Korean Job Discussion Forums

acrocs · Joined: 01 Dec 2008

Hey all, I need some quick advice.

I am getting my visa tomorrow and I have just been informed that I have to get the ticket, which the school will reimburse me after the medical check. However on the contract it says that I will be provided with a ticket before departure. When I emailed the agent on this, the reply was that tickets are difficult to buy online in Korea, They said they tried to book it online but they couldn't do it.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

I agree with ttompatz on this one. Not only are they saying they won't pay for it upfront, but they are lying to you.

If you are getting your visa, why do you need to get medical? I thought you provide the documents first, and then get the visa. Has the procedure changed?

If I had to get medical, after I already got the visa, then I would rather pay for it and have the school fly me to Korea. However, that also depends on other things I would need to see in the contract.

Another thing is that the visa is now under their control basically. It's harder to change jobs when you arrive in Korea. Maybe you could negotiate a letter of release swap for the ticket money Laughing

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

It's probably not a big deal....but it could be huge! Are you willing to risk buying a $1500 plane ticket on the hope that someone you never met is going to pay you back later...even though he already promised to buy it for you in writing...and he is giving you a BS excuse about not being able to get one? And then travel to a new country with the hope that he will pick you up at the airport and honor his arrangement? The amount of risk and difficulties involved are placed much more on the native teacher to get to Korea. For this reason, it is fair that the schools pay for the plane tickets.

Major red flag. Either A) the school was burned in the past or B) the school doesn't have $1500 to buy you a ticket this month.

Although many schools are starting to not offer airfare, I would never accept an offer from one. The question is, how much do you trust your recruiter? How much money do you have to burn? What kind of situation are you in right now at home in terms of living without employment for a while longer?

Have you already gotten the visa stamp in your passport? If so, you may need to wait quite a while to get a new one. Maybe someone with more info can comment on how long you need to wait after getting a stamp or a visa issuance number before you can get a new one.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

visa issuance number - 90 days.
American with visa - 1 year.
Others with visa - 90 days.

.

ontheway · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:43 am Post subject: Re: Airline ticket question

acrocs · Joined: 01 Dec 2008

Thank you everybody for your replies, all has certainly been taken onboard.

To answer a few questions:

Going to a hagwan?

Yes, and a small one.

If you are getting your visa, why do you need to get medical? I thought you provide the documents first, and then get the visa. Has the procedure changed?

I have to fill out a medical form here in Australia, then when I arrive in Korea I have to have a medical check.

how muchor do you trust your recruiter?

Not alot, we had problems before about what was stated on the ad was different to reality. However I do not know how much this is the fault of the recruiter and the employer.

Have you already gotten the visa stamp in your passport?

The visa stamp arrives today and they want me to go to korea tomorrow.

I will contact the korean embassy and get an official word on where I would stand with my visa if either I don't go, or I go, but the school refuses to pay, and I want to work somewhere else. I will assume I wont get a letter from the school in this case.

acrocs · Joined: 01 Dec 2008

For those that are interested:

The Korean embassy in Australia said if I decide not to go, I have to go through the whole process again, but I don't have to wait the 90 days.

If I go and things go bad, then there are organizations to help get the letter of release. Whilst I am sure that wont be so simple, I also understand a visa run to Japan will be also possible, but that was not confirmed by the embassy.

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

acrocs · Joined: 01 Dec 2008

Thanks for the info jrwhite82.

I guess the problems I have is how much is this a crappy agent and how much is the school. I don't know enough of the relationship and responsibilities to fully know.

I have asked again for clarification of the other parts of the contract and they have stated again that the clauses are how it will be. But if they have broken it once.....

And to answer your questions might not make you or I feel much better. I have had very limited contact with the school since the interview, and the information I got from the other teacher was via email.

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

Well, I don't know what other advice to give. If the other teacher said he liked the school and they payed on time and in full, the apartment was decent, its in a location you think you will like, the hours are reasonable, you get insurance and pension, etc...then just go for it.

If you are having reservations and didn't get a good vibe, trust your gut and look for something else.

No job is going to be perfect (in your home country and here in Korea). But you have to make a standard for yourself. If this (one of your first interactions with the school) has broken that standard, then don't work there.

50ptoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2011

the hagwon I worked at did something stupid like this. I didn't have a problem paying for the ticket and them repaying me, but when it came time for them to repay me, they wanted to wait 6 months to do it. I finally got half of the money then, and the rest in 6 months. that's some bait and switch BS to me. beware

CPJ · Joined: 30 Dec 2008

NEVER pay for your own flight!

Obviously, if you are going to a public school, you probably have no choice so it is a matter of whether you will take the job or not. But why do they do this? It's because many teachers that arrive will not like the location that they receive so you can't back out.

However, there is no upside for you to buy your own flight at all if you work at a hagwon. Any hagwon that makes you buy your own flight is doing so because it gives them an option to fire you once you arrive and they don't have to worry about the flight cost. If they meet you in person and they don't like something about you, then there is less incentive for them to work with you. Or if they have another teacher that they like more that wants the job, you can be fired.

And the notion that good hagwons do not buy the flight upfront is also not true.

That is why schools like CDI do the reimbursement. They know that the teacher or the school might not be happy once work starts so it puts them off the hook if a teacher wants to quit or they want to let the teacher go.

Also, it's so easy to buy a ticket in Korea. Just tell the school or recruiter to call any travel agent in Korea and they can issue an e-ticket. If they give you some excuse, then means they are lying to you. If they're going to lie to you about this, what else will they lie about once you arrive.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:26 am Post subject:

Reimbursed airfare can be pretty routine or it can be a pain in the butt.

It depends on your school but Tom is right, the red flag is up with them waiting until you get your ARC. Then again, they just might be protecting their investment (paying to bring you over).