Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Baron]

Ultimate poopstorm, gosh darn corrupt hagwon owners.

Okay, I got here around the end of Feb, let's just say there was a mutual decision made arond the middle of June that I would find another achool. We left on good terms, he gave a glowing referance to any school that rang looking for a reference and I secured a new job beginning around the end of July.
The new school came to an arrangement with my old hagwon to delay transferring the visa until September so I would be over the 6 month threshold and thus could get a visa transfer instead of Japan Visa run.

Everything was fine, they were goofing around a little bit paying my July salary, paying me a little bit every week, I rang the hagwon yesterday and talked to one of the directors (2 directors in my school) and he told me he would pay my salary bit by bit every week.

No problem until this morning, my new hagwon owner rang the old hagwon to discuss transferring he visa and he told her that he tried to contact me but couldn't get through so he assumed I had left he country and thus canceled my visa. Why in the blue hell would he do that? He knew I had cancelled my phone contract and had a new number, he had my email address and I had been talking to direcotr 2 many times over the last month trying to secure my Jly salary so that is complete BS. What a snide spiteful horrible man.

My new school is telling me not to worry and that they will get me new visa but Im pretty sure Im a lot of trouble aren't I?

Won't immigration want to fine me a big amount when I try to leave for every day I stayed over from when the visa was cancelled? My new school say they are going to explain everything to new school but I can't see immigration being to sympathetic? I have bee working there illegally for the past month after all as I am only over the 6 month threshold within the last few days. Im not sure when he cancelled the visa, I think maybe one or two weeks ago. Do I need to leave the country immediatly and come back on a toursit visa? I have all the documents ready to get a new visa right now, would that be a better option? I would have to do it before September 1st though because my degree scroll isn't apostilled? What a poopstorm.

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[Big Mac]

Immigration won't be too sympathetic to the fact that you were working at a new school under your old school's visa. That is illegal. The fact that you were working illegally without a visa AND for a time under a visa that was only valid at another school means that yes, you will be in trouble.

You should never have agreed to work at another school under the old visa. Your old boss should never have agreed to it either. He was right to cancel your visa because it could have got him into a lot of trouble.

I guess this is a lesson to all that your visa is your responsibility. You need to make sure that your visa is valid and that you are abiding by the terms of the visa. Don't leave it up to slimy hogwan owners.

Don't know what to say, other than go to the airport prepared to be in trouble and just be as apologetic as possible. Pay the fine willingly.

By the way, I think that since you broke immigration's rules you will not be able to get a new visa in Japan. I know of people who have had minor infractions who have had to go back to get their visa in their home country.

[ttompatz]

GO TO IMMIGRATION.

They are not your enemy. They are not looking to screw you or get you deported.

Explain your circumstances and work with them to get yourself straightened away.

IF you are in fact illegal (by circumstance) you MAY get fined (but I doubt if if you go in first to get things fixed) or more likely you may get a simple warning.

It will depend on the specific circumstances and the officer adjudicating your case will make the decision when you get there. They do have some latitude in cases like this.

Don't delay. The sooner you get it done the better you will look (rather than getting caught for something as you try to sneak out of the country).

Be apologetic and polite. They will do whatever they can, within the law, to get your status fixed or instruct you in what you need to do to get legal again.

.

[Milwaukiedave]

+1 to what Tom said. The only thing I'd add is practice crying. Maybe they'll feel sorry for you and let you off with a slap on the wrist if you shed some tears.

[kingasiatic88]

ttompatz is always dropin gems on us 85ers.

i'd say follow his advice.

[Baron]

i guess it's my own fault for getting involved in such a shady arrangement in the first place, I guess I trust people too much, that's my problem.

Okay, I'll give you a brief synopsis of the situation. I left school around the end of July, stated working for new school immediatly, I had only worked at old school for five months so my old school agreed to sponser my visa for another month until the six month threshold had passed and then he would give a letter of release saying I had worked until the end of August, thus letting me transfer to my new school around end of August/begining of Sep. Figure it out for yourselves why he agreed to this although all this was arranged behind my back.

I thought everything was going as planned, the only issue was that the old hagwon did not pay my July salary, there were a lot of deductions in fairness and they said there were bills to be sorted out and they were payng me 200, 300 bucks every week this month so I thought I would get it all eventualyl or at least a decent proportion of it.

Then today, the new school tells me that old school has ot sent the LOR as per the agreement and that when they rang to enquire; my old director said he had cancelled my visa as he thought I had left the country as he could not get through to my phone (what bull, I have been ringing the co-director every week to enquire about my July salary).

I then spent the day stressing out (exhibit A above) thinking I was going to have to pay a massive fine and that I might not be able to get a new VISA as I was now here illegally.

The new school was contacting the old school and told me to leave it to them but taking the advice I got on board here, I decided to see what the situation with the VISA was myself. Im not exactly sure whether the new school is being totally honest with me eiher, it's a very shady situation and Im sure I don't know the half of what's going on.

I rang the old director, was very nice and friendly, I know conflict (especially between a young waeguk and a director was unlikley to get me anywhere) so just asked very politely what was going on with my VISA. He was very cheery and nice and just told me not to worry, he hadn't cancelled my VISA and everything was being taken care of with my new school.

The new school then contacted him (they also told me he was directly lying about that and lots of other stuff) and hetld them he hadn't sent the docment as there were some further "administrative" costs to pay associated with the VISA transfer. He then said if they didn't pay it, they would take it out of my July salary which of course they still haven't paid (it's all suddenly starting to make sense now). The new school thus agreed to pay the "admin" costs and he has promised to send the LOR to the school now. I hope there not so foolish to pay before it arrives this time. It also explains why he didn't give my the LOR on my last day with the old school as he told my new school he would.

What slimy corrupt individuals.

Im hoping everything works out now. Anyone know if I need to go to the immigration office with him though to arrange a transfer?

Also, does this September 1st new regulations effect visa transfers? I have all of my documents because I anticipated I would need a new VISA but don't have my degree scroll apostilled.

In conclusion, what a mess...

[languistic]

Two solutions:

1. Follow ttompatz' advice.

2. Follow ttompatz' advice.

[ttompatz]

Best case = old director and new director go with you to get it taken care of.

OK circumstance= new director and LOR. You have until Wednesday to get the transfer done without the new degree rules kicking in,

Less than Idea but still better than waiting = get your ass into immi at your earliest convenience (Monday is good).

Explain what happened, work with them to get yourself (and your status) legal again.

Worst case = you get an exit order (required to leave), leave, return at your earliest convenience on a B1 tourist stamp and have to being the E2 process all over again (with a full set of new documents).

.

[grant gerstners]