Just A Heads Up

[meme]

Mods feel free to move me if this belongs in one of the topics started already.

I have been teaching in Thailand for 3 years. I left for Korea in the middle of it all so I am in a new job and just came to the end of 90 days on my non-imm B, got my work permit and headed to Immigration. They said as of January 15th they can no longer issue non-inn B extensions until we have a teacher's license.

Apparently you can get around this in Bangkok so I am going up there and hope this is true (this is according to my recruiter who has taken teachers there post Jan 15th)

I have pasted what they sent me:

We have some information for teachers who consider to continue teaching in Thailand next year. You will need a Teacher Profession Certificate in order to apply for or renew your work permit. The next step is to attend a training course and then apply to take an exam in order to receive the Certificate.

It has been announced that there will be an opening for a training course on February 22-24, 2008 run by The private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT), and the fee is 6,000 baht for each participant. For those of you who will continue to work with us next year, we will be happy to support you with half amount of the fee for the training course. This will be provided to you with your bonus in next year contract.

For the training course, further information or application, please direct your request to

The private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT)

4/516 Sahakorn Village, Soi 21, Sereethai Street, Klonggum, Buenggum, Bangkok 10240.

Tel. 0-2379-7239, 08-1847-0337, 08-1650-0047.

The exam will then need to be applied for online through Teacher Council website at www.ksp.or.th. However, it is unfortunate that the website is only available in Thai language at the moment. You may need to seek some help in applying or looking for more information. Please find attached more details about the Training Course of Thai Language, Thai Culture and Teacher’s Code of Conduct for Foreign Teachers. Please find below more details about the training.

The Ministry of Education has declared that all foreign teachers must have Teacher Profession Certificate. In order to gain the certificate, teachers have to pass the assessment criteria from the Teacher Council in terms of Thai culture and Professional Code of Conduct.

The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT) was endorsed by the Teacher Council to hold the training course.

The participants will get Teacher Profession Certificate if they pass this training course.

Candidate Qualifications:

- Foreign teachers who have a right to hold the Teacher Profession Certificate (must have been working in school before June 12, 2003) and want to extend their certification in 2009.

- Hold a bachelor degree or higher in Education and has experience in teaching at least 1 year.

- Hold the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher and already hold the Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad

- Hold the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher and already has experience in teaching at least 2 year. Hold an educational certificate that takes at least 1 year of study.

Special Condition:

- Don’t hold any bachelor degrees, but hold Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad and already has experience in teaching at least 1 year recommended by the former institution, then participate in this training course

- If teaching experience is less than 1 year, the school can ask Teacher Council for teaching recommendation for foreign teachers employed to participate in training course.

- A candidate who holds the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher but do not hold the Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad and do not hold an educational certificate but already has 1 year teaching experience can participate in this training course.

Duration

- 3 days (Fri-Sun)

- 6,000 baht for each participant (included of documents, certificate, lunch and 2 coffee breaks)

- The fee must be transferred to the Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand at least 2 weeks before the course.

- Venue- Ambassador Hotel

How to apply

- Send an application form with money transfer slip to ‘The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand’ before the course begins at least 2 weeks

By fax to 0-2379-7344

- Transfer the fee to Bank of Krung Thai

Branch: Thanon Sukhaphibal 2

Account name: Mrs. Usira Sothibandhu

Account no.: 197-1-05098-9

- For more information, please contact

The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand

4/516 Sahakorn Village,

Soi 21,

Sereethai St.,

Klonggum, Buenggum,

Bangkok 10240

Tel. 0-2379-7239, 08-1847-0337, 08-1650-0047

- Applying at the training site is not accepted

So this is the same way that they sent it to me in the email. So I dont understand if they are talking about two separate courses or the same course?? I am assuming they just pasted the information they received at the end of their email.

Anyway today has been a nightmare!

And I am off to Bangkok...

[meme]

Mods feel free to move me if this belongs in one of the topics started already.

I have been teaching in Thailand for 3 years. I left for Korea in the middle of it all so I am in a new job and just came to the end of 90 days on my non-imm B, got my work permit and headed to Immigration. They said as of January 15th they can no longer issue non-inn B extensions until we have a teacher's license.

Apparently you can get around this in Bangkok so I am going up there and hope this is true (this is according to my recruiter who has taken teachers there post Jan 15th)

I have pasted what they sent me:

We have some information for teachers who consider to continue teaching in Thailand next year. You will need a Teacher Profession Certificate in order to apply for or renew your work permit. The next step is to attend a training course and then apply to take an exam in order to receive the Certificate.

