Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Holyjoe]

Quick question - I have the F-2-1 visa, and I applied for an E-2 permission to teach for my new school recently. The official at immigration said I could pick up my alien card and passport this weekend, which is fair enough.

My new boss asked me if I'd be able to work from this week but I said 'no' as the visa isn't entirely processed and I just won't take the risk of it being the wrong thing to do. He was OK with that, so I'll start next week instead.

I'm assuming that because I don't have my passport & alien card back with the stamp yet that it's not OK to teach...
Right decision? Wrong decision?

[ulsanchris]

From a legal stand point you have made the right decision. Usually it is better to be safe than sorry.
Personally i wouldn't have sweated it so much as long as i knew my visa was going to be in my hand in a couple of weeks.
I imagine your boss isn't too happy about this. From what I gather most Koreans are not to bothered to follow the law to the letter. He probably expected you to be working during that time. He might be thinking that you are a fussy foriegner. I hope this doesn't affect your working relationship.
Good on you for standing up for your rights.

[Holyjoe]

Yeah, but I had a problem similar to what Derrek experienced, in that my old school had farmed me out to a 2nd hagwon for a few hours a week to make up my contract hours, and immigration came to that 2nd school. They hadn't filled out the paperwork like they said they had.
Having had that happen before (and I've already told the new boss about that) I don't really want to have anything like that happen again so it's why I refused to work this week, just to be on the safe side.

[Squid]

Similarly, I would say don't worry too much... especially as you have an F2.
If you have your application in it's a rubber stamp procedure for your next employment anyway... get thee to work you lazy bugger!