Korean Job Discussion Forums

o_time · Joined: 29 Jul 2005

Hello everyone,
A friend of mine is planning to do a midnight run soon. Because of the Canadian teachers who were stopped by immigration at the airport, he is concerned that when he goes to the airport to get on the plane, he will run into resistance. He is American and he is completely legal, but he's still worried that when he gets to immigration, they will wonder why he is leaving the country with a one way ticket only 5 months after his visa started. Does immigration tend ask questions like this in such a situation and is breaking your contract actually illegal? If he says he got a release, or he is going home because of an emergency, will immigration want to talk to his school, or see any documentation proving he is leaving the school on good terms? How much does immigration care about protecting hogwans from midnight runs? Would it be helpful for him to go and verify his Uni diploma at immigration so that there is not doubt about his qualifications?? Thanks so much for any responses as he is really nervous about the whole situation and he works for a really terrible school and needs to leave. Thanks again.

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

[quote="o_time"]Hello everyone,
A friend of mine is planning to do a midnight run soon. Because of the Canadian teachers who were stopped by immigration at the airport, he is concerned that when he goes to the airport to get on the plane, he will run into resistance. He is American and he is completely legal, but he's still worried that when he gets to immigration, they will wonder why he is leaving the country with a one way ticket only 5 months after his visa started. /quote]

Heck no. You're friend is being paranoid.

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Just think about your question. Just because one has a work visa in another country doesn't mean that they can't leave.

If he wants to leave, they can't stop him. He's not in prison. Tell him to have a nice flight.

YoungLi · Joined: 06 Sep 2005

Why is he doing this? Is he being treated like a prisoner where he works or something? If not, I'd say he's a coward and I hope his boss blacklists him. Immigration won't issue him another E2 visa.

Red · Joined: 05 Jul 2004

If it's just another case of "I dont like teaching kindergarten", then I agree, screw that guy.

But if he IS being boned and simply can't afford to stay here and make sure the nasty hagwon boss gets what's coming to him like he should, and if he has no plans on returnig to Korea, he just has to leave.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

The 'release letter' is ONLY if he wishes to stay in Korea and work at another job and be free from his current one-year visa which ONLY says he can work at his original employer that sponsors him.

As far as leaving the country.. absolutely no problem at all.. as long as he brings his passport and airline ticket with him to the airport, he can go anywhere he wants to go whenever he wants to go.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

If he says he is just going on vacation they will ask him to buy a multiple-entry visa. If he says he's leaving permanently they will ask him to turn in his ARC card.

trevorcollins · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Yeah it's a cake walk.
No one will stop him. Not a bad idea to do the run on the weekend just to stop his boss (maybe but probably not) cutting him off at the airport or local bus station.
Very very very slim chance if the boss was really vindictive he could make up some lie to the police that you stole something or owe him a lot of money and have them waiting. But very unlikely. Hence the weekend run. He won't know your friend is gone until he's happily sitting back at Mumsy's house looking at porn or lazing on a Thai beach ogling the ladyboys.
Once he gets to the airport he's home free. No one will ask him why he's leaving the country before his visa expires, like someone wrote though airline check in staff may ask him if he's coming back (i.e needs a reentry visa). Say no. For all they know he's given notice, has a release letter, whatever.
They don't care. Contrary to what some people may think airport immigration themselves aren't in bed with Korean hagwon bosses.
Again though, if it's simply a case of him not liking the job that he signed a contract for he should do the right thing, give notice and allow the boss adequate time to find a replacement.
If the boss has lied or cheated in some way.....shaft the bastard in the crapper.