It has been announced that there will be an opening for a training course on February 22-24, 2008 run by The private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT), and the fee is 6,000 baht for each participant. For those of you who will continue to work with us next year, we will be happy to support you with half amount of the fee for the training course. This will be provided to you with your bonus in next year contract.

For the training course, further information or application, please direct your request to

The private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT)

4/516 Sahakorn Village, Soi 21, Sereethai Street, Klonggum, Buenggum, Bangkok 10240.

Tel. 0-2379-7239, 08-1847-0337, 08-1650-0047.

The exam will then need to be applied for online through Teacher Council website at www.ksp.or.th. However, it is unfortunate that the website is only available in Thai language at the moment. You may need to seek some help in applying or looking for more information. Please find attached more details about the Training Course of Thai Language, Thai Culture and Teacher’s Code of Conduct for Foreign Teachers. Please find below more details about the training.

The Ministry of Education has declared that all foreign teachers must have Teacher Profession Certificate. In order to gain the certificate, teachers have to pass the assessment criteria from the Teacher Council in terms of Thai culture and Professional Code of Conduct.

The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand (PSTAT) was endorsed by the Teacher Council to hold the training course.

The participants will get Teacher Profession Certificate if they pass this training course.

Candidate Qualifications:

- Foreign teachers who have a right to hold the Teacher Profession Certificate (must have been working in school before June 12, 2003) and want to extend their certification in 2009.

- Hold a bachelor degree or higher in Education and has experience in teaching at least 1 year.

- Hold the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher and already hold the Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad

- Hold the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher and already has experience in teaching at least 2 year. Hold an educational certificate that takes at least 1 year of study.

Special Condition:

- Don’t hold any bachelor degrees, but hold Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad and already has experience in teaching at least 1 year recommended by the former institution, then participate in this training course

- If teaching experience is less than 1 year, the school can ask Teacher Council for teaching recommendation for foreign teachers employed to participate in training course.

- A candidate who holds the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher but do not hold the Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad and do not hold an educational certificate but already has 1 year teaching experience can participate in this training course.

Duration

- 3 days (Fri-Sun)

- 6,000 baht for each participant (included of documents, certificate, lunch and 2 coffee breaks)

- The fee must be transferred to the Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand at least 2 weeks before the course.

- Venue- Ambassador Hotel

How to apply

- Send an application form with money transfer slip to ‘The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand’ before the course begins at least 2 weeks

By fax to 0-2379-7344

- Transfer the fee to Bank of Krung Thai

Branch: Thanon Sukhaphibal 2

Account name: Mrs. Usira Sothibandhu

Account no.: 197-1-05098-9

- For more information, please contact

The Private School Teachers’ Association of Thailand

4/516 Sahakorn Village,

Soi 21,

Sereethai St.,

Klonggum, Buenggum,

Bangkok 10240

Tel. 0-2379-7239, 08-1847-0337, 08-1650-0047

- Applying at the training site is not accepted

So this is the same way that they sent it to me in the email. So I dont understand if they are talking about two separate courses or the same course?? I am assuming they just pasted the information they received at the end of their email.

Anyway today has been a nightmare!

And I am off to Bangkok...

O.K,

so I cleared up the fact that they are talking about one course, the culture course. And that this is one of probably many more seminars/courses to come about. Also that originally a school or University had offered in last year for something like 20,000 baht but now the prices are going down as more courses are offered. This is all just according to my recruiter.

[mbkudu]

There are two other topics here that seem to all be related. I am curious about one thing. It appears that there is no mention of a TEFL/CELTA type 120 hour certificate among any of these requirements to get a teacher's license. Could we then assume that these types of courses will be unnecessary or even useless for any kind of certification in Thailand?

[Petch01]

There are two other topics here that seem to all be related. I am curious about one thing. It appears that there is no mention of a TEFL/CELTA type 120 hour certificate among any of these requirements to get a teacher's license. Could we then assume that these types of courses will be unnecessary or even useless for any kind of certification in Thailand?

I posted several documents of TCT on ThaiVisa.com

Look at this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=167152 number 8.

I've studied on the documents and couldn't find a word about TEFL or Celta education being compulsory for getting a teachers license from TCT.

