Corporate Teaching: Wp Advice Sought

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I am in the process of winding down employment at a government school. I am on an extension to stay, having worked almost 2 years with a Non-B. I have put together a variety of PT corporate teaching gigs that will substantially increase my monthly salary. I am finishing up one corporate gig through an agency where I was offered a WP. As I already had a WP from my day job, I tried to get them to add on the agency to my WP, which could have been done, but all parties involved agreed that it was more trouble than it was worth.

So, my current WP expires/extension to stay at the end of October. My government school will not inform immigration that my employment has terminated, because they don't have a clue that they are supposed to do that. (I know this, because I was in charge of admin for 20 foreign teachers, and the school hadn't turned in an old WP or informed immigration of terminations for the last 2 years).

I am looking for advice or past experiences teachers with corporate gigs have in obtaining WP's. I don't really want to make border runs. I can easily get a job at the start of October which will provide a new WP. But, I prefer corporate work, and can work substantially fewer hours for more pay doing corporate gigs.

My experience, in the past, is the big agencies, like ECC, AUA and Inlingua can get WP's for their corporate trainers. Has anyone managed to get a WP from a smaller agency? Any other advice/alternatives is appreciated.

[Briggsy]

Get a WP through one of the big 3 you mention. Clear it with them you'll teach maybe 10 hours a week for them as you have other commitments.

The smaller schools would want you working 'a full load' for them in my experience.

Otherwise do the ED visa, not something I'd choose, but lots have.

Border runs are not so bad, particularly if you have a non-imm one-year multi-entry.

[PeaceBlondie]

Under the old US-Thai Amity Tax Treaty, a self-employed American could get a visa, WP, etc. without hiring 4 Thais. But when I checked, it couldn't be done.

[lopburi3]

I expect you will not get a new work permit until the old one is returned. Another item is that any stay after your last work day will be overstay under the current rules - you are required to obtain a letter of termination and visit Immigration that day to cancel extension of stay or obtain a 7 day extension to pack out.

[TerryLH]

To be legal, even with a WP, you'll need endorsements in the WP for each address you'll be working at.

If these are different companies, you'll need them to supply the paperwork for their particular job.

No shortcuts. Each different job/employer requires full paperwork.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I expect you will not get a new work permit until the old one is returned. Another item is that any stay after your last work day will be overstay under the current rules - you are required to obtain a letter of termination and visit Immigration that day to cancel extension of stay or obtain a 7 day extension to pack out.

I suspect your advice is no longer correct, because as of March 15, 2009, the requirement for turning in old work permits was abolished. The current requirement is that the employer send a letter to immigration on the date of your termination. There is no requirement that the employee produce a letter of termination. As I said in my original post, my former employer will do neither.

[Mario2008]

I expect you will not get a new work permit until the old one is returned. Another item is that any stay after your last work day will be overstay under the current rules - you are required to obtain a letter of termination and visit Immigration that day to cancel extension of stay or obtain a 7 day extension to pack out.

I suspect your advice is no longer correct, because as of March 15, 2009, the requirement for turning in old work permits was abolished. The current requirement is that the employer send a letter to immigration on the date of your termination. There is no requirement that the employee produce a letter of termination. As I said in my original post, my former employer will do neither.

Unfortunately not every labour office seems to agree on that, as a member recently experienced. He is having trouble getting a new WP as he didn't returned the old one.

Also note that the announcement was made by a resprected law firm, but we can't find an offical document confirming it.

Lopburi is giving you sound advice if you want to avoid possible problems.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I can produce both a termination letter and my old WP when I apply for my new WP.

[lopburi3]

In other words you are going to have them say you were just terminated when you apply for the new work permit but actually end work earlier? Please be very careful playing with the rules. What might work today may come back to bite in the future. There are people going to court and jail currently for things done almost a decade ago when it was considered a 'wink' offense (read the teaching forum). If you plan long term stay urge you to stay away from any suspect moves - this is the computer generation and things are starting to get double checked much more thoroughly.

