Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sock]

I've encountered a situation that I could use some help/advice on. I did search for past threads, and I found some good stuff, but I didn't find one dealing with my particular situation.

I currently work for a public elementary school; my contract ends at the end of December 2006. I have found a great job for next year (begins March 2007) & signed the contract. New principal & I ventured down to the immigration office together to apply for my new (E-2) visa number. Seems that we didn't have all the right paperwork, no big surprise there.

Anyway, I was told to go back to my current school and ask for some sort of release letter. I have no idea what this letter should say, and no one could tell me because they "didn't know the words to use in English." Thanks, Korean immigration officer. As always, you're a big help.

So my best guess would be that it should say something along the lines of "X teacher's contract will expire on December 22, 2006, and X teacher will be free to seek new employment with a new school." Does anybody know for certain what this letter needs to say? (Last time I had my school sign a letter to add an additional workplace, the letter was denied TWICE by immigration, despite it being the EXACT SAME letter that friends used to add an additional workplace, at the same immigration office, only two days prior to my attempt. )

The immigration officer also claimed that (1) once I had the letter from my current school, I could just bring all my paperwork back down to the immigration office, and the new wonjangnim would not be required to come with me. He also claimed (2) that I would not be required to do a visa run, provided the paperwork is completed before my current contract is up.

It's my understanding that the new Korean employer must apply for the new E-2 visa number, NOT the new native teacher. Also, I've always heard that I have to do a visa run when changing employers, and I suspect that the immigrations officer is confusing adding an additional workplace with changing employers. I don't know everything there is to know about the ins and outs of the E-2 visa, but I am suspicious. Anyone know the truth? I have a feeling that trusting Korean immigration officers will only lead to ungodly amounts of wasted time in Mokdong, as that's always been my experience. I'd really like my next trip to be the last, if that's at all possible.

I welcome all help, but if you don't know, please don't pretend that you do. Smartass remarks are fine. Trying to pass off your best guess as fact is not. Thanks, everyone!!

[Son Deureo!]

It seems to me that the only problem is that you are applying for your new E2 visa before your current one has expired. Even though the new job and visa won't start until after your current job and visa expire, this kind of planning ahead apparently does not compute with the geniuses at Immigration. If your current visa expires December 22nd, and your new job won't start until March 2007, just wait until after December 22nd to apply for the paperwork for your new visa. That's probably the simplest way to handle this.

Otherwise, just jump through whatever hoops Immigration wants to punish you with for being so un-Korean as to plan ahead.

[Wrench]

[sock]

Well, that was my original plan. I figured that all of the planning ahead might confuse some of the wise folk down at immigration. The problem is that the person who is hiring me won't be there next semester. He'll be gone at the beginning of January and his replacement won't come around until near the end of February. So, I'm sure that there's a way to make it all work, I just don't know what it is yet.

But thanks for the input. Anyone else? I guess if nothing else I'll just keep going down to immigration every week until somebody tells me something I want to hear.

[Son Deureo!]