Korean Job Discussion Forums

[david]

I was let go from a hogwan in February 2012. I was ten months into a contract and was dismayed to hear that I wouldn't be receiving airfare and a severance. My reason for dismissal was financial and my boss provided me with a reference that helped me obtain a job in the Seoul area at a hogwan.

I went to Immigration with my boss not long after being hired and Immigration gave me until May 20, 2012 to obtain a National CRC and two apostilled University diplomas. I was able to obtain the apostilled diplomas, but am still waiting for a CRC as I lost a set of fingerprints and had to get fingerprinted again. ( My boss thinks I sent the CRC request in early March, but I didn't do so until late April. I didn't inform either Immigration or my boss regarding The CRC because I feared that it would put my job, and the roof over my head, in jeopardy.)

Immigration issued the visa, retroactive to March 1 , and wrote March 30, 2013 on the back of my ARC. My boss has been on me daily about The CRC and says that The BOE will fine him if they discover that I'm working w/o the CRC. My take was that The BOE wouldn't fine him as The Immigration official granted my visa, upon a condition conveyed verbally by my hogwan owner, that I submit The CRC when it arrives. I am of the opinion that my boss is wrong and that the BOE official, if to visit, would consult Immigration, learn about my visa status, and simply request that I submit the CRC when it arrives.

One last thing: My work environment is awful and the boss has done a number of things to me at work that nearly led me to walk out and quit my job for good. It is becoming abundantly clear that the school I'm at is trouble.

What are my options at the moment? Is my boss correct about the BOE?

[YTMND]

[ttompatz]

Ignore YTMND. His post is inaccurate.

You are OK as far as immigration is concerned. Your visa (or more correctly, your status of sojourn) is not an issue and as far as immigration is concerned you are good till the last date indicated on your ARC.

The education office is another matter.
The laws passed last summer now require the education office to verify the background and credentials of ALL teachers working in Korea (regardless of race, creed, color, nationality or visa status).

Your boss is on your case because he can be fined by the education office if you do not produce the required CRC with the apostille.

IN THE INTERIM you CAN go to immigration and get an IMMIGRATION issued copy of the CBC you have on file with them with the apostille and with an immigration verification letter (stating that the copy is identical to the one they have on file for you). This will suffice at the local education office (in spite of what anyone else tells you).

.

[YTMND]

[ttompatz]

[YTMND]

[ontheway]

[YTMND]

Original Poster, please let us know what happens.

[david]

I did have my visa extended and am waiting for my National CRC. Here is a summary of my last few jobs:

October 2010 - April 2011 - I had a state issued CRC while employed at this job.

Late April 2011-February 2012- I was permitted to transfer a visa, but was told by Immigration that I needed to get a National CRC. I got this in July 2011, but never submitted it to Immigration. In January 2011 I discarded it because I thought that the check was no good as six months had passed. I would have kept the check if I'd known that I wasn't going to finish my contract, but, as is said, hindsight is 20/20.

March 2012- I went to Immigration and have until March 2013 according to my ARC. I still do not have my National check and am waiting for it at the moment.

Should I obtain my state check w/apostille from Immigration and obtain a copy to be used in the interim? I submitted this check to a different Immigration office than the one I'm going to now, but am assuming that the state check w/apostille is on file and can be retrieved by any Immigration office electronically. Yes?

Thank you for all the feedback and I look forward to receiving more.