Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kecharakittie]

[mooncake08]

In contrast to what shostahoosier had said its not a visa for 90 days the Visa is valid for one year but it says we have 90 days to enter korea. 90 days from the date you applied. We can change it to multi-entry once we arrivein korea apparently.

[kemek]

I've been on the wait list but my recruiter (Korea Connections) just let me know that I've been upgraded to "hired" and my NOA should arrive next week. I've been accepted to Gyeongbuk. I assume I'll be going to the August orientation then.

I'm trying not to get too excited because I haven't received any kind of correspondence from EPIK yet.

Anyone else heard anything?

[JBomb]

the multiple entry is a good idea if you are planning on heading out for your vacation or for the odd long weekend. It is a big green sticker you can purchase when you head to the local immigration office to get your Alien Registration Card. Some Americans get it automatically some don't. It is kind of a luck of the draw thing from what I am told by some of my American friends here. Try to get all that sorted very quickly once you get here because we will have virtually a week off for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving/Day of the Dead) at the end of September. Most of Korea closes for this so a lot of people are heading out of the country. Otherwise it can be really boring and also really difficult to book trains or take buses around the country as everyone Korean heads to their hometown.

[partlythere]

So us EPIK people work for a month, then get a week off?? I love my life.

[JBomb]

yep. My school has September 21, 22, 23, and 24th off which leads right into the weekend. I have heard some schools are even taking Monday the 20th off as well. Enjoy. But ya expect everything closed. Everything. A group of us last year did a big Seoul trip and even going out partying at night there was nothing to do.

[partlythere]

I'm going to Busan. It'll be a perfect time to get to know the beach and have barbecues down there if possible. Oh yeah!

[daveweave2]

[quote="Ebrown"]The essay kind of tripped me up too. I wrote what I figured was 500 words since it filled up half the page, only to double check while I was doing my revision and it came up as like 254. Cue me struggling for another hour to finally hit 510.[/quote]

I know this is off the subject but I wanted all of you to be informed.
I am a two year EPIK vet here and I wanted to inform you all about the Residency Certification, this is stated in your contract but not explained at all. Its a form you have to apply for from the IRS Residency Certification Division in Philadelphia. Basically what it states is you have payed or filed taxes last year in the US. You need this form to be exempt from Korean income tax. If your a newbie most likely you filed taxes last year, so you will be okay, but it took them 4 months to tell me I wasn't qualified. If you have been here longer then two years you are not going to be able to have your Korean Tax exempted. Here is the tricky part, if you have been here more than a year and had only foreign income and filed a foreign income exemption form along with your 1040 you aren't qualified to receive a Residency Certification, and they should take Korean income tax out of your paycheck. So when EPIK says two years tax free that's a lie first year maybe (but you still have to file or pay American tax), but the second year you should decide according to your situation if you need to pay Korean or American tax. If you want to pay Korean tax file the foreign income exemption form at tax time, if not pay your American tax and you can get a residency certification. I called the IRS and this is how they explained it to me, won't post again I am leaving, I wish you all good luck.

[fergalreid]

EPIK Fall 2010 is ONE PERSON away from THREE HUNDRED MEMBERS!

[kemek]

Received my tracking number last night from my recruiter for my NOA. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll have my visa in hand.

[Zoisite]

Hey guys, you can apply for a F-4 VISA instead if you are eligible right?

andddd

anyone else have to that that mandatory pre-orientation stuff?

[THCbud]

EVERYONE has to do that online pre-orientation thing.

[kecharakittie]

Has anyone received a login for the pre-orientation thing yet? I haven't seen anything in my inbox yet.

[Zoisite]

Sure have, I got mine the day after receiving word of my NoA being sent. they did send it to the wrong email though...

You have until January 11,2011 to do it or something... I just finished it, its pretty tedious... and you feel like you are in sesame street, and it is supposed to take you 15 hours.

[Morticae]