Petch01

[mbkudu]

$1,400 wallpaper is a bit extravagant. Oh well. I did get some good teaching techniques out of CELTA. It's all really a sad little joke.

That dude down in BangPhe was smart. He made a killing from all the beach hippies who wanted to become teachers, saw this coming, and got out when the getting out was good.

Edited February 5, 2008 by mbkudu

[PeaceBlondie]

meme, sorry to hear your bad news. If you have no ties by blood or marriage to Thailand, you might consider Siri Lanka, Indonesia, the Maldives, Tibet, Bhutan, Bhukina Faso, etc. Having taught in Korea, there is always Seoul, or Inchon, or Pusan, etc.

To add to this confusion: who mentioned a Thai governmental licensing or work-permit-granting agency that required a CELTA or a TEFL course? None I ever heard of. It was never required, but a CELTA/TEFL cert was and still is, in my biased opinion essential for anybody who has never taught ESL/EFL before. mbkudu, I think we were wise to get our EFL certs, but we may have been stupid to teach in Thailand. But if you have now finally gotten legal and gotten a half-decent position, it may be a good place to impregnate and breed for the next 30 years.

[TylerDurden]

(I just posted this on the Ajarn.com forum and thought I would add it here as well)

Yeah, it's real. The $500 wavers last until this new school year, May 2008, when the course must be completed. They started the waiver process last year.

The course is obviously for profit. It is only held at one location here in Bangkok, which will be very convenient for all those working in the rest of the country.

This is the official outline and registration in PDF format. It also has a nifty little brochure attached to it.

www.ksp.or.th/upload/301/files/1631-3779.pdf

Copy and paste it into your browser

It is CONFIRMED - immigration will NOT extend any visas without it. However, they are making a few exceptions as the rule went into effect just last week. It is clear though, they will not extend any this March/April when the majority of us will be going through the annual process.

[withnail]

So according to that email the workaround is in place, if you have been teaching for one year you just do the culture/teaching profession course and you can continue as normal no education cert exam or passes needed.

What's the betting that special condition 2, soon to be added, comes in saying: If you are alive and do the course for 6000 Baht you can continue as normal.

Edited February 5, 2008 by withnail

[mbkudu]

To add to this confusion: who mentioned a Thai governmental licensing or work-permit-granting agency that required a CELTA or a TEFL course? None I ever heard of. It was never required, but a CELTA/TEFL cert was and still is, in my biased opinion essential for anybody who has never taught ESL/EFL before. mbkudu, I think we were wise to get our EFL certs, but we may have been stupid to teach in Thailand. But if you have now finally gotten legal and gotten a half-decent position, it may be a good place to impregnate and breed for the next 30 years.

What I was getting at is that many of these one month TEFL courses are good and do help, and if someone has a non-education degree and one of these certificates, then that should be enough. What they're asking for now is silly.

[meme]

meme, sorry to hear your bad news. If you have no ties by blood or marriage to Thailand, you might consider Siri Lanka, Indonesia, the Maldives, Tibet, Bhutan, Bhukina Faso, etc. Having taught in Korea, there is always Seoul, or Inchon, or Pusan, etc.

To add to this confusion: who mentioned a Thai governmental licensing or work-permit-granting agency that required a CELTA or a TEFL course? None I ever heard of. It was never required, but a CELTA/TEFL cert was and still is, in my biased opinion essential for anybody who has never taught ESL/EFL before. mbkudu, I think we were wise to get our EFL certs, but we may have been stupid to teach in Thailand. But if you have now finally gotten legal and gotten a half-decent position, it may be a good place to impregnate and breed for the next 30 years.

Uhh.. yup, married and love my life here. Also have a great position but not impregnated yet

[mopenyang]

There are two other topics here that seem to all be related. I am curious about one thing. It appears that there is no mention of a TEFL/CELTA type 120 hour certificate among any of these requirements to get a teacher's license. Could we then assume that these types of courses will be unnecessary or even useless for any kind of certification in Thailand?

I posted several documents of TCT on ThaiVisa.com

Look at this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=167152 number 8.

I've studied on the documents and couldn't find a word about TEFL or Celta education being compulsory for getting a teachers license from TCT.

Petch01

It was only a matter of time.

Talk about pulling the rug out from under.

