Korean Job Discussion Forums

[korea.teacher]

In a previous post I mentioned my hagwon terminated me for personal reasons which Labor has already said is unjustified.

Labor even had the owner reimburse me for unpaid wages this week.

The hagwon told me they would give me a Letter of Release if I would submit a letter of resignation. I decided to follow posters advice not to do that.

Question: Can the employer try to pull a fast one at Immigration after my last day at work ?

[sarbonn]

It doesn't sound like you really have a lot of reasons to trust them, but who am I to know what they might or might not do. I don't see why they need a letter of resignation from you in order to give you a letter of release. It just sounds like there's something more going on there, like they're going to lay the whole thing on you and then step back and point fingers, rather than doing anything to make amends. It's really hard to tell because some people will treat you very fairly on an up and up kind of basis, while others will nickle and dime you to death and then steal a quarter from you while you're not looking.

[CentralCali]

They don't need a resignation letter from the OP to give him a release letter. They need the resignation letter so they can prove to the Labor Board that the OP screwed them over and thus owes them more than they owe him.

[korea.teacher]

I'm not going to give them a letter of release, but I'm worried about them pulling something at Immigration that could cause problems for me when applying for another postion before leaving the country.

I'll maybe have a better idea after visiting Immigration today.

[OculisOrbis]

They could try, but they'd really have to have a hate on for you. If they already gave you the release letter then don't sweat it too much cause there's nothing you can do about it. Although the chances of anything happening are slim to nil, just be prepared to take a week long vacation somewhere while you wait for your new issuance number after you leave Korea.

If they gave you termination notice, but not a release letter, it should be your employer that cancels the visa at immi since it belongs to them, not really you. I have heard of some people canceling it themselves without leaving korea, but not many. If you have the termination docu with their stamp then it might get accepted, but to guarantee it - you need to bring your employer to immi with you. You dont need to be there except to confirm they actually did it and to receive your exit order.

[korea.teacher]

I meant to say, I'm not going to give them a resignation letter in order to get a letter of release.

My worry is that without the letter of release I cannot apply for another position while I'm in country.

If I can't apply for another visa issuance number after my hagwon cancels my visa, then I'm going to need another background check.

[korea.teacher]

UPDATE

I just spoke to Immigration and they said that after cancelling my visa,

(a) I can then request to stay in country for up to 29 days in my Exit Order, and

(b) can immediately have a new employer submit my documents to Immigration to issue a new visa number for a trip to Japan.

[michaelambling]

[korea.teacher]

Update: I just visited Immigration yesterday.

Besides a 30 day Exit Order, if you return to Immigration during that time you can get an extra 2 weeks if you have a plane or boat ticket.