Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Schneepat]

There has been much talk about how the pension refund only applies to those with Canadian or US citizenship. Those from other countries were pretty much screwed. For the most part this is still true, but there have been recent developments for those carrying dual citizenship.

I worked in Korea from 2002 until June of this year. My E2 visa was under my British passport. A few months before I left I had heard rumors that there were changes being made with the pension program. I also carry Canadian citizenship, so my school inquired about the possibility of getting my money back.

Here's the process I went through to get my pension money back.

The Pension office required proof of citizenship for both countries. For my British citizenship I provided my passport, my British birth certificate, as well as a document made up by the British consulate guaranteeing that my passport was authentic. The Pension office would prefer a British pension number, but that's something I don't have.

For my Canadian citizenship I provided my Canadian passport, my social insurance number, and my Canadian naturalization papers.

I also provided the Pension office with a Canadian bank account number for the transfer.

Up until two months before leaving Korea I had assumed that all the money that had been put into this pension fund was gone. It was nice to get a fairly huge chunk of cash back.

I did all of this at the Pension office in Bucheon. I know that my supervisor had to talk to a person fairly high up in the office about the whole procedure as the front desk personel didn't really know what to do. I hope that this information can help a few of you out there who have dual citizenship with getting your money back. If you have questions about the process, you can email me at [email protected].

[crazylemongirl]

I have dual citizenship and yet to go through the process, however to keep things simple I keep all my records of citizenship under one country when deal with the system here. As far as they are concerned, I have one passport.

[chotaerang]

Thanks very much for posting that information. I'm still in Korea, but if I ever left, I'll have to do the same rigamaroll, so it's good to know it worked out.