Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pollyplummer]

Hey has anyone heard of this? My school just informed me that I have to go to the immigration office tomorrow morning and have an interview there. If it is satisfactory, then they will give me my work visa without me having to fly to Japan to get it. I've never heard of such a thing. It would definitely be more convenient for me. Does this sound strange to anyone? By the way, I'm teaching at a public high school, if that helps...

[buymybook]

How was the interview? I really didn't understand your message. You are working at a public school and then were going to an interview at immigration? They wanted to see your passport or Arc before they attempting to get your blue papers. I would venture to say the interview was short, sweet, and simple. You probably accepted the job unless the gut was a complete idiot? Hopefully you didn't sign the contract then and there without asking to change a thing or two! Am I correct? What a bad place to ask them to change something on the contract, if they even allowed you to see it? I hope things go well for you. Good luck!

[schwa]

Youve already been teaching & dont have a visa yet -- thats purely illegal. However, in my experience, the Ministry of Education holds some trump cards over Immigration & can "swing things." In your boots I'd just play along & let the bureaucrats sort it. I'm betting it will work out easy. Best luck. Let us know how it goes.

[pollyplummer]

Yes, I have already been teaching one week. At the beginning of the week I told them, "It's illegal for me to teach without a work visa." They said that it doesn't matter for a public school and that I will be getting one soon. I've already signed the contract and have started my job- I taught 24 classes this week. I had no idea what to do. I mean, I didn't want to put up a stink, because I assumed that it would take at least 10 days for them to process my documents. I brought all the originals with me. I just decided to go with the flow. I am wondering if I should be discreet about the fact that I have already been teaching when I go to the interview.... ??? ai yi yi.... At any rate, I'm not going to lie about anything. I hope it doesn't get weird. I will be pleased as punch if I dont have to go to Japan and can just get the visa right then and there. I've just never even heard of such a thing. We'll see...

[No L]

[pollyplummer]

Yeah so we went to immigration Saturday morning, after waiting a couple hours at the school for the documents that they did not yet have prepared. The interview option was too good to be true. When I got there, they just took my documents like I thought they would and they said it would be about two weeks before I could fly to Japan to get my visa. They also said that it's illegal for me to work during those two weeks. My korean co-teacher was with me. He knows that. He said he'd talk to the principal about it but that I shouldnt worry and that nobody would get me into trouble. Help? I mean, I dont want to work illegally for two weeks, but I also dont want to raise a stink. I do need the money as well. But I do have co-teachers for all of my classes, so it's not like my classes wouldn't have a teacher. Should I just go with the flow or put my foot down?

[VanIslander]

[schwa]

Youve got a real dilemma. I feel I should qualify my remarks above because I sure wouldnt want you to get in trouble on my say-so. I know M of E has Immigration in their back pocket in my area but I cant vouch thats true everywhere, especially in light of recent media concern about Immigration laxity.

I'm trying to put myself in your shoes. Youre definitely on Immigration's radar now, which ups the chance they might come sniffing around. You need to make your concerns crystal clear to your co-teacher, spell out the potential consequences of continuing to teach (fines, deportation), & try to get him onside as your advocate. You need to meet with the principal first thing monday & let your co-teacher do most of the talking.

Be firm but calm. Whatever you do, dont get strident or upset in front of the principal -- he's far more likely to be conciliatory if your manner is pleasant & reasonable, & a clash at this point could sour your year ahead. I'd go in telling him that you really like the school & the program & youre looking forward to a great year but you have serious concerns about bringing trouble on yourself & the school (tell him what the immigration officer said).

I dont think I'd settle for a bland reassurance not to worry. Show a willingness to compromise. Maybe suggest a "cover story" that your presence in the school these next 2 weeks is some kind of unpaid "orientation." Nudge, wink -- so youre on the same page if Immigration comes asking questions. That would show you have the school's interests at heart, not just all about me. Better to go in proactive & cooperative than just obstinate.

Thats what I'd try. If the principal gets it that youre a reasonable person looking for the best outcome all around, you'll get a nice little boost in his esteem that will serve you well in future.

& who knows? He might in fact be able to simply call up Immigration & get you unofficial authorization to teach in the interim.

Best luck.

[tomwaits]

But WHY did you need to go to Immigration in the 1st place. ? No-one else does unless they are in trouble.


Anyway I wouldn't worry now. Immigration won't accept the paperwork and then sneak back and bust you. Even they are not that nasty.

[pollyplummer]

The reason I had to go in the first place was because my manager was mistaken about what I would need to do to get a work visa. He thought that the immigration official told him over the phone that I could just interview and get the visa right then and there. I should have known... anyhoo... They didn't need me at immigration at all! I sat around and waited forever and we ended up just giving them the paperwork and talking about the process. I couldn't understand everything, but I understand enough Korean to know that he was explicit about me not teaching while I wait for the visa. I asked my co-worker afterwards if that is what he said, and he said yes, but that I shouldn't worry about it. Still, I think I just want to be careful about it. So I've decided that I'll tell them that I will not work illegally for them but will be happy to teach class after I've returned from Japan with my visa. What are they going to do, force me to work illegally? If they demand that, then it says something about them and I will just find a new job. I'd be too stressed out if I let myself worry so much about pleasing them at all costs, taking all the extra classes they want to heap on me and trying to make me work saturdays. I've been pretty firm with them so far. I know that they think I'm perhaps an overly outspoken american girl, but I think they'll be reasonable on this.

[bosintang]

[pollyplummer]

The thing is- it's not the first time they've done this program, sponsoring a native speaker teacher. They should know. They should have been working on this the day after I got here. I know they have full intentions of having me work legally, but I think they've been lazy with the paperwork. They agree whole-heartedly that it's something that needs to be done, but no one wants to take the time to find out what they need to do. I don't know how they did it last time. That's why today I am going to tell them that I will not work illegally in the iterim. I don't know how they will react. Every Korean person I've talked to about this says, "Dont worry about it." Easy for them to say. I wish this kind of situation would teach them to plan ahead, but I know that's highly unlikely.

[Derrek]

As I posted in another thread, I got busted on day 2 doing exactly what you are doing now (working before the E-2 came).

After thinking about it, I wouldn't be teaching at all.

If you tell the school, "no" then they're going to have to honor it. They won't be able to find a teacher in time anyway, and will have to process your papers. They may get angry, or whatever, but if they do fire you, then fine. You can turn them in to immigration for what they did, which means they'll be watched if they try to hire someone else to work illegally until the visa.

Besides, if you really suck, they will just dump you after a week because they never got you a visa, and you're out in the cold.

Believe me, I never would have worked before my visa if I knew all of the trouble it caused. Don't listen to the employer -- they don't know anything. In fact, my employer thought I'd have to do a visa run to Japan every year if i renew with them, and they were going to pay for that. My co-worker had already been here a year, and she just used the money for a free trip to Japan.

[pollyplummer]

Hey thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I talked to them today and they are letting me not work until I get the visa, so everything turned out fine. In the meantime I will be preparing lessons from home to be used this semester. This is good for an inexperienced teacher like me. What a big ta-do this whole thing was! I think that it will be more organized when the public schools decide to stop using recruiters and select their own teachers. The principal tried to tell me that it was okay and I should just work and he would protect me. I said, "You cannot protect me. You didn't even know that I needed a visa to work. I will not work here illegally." So now I wait to go to Japan. I think it worked out for the best.

[Derrek]