[Loaded]

There are two other topics here that seem to all be related. I am curious about one thing. It appears that there is no mention of a TEFL/CELTA type 120 hour certificate among any of these requirements to get a teacher's license. Could we then assume that these types of courses will be unnecessary or even useless for any kind of certification in Thailand?

It's always been the case (since I arrived 10 years ago anyway) that you needed a degree to obtain a wp for teaching. I think if you had a HND(UK)/3-year College degree(USA) and worked in a language school (15/1) or a government school (15/2), you could get a wp and the TEFL helped. A TEFL is good for a number of reasons: 1) gives you the basics needed to plan and control classes, 2) assists with jobs, 3) builds confidence, 4) cultural awareness of Thai students and schools, 5) network with other future teachers. I think I would have collapsed in a heap of panic on day 1 if I hadn't been prepared by a 4-week course and would never have understood what I was trying to achieve and how to get there.

Back to the OP. This is looking to be a massive cock up because of typical lack of planning and organisation by Thai government agencies.

Edited February 6, 2008 by Loaded

[mbkudu]

There are two other topics here that seem to all be related. I am curious about one thing. It appears that there is no mention of a TEFL/CELTA type 120 hour certificate among any of these requirements to get a teacher's license. Could we then assume that these types of courses will be unnecessary or even useless for any kind of certification in Thailand?

It's always been the case (since I arrived 10 years ago anyway) that you needed a degree to obtain a wp for teaching. I think if you had a HND(UK)/3-year College degree(USA) and worked in a language school (15/1) or a government school (15/2), you could get a wp and the TEFL helped. A TEFL is good for a number of reasons: 1) gives you the basics needed to plan and control classes, 2) assists with jobs, 3) builds confidence, 4) cultural awareness of Thai students and schools, 5) network with other future teachers. I think I would have collapsed in a heap of panic on day 1 if I hadn't been prepared by a 4-week course and would never have understood what I was trying to achieve and how to get there.

I couldn't agree with you more, but if a teacher is required to spend 60,000-75,000 baht for the government course and not required to have a TEFL or CELTA, I can imagine which course they will take. By making the graduate diploma mandatory, the government is pushing CELTA and TEFL providers out of business.

[mopenyang]

I couldn't agree with you more, but if a teacher is required to spend 60,000-75,000 baht for the government course and not required to have a TEFL or CELTA, I can imagine which course they will take. By making the graduate diploma mandatory, the government is pushing CELTA and TEFL providers out of business.

Speaking only for myself, I will not shed a tear or lose any sleep over such a development.

[PeaceBlondie]

Will the Thai rajabats and their hardened old style uni professors push the TEFL schools out of business? Most likely not, since those are very separate things. Does the Thai rajabat very very long course for 90K (with fees) even teach the same material, have observed teaching, etc.? And what ever happened to Uli's course at Ramkahanahanahang?

Sorry, but this smells like the hoax of 2003-2005, about those 15 education credits, as if everybody and his girlfriend had to run out and take hundreds of hours of courses in something or another.

[Ijustwannateach]

Yup- sounds very likely that if this has any real effect, it will simply mean fewer teachers are teaching legally- and with the harassment recently increasing for illegal teachers, fewer foreign teachers will be teaching at all.

This might work if they suddenly began paying internationally competitive wages to attract well-qualified teachers from other countries. Who wants to bet that will happen?

I'm betting that if they give this any real bite we'll see them backing off it a year or two later in the name of "increasing the number of foreign teachers"- either that, or it's back to more Filipinos/Indians.

"S"

[mopenyang]

Will the Thai rajabats and their hardened old style uni professors push the TEFL schools out of business? Most likely not, since those are very separate things. Does the Thai rajabat very very long course for 90K (with fees) even teach the same material, have observed teaching, etc.? And what ever happened to Uli's course at Ramkahanahanahang?

Sorry, but this smells like the hoax of 2003-2005, about those 15 education credits, as if everybody and his girlfriend had to run out and take hundreds of hours of courses in something or another.

The difference between the present program and the "hoax of 2003-2005" is this one appears to be really happening. Too many reports on too many forums to believe otherwise. Whether or not it sticks is something that will be played out in the future. My feeling is they are serious about it and a whole lot of teachers are going to get caught up in it one way or the other and whether they want to or not.

[dgwooster]

Please help as my head is starting to swim. What are the total number of hoops (both financial and clerical) someone has to jump through nowadays just to start teaching in Thailand? Could someone please summarize this?

