Korean Job Discussion Forums

[grainger]

Okay, so last Friday I found out that the next time I renew my visa I am going to be asked for a FEDERAL Criminal Record Check. This is not an impossible task but it is time consuming - 4 months + mail time - and requires that I have my finger prints taken. So on Monday I went into my office and asked the Korean staff to hunt down a place where I can go to get my finger prints taken. This is the respones I got:

About the finger print,

I heard that it needs only for an entry person who might be possible to coomit a crime as follow a decision.

Now because this is my life their playing with and since I was fairly certain that the foriegn supervisor who had told me about the issue after getting his own visa renewed wasn't lying I politely asked her to double check her information since she could probably find out more accurate information through Korean channels than I could through English ones. This is her second response:

I asked about the finger print but there is nothing should be done with finger print in Korea.
That should be done in your conuntry they said.

Now you would think it obvious that I cannot fly home to Canada just to get my fingerprints taken. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to idiots; or that I'm in one of those comedy skits where people just keep talkin around each other, neither one understanding what the other one wants.

Survival instructions:

Step #1: Stand in front of brick wall.
Step #2: Repeatedly bang head on wall until you feel better or black out.
Step #3: Repeat as required.

I have sent a reply indicating my mild irritation and attaching the instructions for gaining a criminal record check from the RCMP home page which, if you're interested, can be found here: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

Hopefully, we can get this sorted out. If not, does anyone know where you can get a good teaching job in Canada? Or, any job for that matter?

[bcjinseoul]

You can just order some ink and print cards online, fingerprint yourself, and mail it in...well, I'm American, that's what I do. First with a statewide and more recently with an FBI-wide...

[Drew345]

Where did you order the ink and print cards online? I am concerned about using stamp pad ink I can buy at the local bookstore. I read that you should submit about 10 sets of prints to have them accept one, and not sure the local police dept. is down with that.

The timeline seems a little more difficult to manage.

FBI check must be within last 6 months.
FBI check takes 3 months plus one month for Applstile.
University interviewers wants successful candidates to have CBC in hand at the interview.
Interview is 3 months before the start date.
If the FBI check really takes as long as they claim, it is not possible to have it in hand for the interview.

PS. I think that the FBI check date is actually stamped at time of issue, not time of submission. But this leads to problem of having to guess how long they will take so that they stamp it issues after Sept 1 and not before Aug 31.

[OculisOrbis]

All Canadian checks are done using the federal database. I dont see why you even need an RCMP check. The Winnipeg Police Services provide a check to Canadians outside Canada without fingerprints and, depending on how you arrange the mail, it can take as little as 10 days to receive it. The check has a statement on the bottom of the page referring the the national database source.

The new regs state that it must be a national level check,, not that it must be issued by a national law enforcement service. The new regs are geared mainly towards americans who now require an FBI check because state checks are sometimes regional and an out-of-state check may not show if they were convicted of a crime in another state. The FBI check closes that loophole for americans.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/police/BPR/info_request.stm#crim_record_search

I would get the WPS check because you can do that very quickly and if you insist on also getting an RCMP check, you can have your fingerprints taken at pretty much any larger sized korean police station for submission to the RCMP.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

" If you are OUTSIDE OF CANADA :

contact the nearest police force which offers fingerprinting services. The RCMP will accept fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following:

rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink
full name, date of birth and sex of the applicant
the name and address of the police agency
the signature of the official taking the fingerprints "

[tiger fancini]

[NYC_Gal]

Print the papers off from the FBI site.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

Go with a Korean friend to a LARGER police station. You may need to "shop around" before you find one that will. You WILL find one.

Get multiple sets, as the FBI sometimes rejects bad prints.

Fear not.

[grainger]

If I was in a time crunch I would definitely do the Winnipeg check and hope for the best, but since I don't have to renew until February I have some time to do some hoop jumping.

This is the formal English Translation of the new regulations that I recieved this morning. Thankfully, my employer and I now seem to be on the same wavelength and she has said she will find me someplace to get it done. I'm in a relatively small town so I probably can't just walk into the local station house without causing a mild panic.

Conversation teacher (E-2) related system improvement notice.

