Korean Job Discussion Forums

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject: REAL HELP NEEDED.

Righto this is serious post, any real help would be greatly appreciated.
I am going to keep the details close to the truth but specifics will be kept to a minimum.

I was recruited in November by KIMS Korea to come and work in a hagwon as the only english teacher there, all usual benefits, 2.1mW a month. Visa run would be required when I get there. Alright no big deal thought I.

I get here, I am met at the airport and driven to the hagwon. Which turns out to be an office with three very small classrooms.

Where are the students?

I am told that there are only 5 students at the hagwon as the hagwon is moving to...nearby. I was hired to implement a new training curriculum using the canadian curriculum. I have a bit of an internal wobbly...OKAY?

I am then sent down to a different school in Seosan for 4 days to cover for a teacher who wasnt arriving for 4 days. This was a proper hagwon, it was fun and I enjoyed it.

I then come back up to Bundang and start at the new school. I teach for 18 hours a week with no lessons on Tues or Thurs and big gaps between lessons on the mon, weds and fri's. My working hours are 12-30 - 8-30.
Whilst I am there I am supposed to be developing a listening programme to implement in to school and in other schools in Korea.

I have been here for over four weeks and I have'nt gone to Osaka for my VISA run, or been paid (although they have tidied me over with 200'000 won to keep me going.)

We are apparently moving to the new school this week. There will only be 5 students to start with.

----

What the feck am I supposed to do?

I am seriously considering taking the money cash in hand on the 25th or the 30th. Grabbing my university diploma from the office, leaving a note with 200'000 W in it, grabbing my bags a buggering off back to england with a slapped arse and 800'000 won.

I love the actual teaching but this whole situation is stressing me the f*ck out.

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

You haven't had your visa run??

Well hmm.. I suggest telling them to get stuffed. No visa they can't really hold you from what I understand. Use your free time to score another job.

soviet_man · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

Very sketchy situation.

It was illegal to work BEFORE you have a valid work visa in your passport.

You should never have been asked, nor agreed, to teach before doing a visa run.

Even with a valid work visa, it would also be illegal to work at a second location (Seosan) without permission from immigration to work there.

The only sensible option is to cut all ties with them straight away or risk being fined/deported, because it seems certain that you have already broken several laws.

If you have only a tourist stamp (and visa processing hasn't actually started) you could still potentially find employment with some other school.

If they have already started to submit your documents to get the visa, then you may or may not be able to cancel it.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

Oh by the way? Reclaim your diploma anyway. They don't need it.. If they want it for immigration then ask for a time frame... don't let it sit around the office..

and remember if you want to stay you probably can.. just go get another job lined up.. and offer to pay back your airfair if they blow a gasket.

hogwonguy1979 · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den

leave, if immigration catches you teaching before you got your visa you will be fined a tidy sum and sent packing.

come back on a tourist visa there are loads of good jobs out there as it seems like you like working here

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject:

what would happen if I pulled a runner without paying them back for the airfare?

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:34 pm Post subject:

BUMP!

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:56 pm Post subject:

seeing as they haven't fulfilled their end of the contract i.e getting my VISA and making me work illegally am I legally binded to pay them back for the cost of the airfare?

B

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject:

they definately didnt train me!

Its starting to look like a serious option right now which sounds appalling, even to me, but this situation is just sh*t.

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

You need to check if your visa is "in process" at Immi.,ie whether you have a visa issuance number or not.

If your school has submitted your docs but there's no number as yet,get it cancelled

If the school "hasn't got around" to doing anything I'd say all bets are off,
pilfer the coffee sachets and stationary.

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject:

Well they are telling me that they cant get my papers sorted because they dont ahve a 'school registration number" for the new school yet..

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject:

I hate it because I do enjoy the teaching. When I was down in Seosan I had a great time, the kids adored me and the director loved me.

The only other foreigner that I met was an ozzy who had been in the Korean ESL system for some time. He arrived at the place where I was working to tak to the director as he was teaching at a different hagwon elsewhere. I turned out he pulled a runner from this place after two days (but as he was living in SK he did not forego any of the travel costs)

But the position that I am in now is NOT what I was hired to do through the recruiter. I am the only English teacher there, there are only 5 students and the school isn't even open yet so I'm not leaving another poor foreigner to clean up my mess.

I guess that I am getting overly paranoid about the consequences.

The work is great, but I have another serious job that I am walking into back in England next December.

Brocky · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject: .