Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cerriowen · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Location: Pocheon

OK I posted a while back that I gave my school 30 days written notice. I compensated them for their airfare, visa run to japan etc. Everything.

I was a good teacher. The young kids adored me. I was sad to go but I was sick of all the BS the school put me through, and the older kids.

One time I was deathly ill and had to go to the hospital, I got a doctors note.

Well I just applied for another job and found out the school put that they FIRED me for 'excessive absences' on my immigration visa.

How do I fight that? I'm furious.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005

If I recall, this was the employer who gave you an apartment with zero furniture, and had a prejudice against a pre-existing medical condition, right?

If everything you told us was 100% honest, how can anyone be so low-life to then blackmark your future job prospects??? They sound like they are the lowest of the low. As you also said you went through a recruiter, I would try to insist the recruiter negotiate with the school to get your absence record changed with immi. If not, you should tell him/her that you will publicly denounce them, too, and take further action.

canuckistan · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

Did your past employer sign off on any resignation letter? Do you have a copy of it? Did you get a letter of release?

alabamaman · Joined: 25 Apr 2006

See if you can get an Letter of Release. Without it, you cannot work another job in Korea. Talk with him, apologize, and play "nice guy" Cool

I know you may not want to do this, but it may make all the difference in you getting another job in Korea. There are plenty of Sample Copies for LOR's in this forum. If the conversation is heading in a positive direction, see if he will sign the letter of release.

Cerriowen · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Location: Pocheon

We went to the immigration office together and put that I'm no longer working there. I'm here on a tourist visa. Isn't that sufficient? Do I need an actual *letter*?

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

If you have no money to get home, search for another job fast. Tourist visa is maybe 2 weeks? Many jobs to be found.

With your medical condition, why not try adults or public schools? If you wanna go home, work for a month, get paid, then do a runner. A large chain kiddie hagwon wouldn't really miss you compared to a small mom & pop joint.

alabamaman · Joined: 25 Apr 2006

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

Cerriowen,

I hope you are able to get things straighted out. Be firm with the old employer if they won't remove the fact you were fired as well as getting a letter of release.

It's tough, but hang in there. It will get better.

buymybook · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Location: Telluride

I don't know about details of your past post but it sounds like you did have an E-2, left the country, returned, and are now on a tourist Visa. I'm not sure what you meant when you said they put that you "had too many absences on your Visa."

I will guess and say that they called Immigration and told them of this facts = lies which placed you on the immigration blacklist. I'm not sure of what all constitues unfairly Immigrations qualifications to be placed on the blacklist but I was once on it.

Talk to someone important at Immigration, buy and give them Beta drinks, make sure the supervisor gets one, beg them to take you off the blacklist. They may tell you "impossible" as they did me but you must try again to find an employer. I did, and found it wasn't impossible. I now have a job.

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

Seems unfortunate. I've never heard of anyone being put on an immi blacklist before because of 'too many absences'. As far as I know, immi can only 'blacklist' you if you have abused the conditions of your stay previously. I once made enquiries about their 'blacklist' and several officers stated to me that they cannot blacklist any teacher purely on account of what a disgruntled employer says; a teacher MUST abuse visa rights or have uncovered criminal convictions in order to be 'blacklisted.'

Howabout switching districts or even moving city, so that you deal with a different immi office? I can't believe that you are listed nationwide as having 'too many absences' How can immi possibly qualify what constitutes 'too many absences' in any case? Also, what does your recruiter have to say about this?

ontheway · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:18 am Post subject:

Cerriowen,

I think what your boss has done is to put a letter into your Immigration file. It is like a negative letter of reference, but not equivalent to being blacklisted. You can still tell your story. And there is still a teacher shortage here, so you can still get a new job. You might want to move to a new location.

For your own benefit and peace of mind, you should answer your boss. You should write your own letter. A long letter. Be very nice and polite and explain what really happened. It should be strong and HINT of legal action (no threats). He should know, and you should remind him that defamation is a serious offense in Korea. He has hurt your reputation and good name. Send a copy to your old boss, and ask him to remove his negative letter. Also ask for a letter of release if you didn't get one. Send or hand deliver a copy of the letter to the Immigration office to be placed in your file with your employer's letter.

Having done the letter, hold your head high and go get a new job.

Good luck.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

ontheway · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:57 am Post subject:

The eye,

Hi. I have a question about this visa allotment thing. I've never heard of it except here on Dave's. Whenever we have expanded and hired new teachers there has been no question about the number of students taught. Where did you hear about this rule? I've only heard of it here on Dave's. Where does this rule come from?

It doesn't seem possible. Some schools have 20 or 25 students in a class. Some have as few as 3 or 4. How can Immigration judge this?

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004