Probably Been Asked Many Times Before

[micksterbs]

Hi all. My first time to post here and I have a very basic question; in fact, it's so basic that I looked in the pinned topics first as I assumed it would be covered there. Couldn't spot it though. Ok, it was probably right under my nose...

I'm in LOS on a Multiple-Entry, Non-Immigrant, type "O" and it looks almost certain that I'm going to be offered a job in the next week, teaching at a nearby vocational college. What do I need to do to ensure I'm working legally?

Thanks for any help!

[Thaiboxer]

Hey micksterbs...nice to have you over here from the motor forum. If I find the other half of your vehicle, I'll let you know! If you have a Bachelor's degree, the process should be relatively painless. Since you're looking at teaching for a vocational school, I don't think your major is important. International schools (the real ones, not just the ones with the name "International") will often require a degree in education or at least some post graduate certificate in education. You'll need some passport sized photos, somebody from the school admin who knows the ropes and a fair amount of patience. You'll most likely have to sign a MOUNTAIN of papers (often copies of your passport, degree, etc), but other than that, the school should take care of everything to get you the blue work permit book. Good luck!

[Loaded]

What do I need to ensure I'm working legally?

patience

[Ijustwannateach]

Nobody knows. Depending on who you ask and who you're working for, you may or may not be considered qualified. Is the vocational college considered "tertiary" or "secondary" school? If the former, you may not have to do a 20 hour "Thai" "culture" course on the parts of musical instruments. Do you have a B.A. in the subject that you hope to teach? In that case, you may only have to take a plagiarized and dysfunctional test put together by foreign non-native-speaking shills to get a "Thai" teacher's "license." Do you have a B.Ed. or an M.Ed.? Then it doesn't matter what subject you're teaching; you'll probably be ok, but vastly underpaid and over qualified (except potentially in the subject that you teach).

And THAT's just to get the Ministry of Education "happy" with you (until they decide that all TEFLers need Ph.D's in order to make Thailand's development more likely).

Assuming that you get through those snares, there's still the question of "is your school on the list" (nobody knows where the list is) to be able to get work permits for foreigners. Will they really give you a work permit or are they lying to you because they never had the slightest intention of getting you one? How many months and application extensions will you put up with the uncertainty?

At least your visa isn't dependent on the job in this case- but that makes it even more likely that the Thais will consider you easy to hire and never intend to get you a work permit.

Good luck. I don't recommend teaching in Thailand, incidentally.

"S"

[Loaded]

I look at the glass as half full.

Yep, a lot of confusion about what's needed to become legal. However, most people reporting actual experiences show that things haven't changed too much at all. In Chiang Mai they don't even seem to be asking for the 20-hour culture course to renew this year - although a few teachers have taken it - let alone the TCT exam. I'm close to the front line in Chiang Mai and many schools are absolutely desperate for teachers at the moment. Many non-degree teachers have been hired and many promised wps (Wichai Wittilaya, VCS, Wachirawit, Sarasas, Yupparaj..). Time will tell whether the schools can deliver but I would say it's a pretty good time to be a teacher in Chiang Mai.

[micksterbs]

Thanks to all the above!

Nope, no degree but they don't seem too bothered about that. In fact, they approached me knowing (through a mutual friend) that I didn't have one. My query was more about work permits, visas etc. I know that my current visa does not allow work of any kind. So a work permit 'converts' it into a visa that allows work, yeah?

As you can see, am pretty clueless with regard to this; when I came out here, work was not something that I had intended to do again but I fancy this place and being more involved in the community. The money's handy as well, of course...

Thanks for your patience.

[Ijustwannateach]

For non-immigrant "O" and "B," the visa alone does not allow working (there are not many visa types which do); it is the work permit that allows the work assuming you have a visa type for which one can be issued (you do, but many schools and even low-level immigration types are less familiar with non-imm. "O" and may incorrectly tell you to convert to non-imm. "B," which would be a big mistake for someone like you- stick to your guns).

You may find it is harder to get a work permit if you don't have a degree, but as far as I know there are still ways to do it- let us know how it goes.

[Loaded]

to the OP

Your school usually does the work for you fortunately. Co-ordinating the documents needed for the ministries of immigration, labour and education (TCT if need a teacher licence) is very involved. Normally there's a chain of events: immigration needs to see an application for a work permit to extend visa etc. If you are going to work for a langauge school, university or governemnet school the TCT's proposed new regulations probably won't apply to you anyway. If you're going to work for a private school and don't have a degree and live in the boonies, the director drinks chivas with the director of education and immigration every Sat night at the local karaoke, so mai me pen ha (no problem). Thais are very pragmatic and don't let rules get in the way of a solution.

[micksterbs]

For non-immigrant "O" and "B," the visa alone does not allow working (there are not many visa types which do); it is the work permit that allows the work assuming you have a visa type for which one can be issued (you do, but many schools and even low-level immigration types are less familiar with non-imm. "O" and may incorrectly tell you to convert to non-imm. "B," which would be a big mistake for someone like you- stick to your guns).

You may find it is harder to get a work permit if you don't have a degree, but as far as I know there are still ways to do it- let us know how it goes.

Thanks for that, IJWT. Yep, I was talking just now to a mate who teaches at Loei Uni and he said pretty much the same as you. I'll let you know how it pans out.

to the OP

Your school usually does the work for you fortunately. Co-ordinating the documents needed for the ministries of immigration, labour and education (TCT if need a teacher licence) is very involved. Normally there's a chain of events: immigration needs to see an application for a work permit to extend visa etc. If you are going to work for a langauge school, university or governemnet school the TCT's proposed new regulations probably won't apply to you anyway. If you're going to work for a private school and don't have a degree and live in the boonies, the director drinks chivas with the director of education and immigration every Sat night at the local karaoke, so mai me pen ha (no problem). Thais are very pragmatic and don't let rules get in the way of a solution.

It's a government, vocational college and yep, it's in the ulu so I'm betting on the 'Chivas' approach! We'll see...

Thanks for your help.

[Norrad]

I worked at a Government vocational college, in Thonburi, a few years back. Even though I have a degree, I was never asked to show it. They still managed to organize a work permit for me. It seems that Government schools can avoid many of the hoops that private schools have to jump through.

ps. I'm on a Non-"o" with a valid work permit.

[micksterbs]

That's enouraging, Norrad.

Cheers!