In my case I have a BS in science (biology), no teaching certificate, do have an advanced degree (PhD, biochemistry), have done some teaching in labs as grad student in college, but have no TEFL. I would teach science, if possible. I'm planning to stay in Thailand as I've met someone here and I seem to feel at home in the culture. Thanks in advance.

[aussiestyle1983]

"- A candidate who holds the other fields of a bachelor degree or higher but do not hold the Teacher Profession Certificate from abroad and do not hold an educational certificate but already has 1 year teaching experience can participate in this training course."

Does mean that a person with any bachelors degree, for instance, a bachelor of arts with a sociology (unrelated) major, could be accepted into this course if they have 1 year of teaching experience?

Are the requirements for getting a WP and TL the same as to get into this course?

I ask because when I possibly return to teach there in 25 years, I want to make sure I am prepared, even though things will change by then. I have letters and references for 24 months of teaching, so as long I only need 1 year of teaching experience to go with my unrelated degree, it seems to meet the above criteria. But as I have been away for a while, I am not sure what is required to get the other things like WP and TL to be legal. Since I have decades to prepare, I figure I can even manage a few master degrees by then doing only one class at a time, possibly even a PHD or two (as long as it's not to costly and time wasting). Anyway, are the requirements to get a TL and WP the same as to get into that course, if so, I guess an unrelated bachelors degree and a year of experience will do.

[mbkudu]

I ask because when I possibly return to teach there in 25 years, I want to make sure I am prepared, even though things will change by then. I have letters and references for 24 months of teaching, so as long I only need 1 year of teaching experience to go with my unrelated degree, it seems to meet the above criteria. But as I have been away for a while, I am not sure what is required to get the other things like WP and TL to be legal. Since I have decades to prepare, I figure I can even manage a few master degrees by then doing only one class at a time, possibly even a PHD or two (as long as it's not to costly and time wasting). Anyway, are the requirements to get a TL and WP the same as to get into that course, if so, I guess an unrelated bachelors degree and a year of experience will do.

Is this a troll post, or are you serious? 25 years; that's a good one.

[PeaceBlondie]

Before we all sing a chorus of "In the year 2525, if man is still alive..."

The 'official English' of the requirements for these courses and certificates and so forth are poorly translated. They will be enforced in Thai, poorly if at all, by Thai educators, however they or their favorite theologian or soothsayer thinks it means. It does not even matter what the MoE or the new kid on the block, the TCT seem to now appear to think it may mean. It means whatever Ajarn Pachaopoopoo and Director Notanathafarang can convince the official that it means.

"Sick Joke" is the phrase that comes to mind.

[aussiestyle1983]

I ask because when I possibly return to teach there in 25 years, I want to make sure I am prepared, even though things will change by then. I have letters and references for 24 months of teaching, so as long I only need 1 year of teaching experience to go with my unrelated degree, it seems to meet the above criteria. But as I have been away for a while, I am not sure what is required to get the other things like WP and TL to be legal. Since I have decades to prepare, I figure I can even manage a few master degrees by then doing only one class at a time, possibly even a PHD or two (as long as it's not to costly and time wasting). Anyway, are the requirements to get a TL and WP the same as to get into that course, if so, I guess an unrelated bachelors degree and a year of experience will do.

Is this a troll post, or are you serious? 25 years; that's a good one.

Do you think I have over 1000 posts by trolling

Honestly, I allready decided to stay in farangland and once I have several more properties here and am at the age of about 50 or so and am ready to retire; it is then that I plan to come back to Thailand. Like I said before in other topics, I don't teach for the money, or should I say peanuts as teaching is the most overworked (not in Thailand) and underpaid profession in the world. Honestly, not only is teaching a joke in Thailand, but it is a joke everywhere in the world. Teachers deserve a lot more credit and respect than they are given. That is why I would never even consider being a teacher back in farangland, no respect. However, I do need to work. I get extremely borde easily. I quite enjoy working 7 days per week as I still try to do that now and as I did during my recent 2 year teaching period in LOS. So, when I retire, and my wife and I return to the kingdom, I would like to be able to teach legally. Not that I will need the non-b visa, because I'll most likely have enough income and $ in the back and income comming in from investment properties to meet the greedy governments requirements to get a retirement visa or some knid of non-o or whatever, I'd still like to be able to do a simple thing like show up at a school for 5 days a week, help the kids learn english and then go home, without having to watch my back for trying to do the right thing. That means getting a WP and TL. That is why I enquire about the rules, so I can keep getting qualifications so I can meet the requirements in 25 years or so when my time comes to return there. Sad isn't it, wasting so much time and $ on an extended education just so I can get a job to fill in the hours..........................

