Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crazylemongirl]

what would you do?

First up I think that all forms for visas should tell you exactly what paperwork you need and what the rules of the visa are. Then that immigraiton followed them and when they changed em they let everyone know.

Second I'd get rid of the letter of release. Not being able to freely change jobs leads to a lot of abuse of english teachers here.

Third more stringent visa regulations to get your intial teaching visa. I think that a lot of the underbelly of the teaching community that arrives here could be stopped if the requirements were bit tougher. Interviews, references from home countries etc. should be done before people are granted teaching visas.

However once you get an intial visa renewal should be a lot easier if you're staying in country and say changing jobs. Visa runs seem like a pointless waste of time and money IMHO.

The terms of the initail terms of the e2 visas are fair but I think the visa is a good temporary visa and after you've been here say two years you should qualify for a permant residence visa and be free to move out of teaching. Also after two years you should be free to work at other places wihtout having to tell immigration about it. Basically you'd be a korean just without the right to vote.

[sadsac]

I agree with clear cut and concise rules and regs governing visa issuance. I think 5 years and then issued with a 5 year visa, with different rules governing that visa. You could call it an an E2-5. LOR's, a procedure should be established, you neither need one or not, I would abolish it. Immigration should have one foreigner on staff at all offices that deal with foreign nationals. At major centres, Seoul, Busan, Masan, Ulsan, Yoesu and such, a minimum of two native speakers. All documentation should be in Korean on one side and English on the other. Presentation of documents with each job change should cease. All your information is in the system, amend the employment element and issue an extension. Immigration would have teeth. Enforcable laws and any officer found being corrupt, 5 years jail and the individual who offers the bribe or whatever, 7 years and loss of any rights to employ foreign workers for 10 years. Any family member associated with the business would also be included in the ban. Get real and get tough. Every foreign national who applies provides the following documents:
Degree
Passport
Crimminal History ( issued by the necessary authority )
Medical
Traffic history
2 x personal references ( checkable )
1 x business reference ( checkable )
Return air ticket
$1000.00 in a verifiable bank account or credit card
Minimum visa processing time 4 weeks, this is to check the references. Most people will still qualify and those that don't, shouldn't have in the first place. Make it a little tougher initially and then make it simpler to retain.

[kalbi]

Also after two years you should be free to work at other places without having to tell immigration about it.

Lemongirl: I agree with most of your suggestions.. however....with reference to the above, I would say, I do not mind 'reporting' to immigration (as opposed to getting their permission), as long as I would no longer need the permission of my employer.

Then Sadsac: I disagree with your suggestion for a medical... unless it is limited to specific listed ailments. For example a medical exam for high blood pressure and AIDS. That way, one's entire medical history would not become public information, while allowing the government to screen for whatever ailment it is they would be screening out. Frankly speaking, I am more concerned about the mental health than the physical health of some of the ESL teachers I have run into here. In any event, how would you standardize medicals? Special designated doctors??

Also sadsac? What would be the point of the 1000$ deposit? I would object to the deposit because many people coming here could not come if that criteria were to be established. However, to the extent it would mean that I could qualify for a cell phone or internet or a credit card or any of these other financial arrangements (up to the limit of my account), then I would be cool with that stipulation.

As King, I would eliminate the need for obtaining re-entry visas.

kalbi

[Harpeau]

[Gollum]

Cute guys... but you must realize that the things that seem obvious to us are also obvious to them... they have certain rules in place and won't change them because it leads to more bribe money and more control.

[JacktheCat]

As much as we like to bitch about immigration, I wouldn't want their job for all the kimchi in Korea.

Have to work long long hours, low pay, inadequate resources, having to make quotas of foreigners busted, inane requests from the government, having to deal all day with foreigners whose language you don't speak.

No thanks.

[eamo]

Get rid of the Visa Run.

Why does one have to be in another country to be issued a work visa? I could never work it out.

[Paji eh Wong]

I'm with Derrek. (am I saying this?)

Turf out a bunch of the adjoshis in upper and middle management, and you a lot of the problems would resolve themselves in the long run.

[JongnoGuru]

[Squid]

1.
To ease labor office workloads draft in a bunch of paralegals to check each contract is consistent with Korean labor law.

2.
Create a more flexible workforce by scrapping the LOR.

3.
Pay me for the positives.