Retirement And Working

[ark3]

Working AND retirement.

I have seen conflicting (but now lost) threads on this so am asking a probably repetitive question. I have been here for 3 years and teaching for 2, with a work permit (extended O dependant visa). For several reasons, I may have to switch to a Retirement Visa. I was under the impression (after reading some posts in the past) that I COULD work on Retirement Visa (extension) but upon enquiring at Chiang Mai Immigration they said I could not. Am I/are they "confused" or are they interpreting legislation incorrectly or just being Sh_ts. Have not had any problems with them before. I am sure that when I recently went to the Thai Cultural Course at Montfort that some teachers were retired (and with Work Permits). Any help to clarify is appreciated.

[hml367]

Working AND retirement.

I have seen conflicting (but now lost) threads on this so am asking a probably repetitive question. I have been here for 3 years and teaching for 2, with a work permit (extended O dependant visa). For several reasons, I may have to switch to a Retirement Visa. I was under the impression (after reading some posts in the past) that I COULD work on Retirement Visa (extension) but upon enquiring at Chiang Mai Immigration they said I could not. Am I/are they "confused" or are they interpreting legislation incorrectly or just being Sh_ts. Have not had any problems with them before. I am sure that when I recently went to the Thai Cultural Course at Montfort that some teachers were retired (and with Work Permits). Any help to clarify is appreciated.

Just a thought...... If the people you mention are retired does not necessarily mean they have a Type O visa to "spend the rest of your life in Thailand". There are Type O "A" visas, and there are Type O "B" visas. My oroginal Type O "A" visa to "spend the rest of my life in Thailand" was clearly stamped "Employment Prohibited".

If you are going to be using Chiang Mai Immigration, I would lean more toward the information they gave you... it may be wrong, but they are the ones you will be dealing with. If you are going to deal with another office then find out what that office indicates. They don't seem to always be the same.

You could also retain an Thai lawyer.

MSPain

[ThaiPauly]

As far as I am aware if you have a retirement visa you cannot work.

[Mapguy]

No work permitted on a retirement visa --- and that includes volunteer work and being anything more than an investor in a business. There are a lot of threads on this on TV.

[PeaceBlondie]

When I asked the same question at CMai immigration in April, the officer only said that if I got a WP, they could change my visa. I think he meant to a B business visa, or an O visa for other than retirement. I think he more likely meant a B visa, but he did not say.

I suggest you go back and ask again.

[elektrified]

If you have a retirement visa - Non-Immigrant Type O or Type O-A, it is clearly stamped on the visa "Employment Prohibited".

[ark3]

Lite Beer. Thanks for a reply on this on another thread. What you say is what I thought. Individuals and individual departments interpret the law/legislation to sometimes the widest or narrowest of parameters available. I have read the Thai Immigration site about OA visas, and while it is adament thar retirement and work do not go together, this is why I asked on the Forum about experiences in this area. More "experiences may help me. Yea I think I will present at the local Labour Office or else I may switch to a Non O B. Thanks all.

[bassmaster50]

I myself am on a retirement visa and do volunteer work with permission of Thai immigration. However, this is on a case-by-case basis, I am told. But for paid employment, as far as I know, you can not legally work here with retirement visa. But I do know of people who do work on internet, providing the work originates elsewhere. However, I am not sure if this is strictly legal, or they just haven't gotten caught.

[Jingthing]

I myself am on a retirement visa and do volunteer work with permission of Thai immigration. However, this is on a case-by-case basis, I am told. But for paid employment, as far as I know, you can not legally work here with retirement visa. But I do know of people who do work on internet, providing the work originates elsewhere. However, I am not sure if this is strictly legal, or they just haven't gotten caught.

If people are doing work at home on the internet and not interfacing with the Thai economy or Thai people at all with their business, I honestly do not think immigration CARES a bit about this (even more so for people on retirement extensions as they have proven their solvency)! So using the phrase getting caught is loaded for something there is no real evidence immigration is really interested in. Point me to even ONE case where someone was "caught" for this. Of course, I am not talking about illegal operations, people doing porn production using Thais, people doing import/export within the Thai economy. For example, if someone had a private arrangement with a French company to do translation work at home, and got paid directly into a non-Thai bank account, that kind of thing. Name me one time that kind of thing (and who can deny it is not exactly super rare) has ever been prosecuted here.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Jingthing

[tracyann]

Working AND retirement.

I have seen conflicting (but now lost) threads on this so am asking a probably repetitive question. I have been here for 3 years and teaching for 2, with a work permit (extended O dependant visa). For several reasons, I may have to switch to a Retirement Visa. I was under the impression (after reading some posts in the past) that I COULD work on Retirement Visa (extension) but upon enquiring at Chiang Mai Immigration they said I could not. Am I/are they "confused" or are they interpreting legislation incorrectly or just being Sh_ts. Have not had any problems with them before. I am sure that when I recently went to the Thai Cultural Course at Montfort that some teachers were retired (and with Work Permits). Any help to clarify is appreciated.

You can't work on a retirement visa! {legally}

[Jingthing]

You can't work on a retirement visa! {legally}

Usually. But there have been some reports here of exceptions being granted on a case by case basis at some offices. If you have a legit offer, there is no harm in asking at your local immigration office.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Jingthing

[ark3]

Thanks everyone. I'll work it out. Don't need any more replies unless someone else needs answers.

[JohnC]

Sorry but the main point that has been missed is the work permit, here in Pattaya many retirees had a wp with a retirement extension despite the fact their extension was stamped "employment prohibited" earlier this year the dept that issues wp stated that they would no longer issue a wp to anyone holding a retirement extension.

[jfchandler]

I can't speak to Chiang Mai...

But actually, at least around BKK, our esteemed Lopburi was reporting here on TV some months ago that there was going to be some kind of change that would allow farang on retirement visas to have legal employment. I too was surprised by that, knowing the general rule/prohibition in the past. But then, I never heard (and never saw him report on) what the outcome of that subject was.

Separately, in addition, I do know that when I've consulted with Sunbelt Asia in the past, they've also told me it would be possible for me to be legally employed while on a retirement visa. But since I'm not on a retirement visa yet, I haven't fleshed out with them just how exactly they were expecting to accomplish that.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. Sunbelt were saying that they were managing to get WPs for retirees in some areas.

[ark3]

Thanks everyone. I'll stay on my "o" visa for now. It appears to be exactly what I thought. ie There is a law: It is sometimes different interpretations: There are case by case exceptions: There are proposed changes in the "long white cloud in the air: