Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Korussian]

ttompatz commented previously on the requirements if a teacher on a GEPIK contract wants to work at two different public schools within the same area, but what happens if you want to cancel at the original school?

If I understood his previous comments correctly, although both employers must agree and there is some formal paperwork involved between them, immigration's involvement is minimal, and no new VISA documentation needs to be gathered (crc, diploma, transcripts, etc).

My question: what happens if a GEPIK-contracted teacher at a private high school wants to transfer fully to a different public school (middle or high) in the same town? Is this do-able without going through the full Letter of Transfer/Release process?

What are the steps that result in the least amount of hassle for everybody, assuming that the administration at the former school is amenable to the switch?

[BrianInSuwon]

This is an interesting question. I wish someone that has gone through transferring schools within the GEPIK program would comment on this. I've seen the section of the contract and have always kept that in the back of my mind. You could start by asking a GEPIK representative:

Miss Wenise Kim - for Elementary Schools
[email protected]

Miss Dain Bae - for Middle or High Schools
[email protected]

[jadarite]

After the 9 month mark, all I needed was a LOR. I had to get all the other stuff because I came here last year and the CRC rules weren't in place then. I didn't have to leave the country to get a GEPIK job.

I would assume going from a GEPIK school to another would be easier, with all parties in favor of the change. Why not go to immigration and just ask them?

[Korussian]

[cruisemonkey]

This is pure speculation on my part (and I'm with EPIK not GEPIK); however, my ARC has my school name and address on it. Therefore, I believe that to 'officially' change schools, I would have to have letters from both schools and involve Immigration.

That being said, there's a weird 'grey area' whereby PS teachers can teach at any school/training institute within the juristiction of the employer - in my case the Superintendent of the POE.

Perhaps the resident expert - ttompatz - can answer this one?

[Korussian]

[cruisemonkey]

My employer is not on the the ARC.

However, the place of employment is - my school name (in Hangul) is immediately after the address on the front, lower left.

[Korussian]

[cruisemonkey]

When you write "my addess" do you mean your residence, or the school?

I know there's a slim possibility they're the same - I used to work in a very rural area where the high school school had a faculty apartment building on campus.

[Korussian]

[cruisemonkey]

Ok... this just gets weirder.

If only your residence is listed on your ARC, how could you 'add' a place of employment if you wanted to work two jobs?... (unless you work from home).

If Immi. doesn't know where you work (which I find difficult to believe), it seems to me you could just switch schools (with the principals' permission) and no one would be the wiser.

[Perceptioncheck]

I don't know if it's the same, but my employer is EPIK and I personally know of someone who transferred schools mid-contract (but not in the middle of semesters).

He requested the change through the local Education Office. I'm not sure whether he went through his co-teacher or he contacted the office directly, but the transfer was pretty hassle-free and he didn't have to inform immigration because the local education office - and not the school - was his employer as per his contract.

Don't know if that helps or what the deal is with the ARC. Why don't you just ring your Wenise or Dain Bae; there's no harm in asking.

[Korussian]

[sojusucks]

If you want to transfer, both schools must agree and you should get a letter of release which is required by immigration (in order to continue on the same visa).

You could resign and have your school cancel your visa. That would involve going through the visa process again and is usually a last resort. But it IS an option if the school refuses to allow you to transfer.