Teaching/online work permit and tax

[AlphaCanadian]

I am a Canadian here on a tourist visa.

 

Currently I am not doing any work. However I do plan to start teaching English online in the future.

 

I have lived in Asia for many years and have taught in person at language schools.

 

When I return to Canada I plan to teach English online as the industry seems to be growing and it is a job that I have related experience in.

 

To ease with the transition back to Canada and since I have a lot of free time these days, I think it may be a good idea to get started teaching online while in Thailand for a while.

 

I have seen people on YouTube who are from America/Canada etc who have videos about teaching online while travelling in Thailand. There are obviously people doing it.

 

Personally I would not announce on YouTube that I am doing it (just in case......). There seems to be no shortage of digital nomads in Thailand. They are obviously making money and presumably many of them are here on a tourist visa. Many of those here making money and here on a tourist visa are certainly not shy about it either.

 

Anyway.......

 

Some would say that it is my business, no one needs to know.

 

Some would say don't do it.

 

I think it is my business and I do plan to file for tax in Canada.

 

Having said that, if there is any type of a visa that I can get in Thailand and even pay Thai taxes on the money then I will do that.

 

Any advice/insight is appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[blackcab]

Moved to the jobs forum for expert input.

[LivinLOS]

Online work is work.. Confirmed repeatedly by the Employment office and Dept of Labour. Work requires a work permit. 

 

Legalizing that work is hard to impossible without a Thai company to invoice for you.. You might be able to get it legalized via a BOI umbrella company like iglu but its debatable if the role is tech enough and highly unlikely to be generating the minimum funding requirements. 

Enforcement is non existent. Unlikely to have any consequences for working illegally in this situation. 

[khunPer]

It probably depend of where your students are, i.e. not in Thailand. Try to read this article...

 

Quote

Foreigners working for a Thai firm must hold a valid non-immigrant (Type B) visa, but so-called ‘digital nomads’ – who are often self-employed – can sidestep that requirement.

Chiang Mai Immigration Superintendent Pol. Col. Rutphong Sanwanangkun assured business leaders and foreign consular officials last month that ‘digital nomads’ are permitted to use tourists visas.

Source: Asian Correspondent, "Thailand: Immigration officials raid Chiang Mai co-working space"

 

Digital nomad has been discussed in other threads recently, for example here...

 

»...

The tourists were in Thailand legally and despite it being known that each was paid for their online work there was nothing the Thais could do to arrest them or have them deported.

They will leave when their visas expire.

Thaivisa notes that Labor Department officials were in the raiding party on Wednesday and the case is likely to be much discussed as it centers on the right of foreign nationals to work online in Thailand without a work permit...«

 

[Happy Grumpy]

If employed remotely by a non-Thai company or company not in Thailand, then doesn't come under the Alien Worker's Act, no WP is needed.

 

Go to the Thai Revenue Department and get your TIN (Thai Tax number) to pay tax on your income, if it is paid into Thailand. Obviously no WP is needed to do this, as not all employment/income falls under the Alien Employment Act. (Stock traders, rental properties, remote employees/online teachers to non-Thais for a non-Thai company or company in Thailand, etc).

 

If looking to meet fellow remote employees, working remotely and fully legally on Tourist Visas etc, go to one of the hundreds of Co-=Working Spaces around Thailand.

 

Enjoy your stay here. ?

Edited July 5, 2018 by Happy Grumpy