[garro]

I ask because when I possibly return to teach there in 25 years, I want to make sure I am prepared, even though things will change by then. I have letters and references for 24 months of teaching, so as long I only need 1 year of teaching experience to go with my unrelated degree, it seems to meet the above criteria. But as I have been away for a while, I am not sure what is required to get the other things like WP and TL to be legal. Since I have decades to prepare, I figure I can even manage a few master degrees by then doing only one class at a time, possibly even a PHD or two (as long as it's not to costly and time wasting). Anyway, are the requirements to get a TL and WP the same as to get into that course, if so, I guess an unrelated bachelors degree and a year of experience will do.

Is this a troll post, or are you serious? 25 years; that's a good one.

Do you think I have over 1000 posts by trolling

Honestly, I allready decided to stay in farangland and once I have several more properties here and am at the age of about 50 or so and am ready to retire; it is then that I plan to come back to Thailand. Like I said before in other topics, I don't teach for the money, or should I say peanuts as teaching is the most overworked (not in Thailand) and underpaid profession in the world. Honestly, not only is teaching a joke in Thailand, but it is a joke everywhere in the world. Teachers deserve a lot more credit and respect than they are given. That is why I would never even consider being a teacher back in farangland, no respect. However, I do need to work. I get extremely borde easily. I quite enjoy working 7 days per week as I still try to do that now and as I did during my recent 2 year teaching period in LOS. So, when I retire, and my wife and I return to the kingdom, I would like to be able to teach legally. Not that I will need the non-b visa, because I'll most likely have enough income and $ in the back and income comming in from investment properties to meet the greedy governments requirements to get a retirement visa or some knid of non-o or whatever, I'd still like to be able to do a simple thing like show up at a school for 5 days a week, help the kids learn english and then go home, without having to watch my back for trying to do the right thing. That means getting a WP and TL. That is why I enquire about the rules, so I can keep getting qualifications so I can meet the requirements in 25 years or so when my time comes to return there. Sad isn't it, wasting so much time and $ on an extended education just so I can get a job to fill in the hours..........................

Aussie, I agree with a lot you have to say but a lot can happen in twenty-five years.

It is good that you want to come to Thailand when you are in a better position to stay here.

Thailand will have changed and you will have changed almost completely by that time and as John Lennon once said, 'Life is what happens to you when your busy making other plans'.

[Etrigan]

Aussiestyle - So what are you doing now for a living?

[aussiestyle1983]

I am almost a full time student and full time worker; next study period (semester) I will increase my study load to full time. I don't really want to spend too much time in years studying, I'd rather cram it in as fast as I can. I'm just not sure how well I'll cope working full time as well. For work, I work full time (6 days per wek most of the time) as a train driver. Work is more important to me because I love being at work and my job is fun, so it's very hard for me to balance things. I get bored very easily, so spending 48 hours per week at work, another 20 - 40 studying leaves me pretty satisfied! The wife takes up the rest

[Issangeorge]

i am married to a Thai Lady and I am retired from my non teaching job in Farangland. I qualify for both a Non O marriage visa and retirement visa, I held a retirement visa before, but you can not work on that so I got a non immigrant business visa so I could get a work permit. Now I understand I can get a work permit with a marriage visa which is good for a year and expendable. Is anybody doing this now and would this eliminate the problem of getting a teacher's license or would you still need one for a work permit? Issangeorge

[aussiestyle1983]

You will still need to qualify for a teachers licence. Just because you qualify for a visa doesn't mean you qualify for a teachers licence or even a work permit. You will still need a degree and the other thing or two that no one seems to know about that is required to get a teachers licence. But yeah, getting a non-immigrant o visa will be your best bet. Because, like you said, you can get a work permit and work on that visa if you choose. The non-o has the most options given your circumstance.

Edited February 16, 2008 by aussiestyle1983

[toffee]

Regarding what is needed for Teachers license it may be worth looking at the thread on this subject.

[Petch01]

Regarding what is needed for Teachers license it may be worth looking at the thread on this subject.

[otherstuff1957]

^^ Which is full of information, but not necessarily answers!