Korean Job Discussion Forums

[.shes.got.seoul.]

I know this topic has been covered, but I have some specific questions about it...so any help would be appreciated.
I am currently working for a hagwon and am thinking about quitting my job 3 months early, at the end of July. Idealy I would like to go home for a month and then return to work for public school at the end of Aug. I'm wondering if:
I need to get a letter of release in this case, since I am going home to Canada for a month.
If I do get a LOR, does that mean I do not have to go through the process of applying for a new visa, even though I will be going home?
Can my hagwon prevent me from doing this (returning to work at a different school) if I give them notice when I quit? (I know they won't be paying my flight home, but is there anything else?)
Thanks alot.

[Straphanger]

[.shes.got.seoul.]

Sure, why I want to quit?
Mainly because I don't enjoy my job all that much (I enjoy teaching, but my hogwan is unorganized, I don't get paid on time...ever, the parents are crazy, etc. etc) and I'd really like to work for SMOE, which means I have to quit my job early as those jobs begin at the end of Aug. And if I'm going to stay another year I have to go home first...
so I just want some advice from anyone who's had some experience with this...
thanks

[lifeinkorea]

Well, the good thing is you will be past the 9 month mark. If I were you, I wouldn't go back home and try to get a transfer of location. The hagwon would probably like it since it would save them a flight home and severance. You could stay in Korea and start working at another school. That's all if you want another year here. I did this last year, and I used a goshitel for the transition. It worked out very nice, and I just extended the current visa after location was changed (did it all in one visit at immigration).

If you really want to go home, then you'll have to pay for it and you won't get severance. If you don't mind the loss in money with no exchange, then you'll have to submit all the paperwork for a new visa. It will be more time consuming, and if you try to go to a public school they might not accept you worked for a year since you left before the year was up.

A LOR just says you can get a job elsewhere before your current visa expires. Going home pretty much nullifies the need for this in your case. You just have a 2 month overlap. Try to get an exit order before you leave. If you can't, then either wait out the 2 months or see if the school will give the letter of release considering they won't be paying your airfare home or severance. They might do this. You just have to give the impression you don't want to end the contract (and you won't unless the school wants to save some money). This will secure you get to work for the new school year. If the school finds out you want to leave early, they may do nothing, as they know they will be saving money and won't have to try firing tactics to avoid the flight home and severance.