Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lesigh]

I pulled a runner at the end of last year. My school was having serious issues so after receiving my paycheck I left. I know it wasn't the right way to do things.

BUT I also knew that if I asked to quit, they'd screw me over that way. They had already fired a bunch of the Korean teachers. It was a tense time at my school because of a sexual harassment incident among the students.

Anyway, I went to immigration and told them I quit to try and get a D-10. I was told I could not get a D-10 without a LOR. Okay, that's fine. I then asked how I could cancel my visa. I was told that the school would need to do it -- the employee cannot do it by themselves. They gave me 30 days to get a LOR or leave the country and updated my ARC with this information.

I waited 29 days to see if the school would cancel my visa. I called immigration twice a week and every time they told me my visa had not been canceled. WTF? On the 30th day, I flew to Japan and came back with a tourist visa.

I have called immigration since then and was told that my visa had been canceled. I handed in my ARC at the airport when I went to Japan.

I have new docs, a job offer and the new school went to immigration to get a new visa for me. Immigration said I CANNOT get a new E-2 without a LOR because I am still contracted to the old school. How can I still be under contract if my visa is canceled?

Also, if I have to get this LOR, what is the best way? Since my old school never canceled my visa...can I just go to the school and wait until they give me a letter? I'm sure they'll say no, but if I'm legally contracted to them, then I'm not trespassing until they fire me? I don't know. I feel like I'm stuck in a loop. I was under the impression that having new documents would mean a new visa that wasn't linked to my previous E-2.

Any suggestions?


Pack it up and go home?

[YTMND]

[lesigh]

[ttompatz]

-Get a 5 month job in China (or other country of your choice).

-Spend a few months on the beach in Thailand (or get a job - easy enough to do at the end of April for anyone who qualifies for an E2).

-Work illegally for your new employer on your tourist stamp (there are risks involved and you will need a couple of runs to Japan to keep your tourist status valid).

- Go to your old employer and grovel for a LOR (they are under no obligation to give you one and probably won't since they can now screw you in return for your MNR - hagwons, typically, are sore losers).

-Go home and call it an adventure.

Pick one.

.

[lesigh]

[ontheway]

[ontheway]

[lesigh]

A minor update:

The owner and the head teachers from my new school contacted my old school. Of course the owner was not there...he never was. The head teacher apparently berated, screamed and said them that I was an awful teacher, etc, etc that they didn't get a chance to ask for the release letter before head teacher hung up.

The new school was shocked to say the least, and rather than fight the crazy head teacher at my old school, they were pretty upfront that they'll be looking for my replacement while I try to the LOR myself.

Oh Korea...

[EZE]

I know this is too late to apply to your situation as it stands now, but I'm wondering if teachers need an LOR if they're fired.

If so, maybe the proper tactic to do now, instead of a midnight runner, is to just sit in the office refusing to go teach class so you can get fired and get a new job immediately.

Either way, when I get back to the USA, I'm going to get a nightshift job in Washington DC so I can do a polite protest in front of the Korean embassy during the day every day for as long as it takes. The level of exploitation and fraud is off the chart and the Korean government will never do anything about it until the Korean government loses face.

[lesigh]

[EZE]

My contract ends in August, but my work visa is valid until November. Do I need a LOR even if I complete my contract and want to move on to a different job?

[lesigh]

[s.tickbeat]

To change jobs, you need to either 1) complete your current contract, 2) get a LOR, 3) transfer to a D10 visa.

To get a D10 visa, you need one or more of the following: 1) paperwork from the labor board proving a labor dispute with your current boss; 2) dismissal letter saying your contract is terminated; 3) a very, very laid-back immigration officer.

New docs won't cut it anymore. So your E-2 visa is CANCELLED, but immigration cannot issue a new E-2 visa to you until your current contract expires. It's not a visa issue, it's a contract issue, and only the employer or the labor board can terminate it, as of the new year.

If you've got dirt on your old boss, go file a complaint at the labor board and take your paperwork to immigration.

[ttompatz]

[lesigh]