Korean Job Discussion Forums

[j500sut]

Hi guys

I came to Korea in March to start a job with EPIK/SMOE and after working here for almost 5 months now I've come to the decision that teaching is just not my thing. I'm really not enjoying it. So after the August vacation I'm going to hand in my resignation. But I plan to stay in Korea to seek other employment opportunities in the field I specialised before I came to Korea.

My question is, since my visa is tied to my current job, could I simply switch to a tourist visa or a job seekers visa?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

[ttompatz]

[j500sut]

Thanks for the information, that's really helpful. Do they usually automatically give you a LOR? Or does it depend on the circumstance i.e. my reasons for resigning.

I have 6+ years experience and professionally certified along with a related degree so I'm hoping that's enough to land me a job here, fingers crossed.

Thanks again!

[ttompatz]

[Modernist]

Am I getting this right? You want a LoR from an E2, teaching job, so that you can either a) get a NON-teaching job, or b) get a D10 to find a non-teaching job?

Yeah, I don't think you'll be getting that. The point of the D10 is to help people switching from one job in a certain visa to another job in the same visa. As I've said before, they are NOT looking for reasons to import skilled labor or professionals in this country. There are some, in VERY specialized sectors such as certain kinds of engineers, but by no means a lot. There have been many threads and posts about how much trouble a Korean organization has to go through to hire on an E7, for example.

I always though LoRs were only relevant to finding new teaching jobs. Is that wrong? Or does this OP just want one because he/she thinks they can get a D10 with one?

[Otherside]

Modernist, much of what you say is true. However, don't you dare knock the kimchi fever!

[Troglodyte]

I've met a lot of foreigners in Seoul who are doing non-teaching jobs. Some are in businessy, managementish sorts of jobs (which I have no concept of so I can't be more specific than "businessy"). I met a few working in IT. At least one working in tourism.

There are some jobs out there, but they're few and far between. Still, ask around and you might find something.

[j500sut]

Hi guys, thanks again for the information, Modernist, thanks for the brutally honest reply, lol.

I actually wasn't looking to get an LOR, I didn't actually know how any of the different visa situation works. If they don't issue them, then that's just tough I guess.


It's not that I want to stay here THAT badly, I was just hoping that if I didn't have to go home, that would be the best option.

I'm just trying to weight up what options I have to be honest, best case scenario would be I could get a non teaching job, if that's not possible my back up plan is just to bite the bullet and go home..or hop over to Japan and travel for a while, then go home.

Just to clarify then, if I resign and have no other job to go to, can I switch to a tourist visa whilst still here or would I have to leave and come back to get a tourist visa (which would but me time to look for work
)?

Thanks again guys for the information, really appreciate it

[ttompatz]

If you quit then you have 2 choices:

a) you MUST report to immigration within 14 days (provided your ARC remains valid) or
b) you MUST leave the country within 14 days (provided your ARC remains valid).

If you want MORE time then (when you report to immigration) they will give you 30 days from your last date of employment.

If you want anything different then leave and return.

[j500sut]

Thanks ttompatz, that's really helpful

[Troglodyte]

If you happen to be in Busan then a cheap option is to take a ferry to Japan for a day. Or go for a weekend and enjoy the beach.