[scorecard]

I expect you will not get a new work permit until the old one is returned. Another item is that any stay after your last work day will be overstay under the current rules - you are required to obtain a letter of termination and visit Immigration that day to cancel extension of stay or obtain a 7 day extension to pack out.

I can confirm:

1. That transferring the WP from one employer to another is possible by the appropriate regulations but is very very complex and requires (amongst many other things) the old employer to quarantee your personal taxation payments will continue for three months even though they are no longer your employer. No employer is ever going to agree to this.

2. You do need endorsements about different locations. I worked for many years for a management consulting company, after two scares, we always added new locations, as needed. My understanding is that language schools who can get work permits just don't worry about the different locations stuff, but it is required by the regulations and there are no special clauses in the regulations in this regard because it's a school.

3. There are occasional checks. Mid last year the immigration police went right through my old office building (presetigious Bangkok building, many high profile Thai companies plus a few international companies. The immigration police entered every office asked to speak to the manager or the administration manager and asked whether there were any foreign employees. If YES, then both the company and the WP holder had to show all documentation and they checked every detail very carefully. Several companies got fined and foreigner had to quickly leave Thailand after paying a fine.

[scorecard]

Get a WP through one of the big 3 you mention. Clear it with them you'll teach maybe 10 hours a week for them as you have other commitments.

The smaller schools would want you working 'a full load' for them in my experience.

Otherwise do the ED visa, not something I'd choose, but lots have.

Border runs are not so bad, particularly if you have a non-imm one-year multi-entry.

I just called my lawyer who is a personal friend and an expert on this subject and he doesn't play any games.

a. ""because as of March 15, 2009, the requirement for turning in old work permits was abolished. "" My lawyer says he's never heard of this and can't imagine that the Immigration Police would ever say this or make this change.

b. The suggestion that you get a work permit from one of the "big 3" and then just work 10 hours a week for them. Do you really believe any of the "big 3" would ever agree to this? I very much doubt it.

c. The advice "don't play games". I agree, the checking is getting much more serious and more thorough. I recently moved after 12 years on one WP (initially obtained and the rewewal every year handled by a high profile international law firm who are not going to get involved in anything illegal or suspect) to a university teaching position. The Dept. of Labour checked back into the computer records of my old permit, demanded to see my old annual taxation returns, and then went through the new application very seriously and asked many questions. It was approved.

[scorecard]

And for my recent new WP, the Department of labour asked for a new version of the medical certificate which incldes a statement that the person concedrned dosn't have siffilus.

The certificate was submitted but the Labour Dept., then said part of the changes in regard to medical certificate is a supporting blood test report. Fortunately I did have this.

[Briggsy]

Get a WP through one of the big 3 you mention. Clear it with them you'll teach maybe 10 hours a week for them as you have other commitments.

The smaller schools would want you working 'a full load' for them in my experience.

Otherwise do the ED visa, not something I'd choose, but lots have.

Border runs are not so bad, particularly if you have a non-imm one-year multi-entry.

I just called my lawyer who is a personal friend and an expert on this subject and he doesn't play any games.

a. ""because as of March 15, 2009, the requirement for turning in old work permits was abolished. "" My lawyer says he's never heard of this and can't imagine that the Immigration Police would ever say this or make this change.

b. The suggestion that you get a work permit from one of the "big 3" and then just work 10 hours a week for them. Do you really believe any of the "big 3" would ever agree to this? I very much doubt it.

c. The advice "don't play games". I agree, the checking is getting much more serious and more thorough. I recently moved after 12 years on one WP (initially obtained and the rewewal every year handled by a high profile international law firm who are not going to get involved in anything illegal or suspect) to a university teaching position. The Dept. of Labour checked back into the computer records of my old permit, demanded to see my old annual taxation returns, and then went through the new application very seriously and asked many questions. It was approved.

Re B you are obviously speculating. I, on the other hand, know a stack of people who have work permits with these big corporate training players and only do 10 hours or less teaching for them per week. I am very au fait with this situation. Please do not speculate or shoot others down if you don't know.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Briggsy