Korean Job Discussion Forums

luinfalathiel · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Masan, S. Korea

So here's the situation. I have been working for the same school now for two years. I want to renew for a third year, as they have been great to me, and I enjoy living in Masan. My current contract and E2 expire on March 6th.

I am going back to Canada for a visit, and asked my director to get my ARC stamped and all that fun stuff. However, during this past year, my bosses switched ownership - the business used to be in the husband's name, now it is in the wife's name. In the eyes of the Korean government, that means it is like I am applying for a totally new job, so I have to get a new E2.

The question is - do I now have to ask my director to cancel the current E2 visa so they will issue me a new E2 in Canada? I will be in Canada before my current E2 expires, and they want me to get the new one over there instead of waiting and sending me on a Fukuoka run.

Thanks for your info.

Fresh Prince · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: The glorious nation of Korea

Not knowing your situation fully, I can't comment on whether getting your visa back home in is the best way to do it.

That sounds like a reasonable request though. The school wants you to pay a small fee to process the visa change instead of them having to pay for your visa run which includes transporation, hotel, loss of a teacher for a couple days, etc, and could run into several hundred dollars.

It should only take a few days to get your visa processed. If you pay for the priority shipping and priority return shipping to send your documents to the embassy or consulate then it usually ends up being less than $100. Just call your preferred postal carrier and ask what they would charge then ask your school to give you $150 or a reasonable amount over the fee to cover the cost of processing the visa Wink

which you shouldn't have to bear, and keep whatever is left.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

Even though the owners have changed, you do not need to get a new visa. You can transfer it to the new owner by having both of them go with you to immigration and sign a simple document.

You can also renew it for a year at a time if the owner remains constant.

luinfalathiel · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Masan, S. Korea

Hmmm ... my boss said that when she spoke to immigration, they said she had to have me get a new visa because I was working for "a new company".

It's too late for me to actually talk to them about that now, because I leave for Canada tomorrow, but I'll mention it to her in an email. Thanks for the information!

(I really don't mind the whole getting the new E2 thing, I just wanted to know if I should get her to cancel my current E2, as it expires AFTER she wants me to get this new one. If indeed I have to get a new one. Have you actually done this procedure you describe?)

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

Our Hagwon recently changed the name of the person sponsoring the E2 visas. I have a teacher who extended for 3 more months. She tried to get the extension by going down to immi, but was told that because the name of the sponsor had changed, the school had to send their representitive down to clear things up.

In the end, she (the teacher) didn't need to do a visa run. The owners need to go to immigration and clear it up. This happened in Seoul, and it happened last week.

Hope the info is useful.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004