Studying Divemasters In Thailand

[Doonagirl]

Hi

I am coming to Thailand to complete a Divemasters course with a dive company. The company said they could supply me with a letter stating I would be studying with them. My concern is how to obtain a visa so I can stay on with the company (do I have to do border runs and how many is the limit?) after completing course to work for them for 3 mths.

Any advise appreciated

[smartecosse]

use the letter to get a non immigrant b (ed) visa from your home country

90 days a time

valid for 12mths from issue

[jonniebkk]

Yes, getting the initial visa should not be a problem...any non-immigrant visa would work...B, O, or education visa would be okay. The problematic part is staying on to work LEGALLY after your DM course is completed. Technically, you would need to obtain a non-imm B visa if you didn't have one initially. Then there is the complicated matter of obtaining a work permit...the document that allows you to work legally. These are not too easy to obtain and in any case, I don't know if there is any shortage of DMs in Thailand that they would even be inclined to issue a foreigner a WP to work in this occupation. The alternative is to work illigally but this could have serious consequences.

[jstumbo]

Work Permit for the 3 months after the course is going to be the problem. Maybe they could extend your training by 3 months? So you would not be working, but would still be in training. Of course then there would not be any pay for it.