front page of my passport, a picture, diploma, background check, medical check, getting my visa sealed in the states, getting an interview, getting an offer, signing contract, etc.

What's the order or timeline of getting all of these documents in order?

[ThingsComeAround]

[ineedajob]

Awesome! Thanks for answering my question and clarifying the process.

[young_clinton]

I had to send documents to my recruiter before I sent them to Immigration. It was for a public school job. I wouldn't be sending my documents to a Hagwon unless I had extras. I think the employer wants to know that you're not messing around with them, so they'll ask for them and send them right back after they have accepted them, at least for public schools.

[ontheway]

Once again, there is no need to send your documents to your recruiter - at least for hogwans jobs - either before or after you find a job.

Before you have a contract and have accepted a job, you should be using multiple recruiters as well as sites such as Dave's to post your resume. If you send your documents to a recruiter in advance, you are tying yourself to a single recruiter. This will reduce your opportunities to find the best job. You may have difficulty having that recruiter forward them to a school you find through another recruiter or on your own.

After you agree to a contract it is best to send your documents directly to the school. The school must apply for your visa as your sponsor. They have to provide their own documents and pay the application fee in addition to the teacher's documents when making the application. Someone at the school, usually the owner, has to be your sponsor.

If you send the documents to the recruiter first, it adds another step in the process. The recruiter will have to forward them to the school so the school can apply for your visa. This adds at least one other person to the series of people who can lose or mishandle your documents, and it makes the process take longer.

Since a signed contract is required to apply for your visa, it makes no sense to send any documents before you have a contract in hand, agree to it and sign.

Required documents for E2 Visa application, you should send to your school:

* signed contract
* copy of your passport picture page
* apostilled copy of your diploma
* apostilled CBC
* self reporting health check
* resume
* passport size pictures (I think you need 4 these days)

Your school will apply for your visa at Immigration in Korea. Immigration informs the school when approved and texts them your Visa Issuance Number. The school can send you this number directly, or send it by way of the recruiter, which can cause more delays.

After you have your VIN, you can go to your nearest or most convenient Korean embassy or consulate to have the visa inserted in your passport. Then you're ready to come to Korea.

Although university transcripts are no longer required by Immigration, some schools still require them as part of the hiring process. In addition, some Korean consulates and embassies still require transcripts after you obtain your Visa Issuance Number, when placing the visa in your passport.

Once your documents have been filed with Immigration, you will not get them back, so don't use your original diploma and be sure to make an extra copy (or two) of your contract for your own records.

[ttompatz]

[Julius]

Recruiters want to be sure you have the correct documents before they go to the bother of finding you a job.

Send scans by email attachment. Keep the originals.

[ontheway]

[Marquis]

There are two sides to this. It can work for you or against you.

- As mentioned, some recruiters want to make sure you have the right paperwork. But this is also easily done via scans and emails.
-As mentioned, some recruited don't want to share.

I worked with one recruiter exclusively in the start of my process, they required all my documents, I sent them, and they wasted my time. This was my case though, maybe I just got a bad recruiter, because two friends of mine went through the same company as I did and were placed quickly.

In the following week I dropped that recruiter though, I had at least four others lining me up interviews.

[ttompatz]