How Long Between Hire And Work Permit?

[Ijustwannateach]

Ok, here's the poll- think it's fairly self-explanatory. I'm hoping for this to reflect recent reality on the ground, so please don't respond to the poll if your experience comes from a period of time before the last 3 years.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I got my WP within 10 days of landing a real job. I'm not sure your third poll question is correctly written. Did you mean border runs or visa runs? I never made a visa run, but had to make a border run about a month after I completed my TEFL, and before I was able to secure a WP.

[Ijustwannateach]

Let's say any run outside Thailand, for the purpose of getting, continuing, or extending one's attempt to work here. Your terminology is probably more correct; I'll change that in the poll.

[Africanteacher]

If it wasn't for the agency, I'd have got my WP in a week as well. As soon as my school noticed my boss hadn't got me a WP, they kicked her ass out and asked me to join them directly. A week later I had my work permit. About 3months later I got my Thai teacher's licence, valid for 5years

[Loaded]

According to the poll results Thai schools certainly seem to be performing better than many discussion forums would (mis)lead you to believe.

[PeaceBlondie]

Indeed, if this small but apparently valid sample is correct, Thai schools have gotten their act together since I first taught in that remote provinmce in 2003. Good.

[Ijustwannateach]

Well, if you look at the last poll created by PB, which I have finally located, you will see that things have improved considerably and very recently- so if past comments on forums do not reflect reality at this very moment, it is not exactly because any of them were misleading anyone. It is nice to see that there *has* been some improvement, and one can hope that vigilant criticism and warnings to newer teachers helped to shape the more positive current situation.

Or, on a more cynical note, more of the recent teachers with work permits are just working for agencies who can get work permits for anyone....

Kidding!!!

[dentbox]

Cheers for putting this up ijustwanna, it certainly looks fairly positive.