Is threatening to cancel my visa if I complain?
My employer hasn't paid me for three months and is threatening to cancel my visa if I complain. I'm on an E-2 teaching visa. What are my options for reporting workplace violations, and will I get in trouble for filing a complaint?
1 Answer
What your employer is doing is illegal. An employer cannot cancel your E-2 visa simply because you file a labor complaint, and immigration authorities do not revoke visas solely at an employer's request when there are documented labor violations involved.
You have clear options here. First, file a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부) at moel.go.kr or by visiting your local labor office in person. Unpaid wages are a serious violation and investigators will act on your case. This is a legally protected action and retaliation by the employer is itself an additional violation. Second, the Foreign Workers' Support Center operates a multilingual hotline at 1644-0644 where you can get free counseling in English and other languages. Third, the Seoul Global Center at seoulforeigner.or.kr provides free legal consultations for foreign residents and can advise you on your specific situation.
Document everything you can right now, including your contract, pay stubs, any messages where your employer made threats, and records of unpaid periods. Many foreign workers in Korea have successfully recovered unpaid wages through these channels. You are protected by Korean labor law regardless of your visa status.