B visa with associate's degree and postgraduate certificate?

[BelgianTeacher]

Hi everyone, 

 

I'm 24 years old and I'm from Belgium. 

For a couple years already I have been thinking about teaching overseas in Asia. 

The countries that I have considered are China, Japan and Thailand. 

 

In all three of these countries one needs to be holder of at least a bachelor's degree to be granted a B visa and to be able to legally work as a teacher. 

 

I am the holder of an associate's degree in paralegal studies (European Qualification Framework level 5) and I'm the holder of a postgraduate certificate in strategic management and leadership (European Qualification Framework level 7). A bachelor is on level 6 of the European Qualification Framework. I do not hold a formal bachelor's degree. 

I'm fluent in English, French and Dutch. I speak a bit of German too. 

 

Is there any possibility to obtain a B visa and to teach English legally in Thailand with my qualifications? 

 

Somebody advised me to buy a fake degree on Kao San Road but I'm not willing to do that since I do hold qualifications that have been awarded by a college. They are just not the ones being asked for. 

 

Kind regards,

Vincent. 

 

[ubonjoe]

You questions about the degree requirements are probably best answered in the teaching in Thailand forum.

I have not moved this topic to there. 

[Dominion]

Unfortunately you will need a degree. The type of degree they are asking for is a complete degree of study from a recognised university. Plus transcrips. Europe 3 years. America 4 years of study. Don't go buying a fake one. They do check the authenticity of these degrees and if it's not original your in for a very hard time in Thailand.

[BelgianTeacher]

13 minutes ago, Dominion said:

Unfortunately you will need a degree. The type of degree they are asking for is a complete degree of study from a recognised university. Plus transcrips. Europe 3 years. America 4 years of study. Don't go buying a fake one. They do check the authenticity of these degrees and if it's not original your in for a very hard time in Thailand.

Here in Belgium there are two types of bachelor's degrees. One is awarded by a college and is of lesser value and the other is the academic bachelor awarded by a university. 

Which one do the Thai government officials mean? 

The professional bachelor (the first one) or the academic bachelor (the second one)? 

 

I could get the professional bachelor in a year of time through a shortened trajectory. It wouldn't be a university degree though. Here in Belgium it would be awarded by a college. 

[BobbyL]

Sounds harsh, but I think you would be mad to consider coming here to try and teach English any time soon. I don't know much at all about teaching in Thai schools but I would guess your salary would be low with little to no extra benefits. Other countries pay far more. 

 

Yes, you could live here on approx 30,000 - 40,000 / month, but that isn't living well in this day and age. A few of my friends in Bangkok used to make that sort of money teaching here 10 - 15 years ago.

 

That isn't a good life for a young man no matter how sexy the local women are ????. 

 

However, good luck. 

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Dominion said:

They do check the authenticity of these degrees and if it's not original your in for a very hard time in Thailand.

The worst thing I've heard of is the teacher being fired. Fake degrees are common here, especially with school directors.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, BobbyL said:

That isn't a good life for a young man no matter how sexy the local women are ????. 

It's a great life, go for it.

 

I had a great time earning 170 baht an hour back in the day. 300 baht an hour for privates.

[Neeranam]

One thing that I recommend is to get your Post Grad cert translated as the Thai translation is the same as a master's degree(barinyaa toe). When I applied for Thai citizenship a few years ago, they gave me the points for having a post graduate qualification.

[BelgianTeacher]

17 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

One thing that I recommend is to get your Post Grad cert translated as the Thai translation is the same as a master's degree(barinyaa toe). When I applied for Thai citizenship a few years ago, they gave me the points for having a post graduate qualification.

So it is possible through some inventive side paths to be granted the working visa without the bachelor's degree? 

[donmuang37]

Since a master's degree is higher than a bachelor's, a valid master's degree would qualify you for a work permit and Non-B.  However, it is unclear to me whether your credential is a complete master's degree or just a graduate level credential in a specific area, so try to investigate further. Your local Thai embassy might be able to be get you some clarification - after Covid-19, of course. Suggest taking a Thai friend to help. Good luck.

[Number 6]

4 hours ago, BelgianTeacher said:

So it is possible through some inventive side paths to be granted the working visa without the bachelor's degree? 

No.

 

Further, especially as an NNES and additionally not from a preferred country you are imo looking at a maximum salary of 40k most likely far less. Deduct from that possibly not only living expenses but visa related costs as well. You will essentially not be covered for insurance be it covid or a bike accident. This virus thing has only started and you with grand designs to come here and land a job without the most essential qualification. Moreover, job postings are currently at a standstill on ajarn. Finally, schools are starting late and no doubt in chaos. If that sounds like opportunity to you then take it.

