Switching Teaching Jobs

[sydlee]

I have a friend who is extremely unhappy at the school she's teaching at and has been offered a similar position in a better school but a different province. She has a WP and a visa valid till October this year. (She is however an Israeli Passport holder if that makes any difference) I have been told that she MUST cancel her current WP and get written proof of the same before she can accept the new position as it is illegal to have a WP and apply for the next one at the same time.

Here's the problem:

1- When she hands in her current WP does her Visa (vaild till Oct 07) cancel as well? Do these two go hand-in-hand as it were?

2- Are there any options here that could help her NOT having to leave the kingdom and reapply overseas for an "O" type visa?

3- Is it not possible to transfer WP's between schools?

4- If she were to produce a letter of employment from the new school at the time she cancels her current WP would this help to save her Visa from being cancelled, even though she is changing provinces?

The new school is ready and willing to employ her to begin in May 2007, but they are nervous regarding the existing WP Vs Visa etc.

We would appreciate any help, advice or guidance anyone of you readers can provide us....time is of the essence...isn't it always? :-)

Send me a PM

Thanks in advance fellow expats!

[Loaded]

Hi Sydlee

As I understand it if she or the school cancels the wp, she has about 7 days before immigration cancel the visa. Her passport stamp will still state the original date but when she leaves the country or applies for another work permit, she'll have problems. Within these 7 days though her new school can start a new wp process and extend her non-imm B to cover the process time period and then the wp duration period.

If she can, advise her to stick it out until May or to within 1 week of the new school's contract. Or, negotiate with the new school to start the new wp March or April.

[sydlee]

Hi Sydlee

As I understand it if she or the school cancels the wp, she has about 7 days before immigration cancel the visa. Her passport stamp will still state the original date but when she leaves the country or applies for another work permit, she'll have problems. Within these 7 days though her new school can start a new wp process and extend her non-imm B to cover the process time period and then the wp duration period.

If she can, advise her to stick it out until May or to within 1 week of the new school's contract. Or, negotiate with the new school to start the new wp March or April.

Dear Loaded,

Thanks so much for your prompt response. The school is prepared to issue her a letter of employment and the contract as well. But since school term starts up again in May, you are suggesting the new school date the letter/contract to coincide with her actual 7 day limit?

So it is possible to return the existing WP in her current province and ask for a 'Cancellation Confirmation', then simultaneously produce the new school's letter and contract, and this would allow her current Visa status to remain unchanged? This is the confusing part Loaded, if I have understood you correctly then there is still light at the end of this tunnel!

I'll be watching for your response....many thanks Loaded.......SydLee

[Ijustwannateach]

I think Loaded is correct (though this is a 2nd thing I've never yet had to do, along with changing a tourist visa to a non-imm. . You have a ridiculously small window to get a new school to sponsor you AFTER the first school has cancelled your WP or else you lose everything and you have to start all over again with a new visa trip. Not the sort of thing I'd want to do in the current atmosphere, so be careful. Basically, this means that you have to be on good terms with the school you're leaving- and be careful of schools who try to cancel your WP at odd times without telling you to screw you over.

[otherstuff1957]

While TIT and nothing is written in stone, the paperwork associated with changing jobs can be quite complicated. Unless her old employers are willing to release her from her contract and her new employers are ready to submit the new work permit paperwork in a timely fashion, she just might find her visa expired/cancelled and her Work Permit in limbo.

A worst case scenario could find her trying to get legal under the new rules which are being applied haphazardly by Immigration. She might have to work with a tourist visa for a month or two while waiting for her old Work Permit to expire and a police background check and a verification letter from her university to arrive!

Her job change COULD go smoothly, but she should have a backup plan if it doesn't.

[idle44mins]

While TIT and nothing is written in stone, the paperwork associated with changing jobs can be quite complicated. Unless her old employers are willing to release her from her contract and her new employers are ready to submit the new work permit paperwork in a timely fashion, she just might find her visa expired/cancelled and her Work Permit in limbo.

A worst case scenario could find her trying to get legal under the new rules which are being applied haphazardly by Immigration. She might have to work with a tourist visa for a month or two while waiting for her old Work Permit to expire and a police background check and a verification letter from her university to arrive!

Her job change COULD go smoothly, but she should have a backup plan if it doesn't.

In Chonburi province, this is the case:

the former employer has to cancel the wp and they will, because as long as there is a wp there is a tax obligation and the former school won't pay taxes for a nobody. With the cancellation of the wp the linked visa will be cancelled in one move. After the date of cancellation you have 7 days to take the necessary actions:

- apply for a new teachers' license, but first ask for a letter that your documents are in process. With this letter from the MoE and a letter/contract from your new employer, the immigration will grant you an extension of several months.

- after your teachers' license comes off, you can apply for a wp and basically the whole process will take about 1-2 months.

Beware: most schools start the process of applying for teachers' license + wp after your probation period is completed, that may be a problem!!

Please don't rely on the promise of your former employer that the wp will not be cancelled before the expiration date. Once they find out that hey have to pay taxes, the cancellation will be a fact, without notice of course. And before you even know it, you might suffer from an overstay, which can cost you up to a small monthly salary.