So I'm working for a language school and an opportunity just came up to move to different school for a better salary.

 

Question: If I go for it, how much of a nightmare will it be to navigate through the immigration bureaucracy?

 

Part of me thinks I should stay where I am until the covid situation is resolved but if the process can go smoothly maybe I shouldn't wait.

 

Thanks in advance!

The new school will first have to apply for a work permit for you to get a work permit approval letter.

Then you need a termination letter from you curent school. Then on or before the date on the termination letter your current extension would be canceled and a a new one applied for with the work permit approval letter and supporting document from the new school.

Then after the extension is issued your current work permit could be canceled and the new one issued.

Seems like a routine procedure. Any reports of people running into trouble along the way?

 

 

 

Asking on behalf of a friend, whose situation is somewhat similar. He is presently on an Amnesty from a visa exempt (Tourist) entry. Any word yet on how someone like him, who has now found a job, might be processed ?

I would advise running the process described by @ubonjoe past your local immigration office first to see whether they will follow the procedure described. Since this may not be easy to explain to the officials, consider taking a native Thai speaker with you if your own Thai is limited.

40 minutes ago, allane said:

0 day Asking on behalf of a friend, whose situation is somewhat similar. He is presently on an Amnesty from a visa exempt (Tourist) entry. Any word yet on how someone like him, who has now found a job, might be processed ?

Not really similar at all. He will have to change his visa exempt entry to a 90 day non immigrant visa (category B) entry before he can apply for a one year extension based upon working.

Whether he can do the application for the visa or not will depend upon  the office where he applies. Some offices do not consider the "automatic extension" under the amnesty as real extension. He will also need to do the application at least 15 (21 at some offices) days before the amnesty ends.

If you are on good terms with your school, they can do this by working together with the new school. However, in normal times, there are often problems. Timing is very important, you only have 7 days.

 

7 hours ago, Neeranam said:

If you are on good terms with your school, they can do this by working together with the new school. However, in normal times, there are often problems. Timing is very important, you only have 7 days.

 

They might not work together too well. They are competitors. 

 

Reading Ubonjoe's comment I was under the impression that I only need a termination letter from the old school. 

 

Can my old school sabotage the process in any way?

Neeranam's comment, "Timing is very important, you only have 7 days."  And during that 7-day period, you will need the new school to be VERY cooperative and reactive.  I did it once, some years ago, and changed provinces, too, which added more challenge to the process.

In my case, after "leaving" the first school, I was given the seven days to get a new extension of stay, then seven days of work permit, then back to immigration where they extended to three months, then back to Labor Ministry for three months of work permit and, finally, immigration gave me the full year extensiona and Labor Ministry followed suit.  Lots of paperwork and some extra fees.  But all doable IF the new school gives you full support.

And the old school cannot really sabotage the process.  The only document you need from them is a confirmation letter that your employment has ended.  You need to have that in hand before your start the process with immigration/Labor Ministry.

Let us know how it goes!