1. Aim of improvement.
When first applying for the visa status for the first time, although it takes some time we will verify the qualification thoroughly. After the verification is done the related procedure will be greatly simplified.

2. The details
○ Criminal background check reinforcement
- A criminal background check from your own country's government which covers the whole country's information is required.
- According to the Korean immigration law a criminal background check from the Korean Ambassador of your country will not be accepted.(But, if the document is issued by the verification of your own government and it is proved, the document will be exceptionally accepted.)
- Until 2010.12.31 the criminal background check from either central government, local government or the Ambassador in other country except Korea will be accepted. But, when the time applying for alien registration or the next sojourn related application is made, you will have to hand in the criminal back ground check which is nationwide version.
- Foreign conversation teacher(E-2) who came into Korea before 2010.7.15 and does not fit in the required condition of the changed regulation of handing in the Criminal Background Check document, which covers the whole country's information. Foreigner must hand in the sufficient document the immigration office requires. After 2011.1.1 if foreigner makes an application related to sojourn(extension, workplace transfer, visa status transfer, activities beyond the limits of current status) should hand in the sufficient document. The Criminal Background Check document is required once during the foreigner's Korea sojourn period.
*caution: Although the sojourn related application is made before 2011.1.1, and the expiration date of the foreigner's visa status is after 2011.1.1 should also hand in the sufficient document to the foreigner's local immigration office by the time the application is made.


○ The change of 'self verification of the original diploma' system
- Starting from 2010.9.1 applying for the visa issuance number and sojourn related work(extension, workplace transfer, visa status transfer, activities beyond the limits of current status)should hand in a diploma copy or a obtained degree certificate or a graduation certificate, which has gotten a apostille stamp or a verification from the Korean consulate of the foreigner's own country or a verification from the Korean Council for University Education to the immigration office. The document is required once during the foreigner's Korea sojourn period.
*caution: Although the sojourn related application is made before 2010.9.1, and the expiration date of the foreigner's visa status is after 2010.9.1 should also hand in the sufficient document to the foreigner's local immigration office by the time the application is made.

* The original rule for submitting the original diploma and sealed transcript system will be abolished.(from 2010.9.1)
* Submitting the sealed transcript will be omitted.(from 2010.9.1)

○ The simplification of required documents of re-applying for a certificate of visa issuance approval
- Criminal background check
� Those who had stayed overseas under 3months to issue a visa status can omit the document.(If staying over 3month overseas, the document should be submitted when the foreigner applies alien registration.)
- Certificate of obtain degree
� Those who submitted a verified document can omit it.

○ An additional sojourn period when applying for a certificate of visa issuance approval.
- When the visa status is issued, additional 1month (term of contract+ 1month) will be added to the term of a contract.(within maximum 2 years)
* Example) When applying for a certificate of visa issuance approval. after making 1year contract between a teacher and the employer, teacher will get additional 1month from the ending date of the contract.

○ Marijuana test is added to the drug test list.
- Since the crime related to Marijuana is happening again and again, Cannabinoid test has been added to the drug test list.
* List of medical check : To check the fact of taking drugs such as Philopon, Heroin, Meta Amphetamine, Amphetamine, Marijuana etc. TBPE test and Cannabinoid test should be taken.


○ Medical check can only be done in specific hospitals.
- For the reliance of the result of the drug test the headquarters of immigration is going to select a specific hospital which has a perfect system for the drug test.
- To select a specific hospital the headquarters of immigration will get help from the Ministry of Public Welfare of Korea. Hospitals which have perfect check system will get the priority of the selection. And to give less difficulty for those who live far the selection will be made near every local immigration offices. Also official announcement will be made.
* In the closest future medical check document will be accepted when they are from the selected hospitals.

○ A revision of HIV infected people regulations.
- By the regulation, just because of the reason infected to HIV, no rejection will happen when applying for a certificate of visa issuance approval or get their visa status canceled or will not be forced to leave Korea.(from 2010.7.15)

For further information contact the immigration call center (1345 without district number)

[WadRUG'naDoo]

I'm soooooooooooooooo frigging glad I don't have to deal with this kind of crap anymore.