Korean Job Discussion Forums

[quercus]

Hi,
my wife from NZ has just been given her US visa. if she travels to the US they will give her a social security card and green card at the port of entry. if she then comes back to korea, or through some other way files for her korean pension with her US social security number, can she then be awarded her 8 years worth of pension she has saved up? NZ has no pension agreement with korea so she will be screwed otherwise.

has anyone ever done this before?

any advice or suggestions appreciated.
thanks

[kinerry]

[quercus]

no dipshit.

if there is a way we can do it, then it isn't a scam is it. if her nationality changes because she has a US greencard, or korea accepts that as falling under their K/US agreements then its good luck. not a scam.

if there isn't a way to get it then in that case it would be a scam. korea takes money from her for a pension she can never use.

[Gaber]

[kinerry]

Well if you paid into the system, that's a whole different deal.

Sorry for the rush to judge, but I had to deal with a lazy-ass mother that scammed welfare for her entire life. I'm not a fan of the leeches of society.

[Hightop]

If NZ ever gets an agreement with Korea it will be a beautiful day. I would be on a plane and ready to collect.

[southernman]

I wish your wife all the best!!

As another New Zealander, I can only say that as it stands the system is a rort. We pay our dues and the Government just keeps our involuntary contribution. I pay 120 000 a month so i'm less than impressed to say the least, and I've been here over 2.5 years

NZ soldiers were here for the K war and died here, so i'm really at a loss as to why we don't qualify for the pension. Damn we've even got a Korean born Member of our Parliament. Both of out Govt's are on pretty good terms, so I think its only a matter of time before we do qualify, but you'd be silly to wait for any two Govt's to act.

The system is the system and this sounds like a nice way to finese it. I used to work for the NZ Govt and its a sad fact of life that Govt regulations are very black and white, there are no grey areas.

Your situation just seems like a very good way for your wife to get what she's entitled to.

I'm glad the previous poster apologised, as he'd obviously misread your original post, I can only hope he pays more attention when he's marking his student's exam's

[tokkibunni8]

120,000won? that is a lot. I wonder if I've been paying the right amount.

Anyhow, I don't think your wife would be able to get her money back. I'm assuming it all comes down to citizenship and even though she may have her greencard she is not a citizen of America.

[southernman]

Couldn't agree more, I think it's a lot too. Maybe i'm paying more than I should, but the office manager seems very switched on, so I think he's kosher.

I'm a level 1 public school teacher, teaching at three rural elementary schools.. but its still money i'm not going to see again soon, if ever!

[hellofaniceguy]

[Otus]

There's nothing discriminatory about New Zealanders not being able to receive the pension pay out. Any employee in Korea from a country that has a reciprocal agreement with this country, can receive the pension. New Zealand does not, so the same rules apply to Koreans working in New Zealand who are non-citizens.

A reciprocal agreement was negotiated between Korea and Australia a few years ago and there were some attempts being made with New Zealand, but it obviously hasn't come to fruition.

I'm guessing - but perhaps because NZ has such a general welfare system, it is probably extremely difficult to trace exactly how much individuals pay into that system - hence making a negotiation and ratification quite difficult.

[Gaber]

[santafly]

Uhmm......

OP, you have some interesting ideas about the way immigration works. I used to be married to a Peruvian so I have some experience in this area.

What kind of visa does your wife have? You need to apply for her 2 year green card - thats the first step in a long and ridiculous process that may or may not lead to a 10 year green card - proof of permanent residency.

Regardless, none of that pertains to her getting a U.S. passport, the document she would need to get her pension money. She would have to become a U.S. citizen to get the passport, that is an entirely different process. Your social security card isn't accepted as proof of anything abroad.

Getting some pension money is the least of your concerns.

[santafly]

Of course - I could be wrong or maybe things have changed in the past 5 years.

You should really talk to an immigration attorney

[tzechuk]

I don't know if the following will help you or not....

A couple of years ago, I had a phone call from the pension office telling me to go and collect my penson because I switched from a national one to a private one, due to changing my job...

The lady there told me I had 2 choices - 1 was to keep the money in and draw it out once a month when I was old enough or 2. take it all out.

She asked me what passport I had, I told her I have one issed by the British Government and one by the HK Gvt. She said to me to bring along the one from HK, as I would then be able to withdraw the lump sum I had already contributed. She said I wouldn't be able to do it with my UK one.

So - I was going to say *yes* to your question, but thinking about it, I am not so sure. I am thinking that your wife has to be a full US citizen before they will give you a refund, and that the SS# and the Green Card aren't going to be enough...