 

Honestly, by providing both degrees and assuming the one says post graduate in English not some Flemish translation they might miss the fact you don't have a bachelor's or just assume the post graduate certificate overrides it. Is that gamble worth 3500 Euro for a 35k thb job?

 

[moontang]

https://www.scmp.com/article/583825/foreign-teachers-learn-tough-lesson-thai-crackdown

[Number 6]

16 minutes ago, moontang said:

https://www.scmp.com/article/583825/foreign-teachers-learn-tough-lesson-thai-crackdown

 

Thanks and a good read. Will be eye-opener for those like Neeram.

 

But this is bull5hit:

...many foreign instructors on Thailand's popular expat websites such as thaivisa.com claiming that many schools advise potential teachers where to get the fake diplomas.

 

I've never seen such a post here. If I were TV I'd ask them to find the postS (pl). Further, it will only be the lowest schools literally fishing for the worst teachers that offer such an option. Having your act together, knowing your subject material and impressing the administration so they do some work permit workaround is another matter. A school complicit producing illegal diplomas and teachers on TV abetting in that conspiracy? Not that I am aware of! There was some time back a huge news story about an international school (???) that procured documents for teachers. It was a rouge operation.

 

TV should ask for retraction.

[BelgianTeacher]

1 hour ago, Number 6 said:

No.

 

Further, especially as an NNES and additionally not from a preferred country you are imo looking at a maximum salary of 40k most likely far less. Deduct from that possibly not only living expenses but visa related costs as well. You will essentially not be covered for insurance be it covid or a bike accident. This virus thing has only started and you with grand designs to come here and land a job without the most essential qualification. Moreover, job postings are currently at a standstill on ajarn. Finally, schools are starting late and no doubt in chaos. If that sounds like opportunity to you then take it.

 

Honestly, by providing both degrees and assuming the one says post graduate in English not some Flemish translation they might miss the fact you don't have a bachelor's or just assume the post graduate certificate overrides it. Is that gamble worth 3500 Euro for a 35k thb job?

 

I'm not completely following. 

What 3500 euro do you mean? For the work permit? Is a work permit that expensive? 

 

Yes, I don't come from a native English speaking country but I mean, I'm white and I speak English fluently considering Belgium is only separated from England by a small canal of a couple hundred of miles.

 

35k bath would be a bit low. I think I could expect to make 60k baht to be honest. 

 

I also want the life experience of traveling around and broadening my mind and soul. 

 

Some people here surely love to bring wannabe expats down ????

[Number 6]

13 minutes ago, BelgianTeacher said:

I'm not completely following. 

What 3500 euro do you mean? For the work permit? Is a work permit that expensive? 

 

Yes, I don't come from a native English speaking country but I mean, I'm white and I speak English fluently considering Belgium is only separated from England by a small canal of a couple hundred of miles.

 

35k bath would be a bit low. I think I could expect to make 60k baht to be honest. 

 

I also want the life experience of traveling around and broadening my mind and soul. 

 

Some people here surely love to bring wannabe expats down ????

You will burn through 3500 Euro before you start work. In this climate with covid. You'd be lucky. 50k a month looking for work, two months, costs associated with getting a visa (low end schools are expensive and do little for you).

 

You might be C2 fluent your writing looks decent but no one will be impressed with Belgian passport especially combined with no degree. You will be lucky to get more than bog standard opportunities in language schools.

 

60k lol. Probably only 5% of efl teachers make 60k+. Are you aware the maximum you can make in public schools is 42.5k?

 

I thought earlier you were a troll. Pretty much convinced of it now.

 

Absolutely folly to think about coming here so you can have a go and travel around** while Thailand is locked down. Incredibly numb.

 

Please by all means come. Pity the children.

 

 

Edit    Yup, troll account created 15 hours ago.

[moontang]

The thing is, there has been a shift from backpackers with KSR degrees, to Filipinos with degrees, mostly because they will work for less.  White Face, degree, NES...and that will get you 35-40k, and you might even be mostly legal.  The degree is likely more important than the white face.  

[BelgianTeacher]

7 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

You will burn through 3500 Euro before you start work. In this climate with covid. You'd be lucky.

 

You might be C2 fluent you're writing looks decent but no one will be impressed with Belgian passport especially combined with no degree. You will be lucky to get more than bog standard opportunities in language schools.

 

60k lol. Probably only 5% of efl teachers make 60k+. Are you aware the maximum you can make in public schools is 42.5k?

 

I thought earlier you were a troll. Pretty much convinced of it now.

 

Absolutely folly to think about coming here so you can have a go and travel around** while Thailand is locked down. Incredibly numb.

 

Please by all means come. Pity the children.

I'm not coming to Thailand now. I'm coming next year. 

By next year things are normalized in the world. 

