Visa Requirements To Work As A Diving Instructor

[carolinerobinson]

Hello, I am currently a PADI instructor and planning to go to thailand to try and get diving work. I have been advised to get a non immigrant visa but it looks like i cannot get this without already having work secured. will i be able to arrive on a tourist visa and work on this, or alternatively will it be possible to get a work visa once i have found work.

ANy advice would be appreciated

[Mario2008]

Hello, I am currently a PADI instructor and planning to go to thailand to try and get diving work. I have been advised to get a non immigrant visa but it looks like i cannot get this without already having work secured. will i be able to arrive on a tourist visa and work on this, or alternatively will it be possible to get a work visa once i have found work.

ANy advice would be appreciated

It depends where you will be applying for the non-immigrant visa. In Asia you will need to have an employer. In Australia and Europe the consulates, especialy honorary consulates, are less strict. But you can always come on a tourist visa and look for work and get a non-B once you have found a job.

You can only work if you have a workpermit, that you can only get if you have a non-immigrant visa. The WP is only valid for yur current employer, a new employer means you have to apply for a new workpermit.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hello, I am currently a PADI instructor and planning to go to thailand to try and get diving work. I have been advised to get a non immigrant visa but it looks like i cannot get this without already having work secured. will i be able to arrive on a tourist visa and work on this, or alternatively will it be possible to get a work visa once i have found work.

ANy advice would be appreciated

I'll try to not be rude here, after all you asked a legitimate question. The fact is, one of the biggest scams in Thailand is the "Padi Dive Instructor" racket.....Phuket being a fine example...with a number of such foriegners laying around the beach. They came to Thailand as tourists, found our they liked it, and became a "Dive Instructor" by buying qualifications locally or knowing someone who could get them qualifications. Thai immigration is quite aware of the situation, and it won't be long before those on phoney "work" visa will have to prove their qualifications are real. Ask the phoney "English teachers" in Bangkok about that. That crackdown removed quite a few people.

But assuming you are really interested in working as a real dive instructor and you are really qualified, you need a non-o visa to get here. And you need a work permit to work in Thailand. If you can find a company that will hire you before you come to Thailand and will provide a letter of employment.....you're in. But it will be hard to find. Frankly there are many more people looking for the job than those that will ever get it.

It is possible, but a long shot, to come to Thailand on a 60 day tourist visa,extend it for 30 more days in country, and use the time to look for a job here in Thailand. But there are more want-to's than ever-will's. But if you've got the fumds to live for 60 days without working in Thailand, give it a try.

No you can't work on a tourist visa. The visa specifically says, "All employment is prohobited".

As I say, I don't intend to be rude....but the "Dive Instructor" bit has been thought of by every beach bum hangaround who came to Thailabd as a tourist, and wanted to stay.

Edited September 11, 2009 by IMA_FARANG