Korean Job Discussion Forums

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

my contract finishes at the end of march...my employer wants me to renew my visa soon. i agreed to keep working for them, but only until the middle of august so i can try and get a univ or public school job in september. they know that i will only work for about 4 more months, and i will get that written out in the contract. my question is about the visa. i was told that i can get the 1 year visa. what happens when i no longer work for the school in august? will they cancel the visa? do i have to go to japan and get a tourist visa? are 4 month contracts allowed by immigration? ....regarding severence pay, do i get that after my 1 year contract is up, or after i stop working for the school completely in august? i never signed up for the pension, but i want to do so. i realize that i will have to pay for all the months that i did not contribute, but that is fine with me. do i just give the paperwork to my boss? i have a feeling she's not gonna be too thrilled with the fact she has to pay 1,000,000�� in back payments, but whatever. thank you.

ontheway · Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:51 am Post subject:

When you write your new contract to extend your existing contract you will include a new ending date. If the new date is August then Immigration will extend your stay for the additional four months, not for a full year. They will make a note of the new date on your ARC but not in your passport. Your passport will seem to have an expired Visa but your ARC makes it OK.

If you want to extend your visa for a year you will need to extend for a year. Then you would have to break this contract to leave in August. On paper you would be breaching the contract. So, you should just extend your contract for the four months.

When you write your new contract, you should request that you be paid your severance, airfare, and ony other end of contract items on your next pay date and not at the end of the additional time. You should also write in a prorated four months of severance and airfare for the additional time period.

As to the pension, you have gone nearly a year without it. Is it in your contract? It may be legally required, but many employers believe that they don't have to pay. Others just plan to cheat. So, it could create a great deal of trouble for you. Maybe you should get your new contract and visa and your other payouts before you open up this can of worms.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

ontheway · Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:13 am Post subject:

Every teacher extending or renewing a contract with the same employer should try to get the severance paid right away upon completion of each year and not wait to the end. There is no law requiring you to wait until the end of your employment. It's up to you to negotiate.

I get my severance paid annually as a bonus. I keep on extending year after year, but why wait till the end of all those years and leave all that cash accumulate in the hands of your boss? Even if you trust them with the money, wouldn't you rather invest the cash and earn some interest or capital gain?

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC