Fingerprints/Criminal Record Check (Canadian Teachers)

I was wondering same. I am going to reapply through EPIK for another city. I have talked to co-ordinator and he said that national level check copy (not sure if mine is RCMP) that has been submitted for my previous contract can be reused. I only have to get it from my current POE with a stamp from that POE and get a background check in Korea through local police station.

I got a E2 in Feb 2011 with a check on edmonton police service letterhead. Vancouver consulate had no problem with it.

I was wondering same. I am going to reapply through EPIK for another city. I have talked to co-ordinator and he said that national level check copy (not sure if mine is RCMP) that has been submitted for my previous contract can be reused. I only have to get it from my current POE with a stamp from that POE and get a background check in Korea through local police station.

Did your POE say the same thing for your apostillled degree? I don't want to have to go through that process again too to resign :S

I did mine at the Richmond RCMP (Vancouver) took all of 30 minuets to get it. I don't know about mailing tho, the wait does seem a bit ridiculous. 

I think if you are renewing you won't need a criminal check.  This has been told to me by a recruiter... but sadly so many confusing messages here.

I was told as long as you don't leave the country within in 30 days or something you won't need to get a new one... not even if you switch schools.  You would just get a copy from Immigration or your school.  If you are staying in the same province then I think you'd likely be safe, fingers crossed.
 
I did mine at the local CDN police department twice now and never had an issue, perhaps this will be one as of Jan 1,2011.  I think that if you think you're screwed for time, do the regional one and apply for RCMP.... they literally took 4-5 months the last time for me in 2008 and I had the regional one completed in 2 weeks and had it express posted out.

Now the regional one's are getting more of a nuisance as well... insisting that you have someone witness that you are really you in SK... cause heaven forbid you'd want a family member to pick it up for you and mail it out, hehe

My point is double up on the applications and hope for the best, I would think that the regional would suffice until the RCMP more expensive piece of paper arrived!

Best of luck!!!

My point is double up on the applications and hope for the best, I would think that the regional would suffice until the RCMP more expensive piece of paper arrived!

Be a little bit careful about this.  I went in with a national level (but from a local police dept) check that had been stamped and approved by the consulate in Canada...and immigration initially refused to accept it.   My co-teacher then argued and held up the line for over an hour at the immigration office.  Eventually they decided it was more trouble than it was worth and approved it...but only if I promised that I would forward the "real" RCMP check when it came in.  So while it can be done, if your co-teacher is less awesome than mine (and mine is pretty awesome) you could be in real trouble if you walk into immigration with a non-RCMP check.

I have to leave Korea this summer.  This was NOT the plan.  As a result, I had the RCMP ship me the official criminal record fingerprinting forms, but do not need them.  If you want them, I'll mail them to you.  Post a note in this thread that you PMed me, and PM me the address. 

 :'(

Hey,

I'd like the fingerprinting forms please.

I PM'd you my address.

Thanks.

Okay, then, thread closed!  :)

Hey teacher_del,

Just curious as to why you were going to need them here?  I am actually going home in the summer, too.  I'm going to teacher's college and need to have the background check before school starts Sept. 1st.  However, I'm not supposed to go home until the end of August and there's no way I can do it all then, so I'd have to break my contract to go home early and do it. 
Is there a way to do all the checks here in Korea?  I saw something about the background check being possible, but the vulnerable sectors check didn't say if it's possible.  Just wondering if you could point me in the right direction.
Thanks!

I needed them because I was going to renew my contract.  As of today, I officially am not.  (I am now Dead Woman Walking in my school, and it makes me sad.) 

You can do a criminal background check from Korea.  You just need the forms, which the RCMP can send out to you pretty quickly.  If ALL the required information is given, it's okay to use a form from the Korean police station, but it's missing some things that are on the Canadian form.  Check the RCMP website for details.  You can add the missing info to Korean forms, if necessary. 

For anyone reading along:  you cannot get a vulnerable sector RCMP check for overseas work, such as teaching in Korea.  They just don't do it.  I asked.  They don't.  I hope the standard check will suffice, since the choices are a) local police station check (of the national database, of course) with the VS designation or b) RCMP check without it.  Non-RCMP checks have been rejected. 