Can you please stop all kinds of assumptions and trying to put me down? I'm getting a bit sick of it. 

 

Yes, I have a Belgian passport. No, a Belgian passport doesn't mean that nobody wants you. Typical for an American to say such things. You guys have always had megalomania. You are everything and the rest of the world is nothing. We get it. 

 

There is something else that needs to be dumped off my liver:

I have a degree. An associate's degree. Aside of that I have the very valuable postgraduate certificate. So please don't act as if I'm some high school drop out. 

[moontang]

Certificate is not a degree.  One of the TEFL schools might tell you they can find you work, but:. Paperwork is going to suck, you will barely be making 5 USD per hour, and you will be vulnerable to trouble.  

[BelgianTeacher]

2 minutes ago, moontang said:

Certificate is not a degree.  One of the TEFL schools might tell you they can find you work, but:. Paperwork is going to suck, you will barely be making 5 USD per hour, and you will be vulnerable to trouble.  

An associate degree is a degree. So yes, I have a degree. Yes, the postgrad certificate is not a degree, I know that. 

What are you basing that 5$ quote on? 

Because as far as I know there are plenty over there working with no degrees and with fake degrees. I'm bringing real credentials on the table. 

But hey, I get it. 

Hope you feel better now. 

[natway09]

The degrees mean nothing if you have no employer who wants you to work with him.

Before anybody jumps on the bandwagon yes I worked here 27 years with no degree

but had skills 

[BelgianTeacher]

16 minutes ago, natway09 said:

The degrees mean nothing if you have no employer who wants you to work with him.

Before anybody jumps on the bandwagon yes I worked here 27 years with no degree

but had skills 

I have a degree. That's different than you who just showed up as a clandestine and turned out lucky. I have formal qualifications. There's a small difference in showing up somewhere and begging for a job because you need to eat or someone who can wait because they have the credentials that go with it. 

 

[BobbyL]

2 hours ago, BelgianTeacher said:

I have a degree. That's different than you who just showed up as a clandestine and turned out lucky. I have formal qualifications. There's a small difference in showing up somewhere and begging for a job because you need to eat or someone who can wait because they have the credentials that go with it. 

 

I am only a handful of years older than you, however I do think you need to listen to the advice.

 

You refer to credentials, yet you have no teaching credentials. I am not sure how you think that gives you a chance of landing a good paying job here. Thailand eats up people coming here to 'teach' and I have met a fair few NES over recent years who that definitely applies to.

 

Thankfully I am not working in places like this, but from everything I hear it will be low pay and even lower job satisfaction. Yes, the women are beautiful, but that is not important when you start thinking about your life and your future. 

[Scott]

Inflammatory post and reply removed.  

 

[puchooay]

4 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Are you aware the maximum you can make in public schools is 42.5k

Really? Not as far as I know and have experienced.

[aidenai]

On 4/9/2020 at 8:55 AM, BelgianTeacher said:

Here in Belgium there are two types of bachelor's degrees. One is awarded by a college and is of lesser value and the other is the academic bachelor awarded by a university. 

Which one do the Thai government officials mean? 

The professional bachelor (the first one) or the academic bachelor (the second one)? 

 

I could get the professional bachelor in a year of time through a shortened trajectory. It wouldn't be a university degree though. Here in Belgium it would be awarded by a college. 

If your educational institution is not on the list below, it's not accredited by the Teachers' Council of Thailand.

 

COUNTRY_TH	COUNTRY_EN	INSTITUTE
1	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES
2	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITAIRE FACULTEITEN SINT-IGNATIUS ANTWERPEN
3	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITAIRE INSTELLING ANTWERPEN
4	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN
5	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITE DE LIEGE
6	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITE DE MONS-HAINAUT
7	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITAIR CENTRUM ANTWERPEN
8	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITEIT GENT
9	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FONDATION UNIVERSITAIRE LUXEMBOURGEOISE
10	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN
11	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTE UNIVERSITAIRE DE THEOLOGIE PROTESTANTE DE BRUXELLES
12	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTES UNIVERSITAIRES NOTRE-DAME DE LA PAIX A NAMUR
13	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTES UNIVERSITAIRES CATHOLIQUES DE MONS
14	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTE UNIVERSITAIRE DES SCIENCES AGRONOMIQUES DE GEMBLOUX
15	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	LIMBURGS UNIVERSITAIR CENTRUM
16	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTES UNIVERSITAIRE SAINT- LOUIS
17	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
18	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
19	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
20	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	FACULTE POLYTECHNIQUE DE MONS
21	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	THE HOGESCHOOL GROEP-T
21	เบลเยี่ยม	BELGIUM	Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine
http://203.21.42.34/acc/search/internew/belgium.htm