Korean Job Discussion Forums

white tiger · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Have been considering leaving early on my contract and getting another visa-sponsored position, until I spoke with a close friend who is the foreign supervisor at an old hogwan of mine.... currently, one of their teachers has quit, and they provided him with a letter of release, as he had another job lined up; however...
immigration has initially refused his new application, citing something along the lines of "letters of release are no longer applicable. You must wait out the remainder of time from the previous contract before contracting a new position."
Anyone experience this lately? Are there perhaps other extenuating circumstances in this situation? I hope it's unique, because if it is now universal, it gives the hogwans a helluva lot more control in an already shoddy industry...

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

That would be a new one. I'd check it out with Marc the super-helpful lawyer on the englishspectrum site.

It's probably just a case of immigration not knowing what they're doing or being unnecessarily difficult. I've also heard cases of people getting a new E2 with no LOR on a good day. You're friend's friend should be able to get his employer to help.

IwalkAlone · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Location: Daegu

It's a false claim. I have a friend who left the school I'm still teaching at. He left in December and came back about a week ago. He's now working at a different school. His visa from the first school still has 4 months, yet he has a new visa for the new school. The school I'm at now gave him the LOR.

LOR are legal means to change schools. Your friend's experience just portrays the inconsistencies that plague this great nation! It truly is great...sometimes.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject:

I believe it could be due to some other things, as well. If your friend has done this early contract cancellation with other schools, immigration can -- and will sometimes -- deny a new visa.

bulgogiboy · Joined: 12 Nov 2003

So the letter of release not being valid to change schools anymore is definitely not true? I checked with Marc, the lawyer mentioned on 'englishspectrum.com' and he said he was pretty sure it was untrue.

I just panicked when I saw what had happened to that other teacher, because I'm due to start at my new company next week! I've never cut short any other contracts in Korea before, I completed two other ones successfully.

I've only done 4 months at my current school so if it was true I'd be up the creek, I'd have 8 months to wait.

Having said that, this story does seem to smack of the 'consistent inconsistencies' of immigration. My friend was applying for his visa, and when in immigration was given two totally different stories by two different people. I think one of the people he spoke to just felt like being a jerk that day(my friend's an American with a Korean wife, maybe coincidence....). It was sorted out by my hagwon boss who called up some Seoul high-ranking official 'friend' in immigration to make things go smoothly.

bulgogiboy · Joined: 12 Nov 2003

By the way, do I have to provide all new documents, including sealed transcripts from my uni, when I change to my new job?

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:15 am Post subject:

Yes, you will need your degree and sealed transcripts once again, for immigration, when you apply for your new E-2. Your new boss will need to submit some paperwork, pay a fee, and then immigration will sit on it a few days, then issue you a number. You will also have to leave Korea for another country to get the E-2 work done, then come back to Korea and finish the process.

Merlyn · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Location: Korea

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

ursus_rex · Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul, ROK

Bulgogiboy,

You mentioned your other friend who had trouble had a Korean wife... why doesn't he just get an F-1 visa and save all the hassle.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:33 am Post subject:

bulgogiboy · Joined: 12 Nov 2003

Hey Rex,

Actually, it was an F1 visa he was applying for at the time. He's got it now. For some reason the immigration officer wanted to make it difficult for him to get it.

white tiger · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

"I walk alone"; I noticed you mentioned your friend left in December...perhaps it's a 2006 policy? Also, if it's a new policy, perhaps lawyer-guy didn't get updated... "pretty sure" isn't for sure, right? ;)
anyway, i will be contacting my friend this weekend to get the update on what has happened since...
thanks for the responses!

bulgogiboy · Joined: 12 Nov 2003

Well, you might be right but I hope you're wrong or I'm in big trouble. That would also make working in Korea even more complicated for other people, on top of all the new bs they're pulling due to those waeguks using fake degrees to get jobs here.

I spoke to my next employer, the human resources manager for Daewoo shipbuilding, he assured me a letter of release was still valid. I'm moving there next Saturday and starting work on the 6th of Feb. Daewoo obviously has to play things by the book, being one of the major companies in Korea so if policy has changed and Daewoo are unable to hire me without breaking the law i'm sure i'll know soon enough.

Everybody pray for it all to be easy for us!

bulgogiboy · Joined: 12 Nov 2003

Hey bigblackeqqus,

You mentioned immigration withholding visas when people cut short their contracts a few times. Does that happen alot? Has it happened to anybody you know?

BB