For you:  I'm pretty sure you can get a VS check from Korea for teaching work in Canada.  Just state that that is your purpose for applying for the check.  You'll need to check the RCMP website to be sure I'm not talking out of my hat, of course.  Email them.  The link is on the criminal background check webpage.  I suggest you request forms at the same time.  It's not technically an address for inquiries, but the agent/officer/whatever who replied did answer the question I'd attached to my form request.  :)

The form is not downloadable from the RCMP website, unfortunately.  I had to ask them to mail one to me.  It took about two weeks. 

Thanks for the info.!  Hope all works out for you back home. :)

wait, wait, wait.

we have to get new criminal background checks done before we can renew our contracts? is this true?

i'm canadian, and with epik... should i plan ahead and get this ball rolling? i'd be renewing a contract that ends in august.

we have to get new criminal background checks done before we can renew our contracts? is this true?

The check is needed to renew your E-2 visa, which allows you to renew your contract... or so we think.

There's some debate.  Some people say that if you last changed your visa before some magical date (I think it was September 1st), that you have a one-year grace period before you have to submit a new background check.  No one seems to have successfully renewed theirs yet, however.  It might be too early to tell.  Since it can take a few months to get your check back, you should look into this in earnest for yourself, right now.

If your original check was done by the RCMP, then I believe it is is still good either way.


Here's what you need to get your RCMP check: 

If you are submitting your criminal record check from outside of Canada:
contact the nearest police force which offers fingerprinting services.
The RCMP will accept fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following:

• --rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink
• --full name, date of birth and sex of the applicant
• --the name and address of the police agency
• --the signature of the official taking the fingerprints

Depending on the police jurisdiction, a fee may be required.

we have to get new criminal background checks done before we can renew our contracts? is this true?

The check is needed to renew your E-2 visa, which allows you to renew your contract... or so we think.

There's some debate.  Some people say that if you last changed your visa before some magical date (I think it was September 1st), that you have a one-year grace period before you have to submit a new background check.  No one seems to have successfully renewed theirs yet, however.  It might be too early to tell.  Since it can take a few months to get your check back, you should look into this in earnest for yourself, right now.

If your original check was done by the RCMP, then I believe it is is still good either way.


Here's what you need to get your RCMP check: 

If you are submitting your criminal record check from outside of Canada:
contact the nearest police force which offers fingerprinting services.
The RCMP will accept fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following:

• --rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink
• --full name, date of birth and sex of the applicant
• --the name and address of the police agency
• --the signature of the official taking the fingerprints

Depending on the police jurisdiction, a fee may be required.

ah ridiculous.

i will make a new thread about it i think. it's a little frustrating trying to slosh around the archives, searching for "e-2 visa renewal"

Just a note, they ARE rejecting non-RCMP checks.  I know, because they initially rejected mine.  My co-teacher had to argue with them for over an hour, holding up the line, until they said "fine, we'll take your check, This Time..."   I incorrectly assumed they'd want a local with vulnerable sector check over an RCMP without.  I was wrong.  The fact that the RCMP won't do a VS check (unless they also happen to be your local/only police force too) is the reason that Korea actually no longer requires a vulnerable sector check.  I find this both ironic and sad.  Anyway, point is, unless the form says RCMP on it, they'll say no, and you'll be out of luck.  So get started now.

If you email the embassy they will send the fingerprint form to your apt the next day (in Seoul).

I requested the form from the RCMP back in Novemeber, but I never got one from them. Eventually, I went to the embassy in Seoul and got one. I went to my local police station, not the smaller branch, and got it down with them for free. Then I mailed it to Ottawa, but I haven't heard from them since then. It must have been 5 months now. Luckily, I changed my visa from an E2 to a F2, so I didn't need it after all.
 

Ok... Got my fingerprint form but it has 2 sections that have me confused...

"Fingerprinting Agency/Department" and "Contributing Agency/Department"

Korean Police for the first... but what is the contributing agency?

And then what? send the form to Canada to be taken to an RCMP office, give them the form, and get the criminal record check?

When I go to immigration to renew my visa do I need to have a fingerprint form? Or is this only needed on the Canada side of things?

Getting more confused each day with all of this stuff...

Anyone?