Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zappadelta]

return air fare if you are not leaving the country and changing jobs? Do they pay for the entire fare, or what it costs you to go to Japan? I was curious, because today my boss said they could only pay for the Japan trip. But, I thought at most hagwons they pay what it would cost to fly back home. Thanks in advance for sharing what you have to say.

[Grotto]

thats something that should be in your contract if it isnt clearly stated then you could try negotiating with your boss.

My contract states that I will be paid the amount my airfare to the country cost to come here.

So if prices are down I pocket more cash, if prices are up I lose some cash. Its a fair method in my books

[the eye]

if you are continuing at the same school, your director can extend your e2 visa for another year, simply by going with you to the immi office. no visa run is necessary.
i would push for a ticket home...or the equivalent value. it should be in your contract.
who would sign a contract that doesn't include return air?
well, hopefully not you.

[zappadelta]

I am not continuing at the same school, I am changing schools. In my contract, it says the school pays for return airfare, but they need a receipt. Since I will not get a receipt because I am not going home, she wants me to provide the receipt from my Japan run. My new school is also paying for this, of course, so I will get some money out of it, just not as much as I think I should.

[the eye]

buy a refundable ticket? show her the receipt and cash in the refund.

[mindmetoo]

Normally you come here on a one way ticket, which your first school should have paid for eventually. There is then the obligation to pay your way home when you finally move home for good. If you take another job and only need a Japan visa run, then the new school would pay for that and be responsible then for paying your way home. I wouldn't take it as some end of contract entitlement that you should get as cash in lieu of not actually moving back home. It's very easy for your first school to simply buy you a one way ticket home that has no cash value. You either use the ticket or the money vanishes.

At the end of the day, or year, you just need to have your expenses covered for the trip home when you actually move home. It's as simple as that. And in your new contract it should stipulate when you actually move home, they pay your way home. If you didn't get that written into your contract, you've been screwed and you should know better.

Remember, you got your job at the new hagwon, likely, because the biz guy decided hiring a teacher in country is cheaper ($500) than bringing a teacher over from North America ($2000). Don't get greedy and think "well, it would normally have cost him an extra $1500 to have me here so he should give me that money!"

[zappadelta]

[the eye]

it's not greedy to push for that money.
the hogwan agreed to provide a return ticket.
going by what you said about the contract, there was no clause for remaining in the country. do what you can to have them pay for one, then refund it.
it's your ticket. do what you want with it.

[susmin]

My school pays for a round trip ticket or 1.2 million if you re-sign for a 2nd year. This is in addition to getting you here and getting you home.

[Grotto]

the public school I am at paid out 1.4 for me to get here and will give me 1.4 at the end of contract