Canceling Work Permit On A New Visa ?

[ajarnhomebody]

I am a young North American teacher in Thailand who is returning home for a visit during my one-month holiday in April. My present contract ends on April 30th. I am not signing a new contract and have told my present school that I am going to work at a new school. My present school has indicated that they may not pay me if I cancel my work permit before the end of my contract but they also said they may pay me if I need to cancel my work permit early to get a new visa. NOW, I am unsure what to do regarding my present visa and work permit because I want to apply for a new visa while I am back home. I do not want to return to Thailand from my trip home to go cancel my work permit and then leave Thailand again to get a new Non-Immigrant B visa.

Is it possible to get a new visa while I am at home even if I am on my old visa that will expire with my old work permit at the end of April? (My new school has given me their school license and a letter.)

OR, could I just leave Thailand in April and not apply for a reentry permit and then cancel my work permit at the end of my contract when I return to Thailand in late April on a new visa? BUT will canceling my present work permit on my new visa invalidate my new visa?

I am unsure of the status of my work permit when I leave Thailand after not applying for a reentry permit. Leaving without a reentry permit, from my understanding, will end my visa that is somehow tied to my work permit. But will doing this automatically cancel my work permit or is my work permit officially cancelled when I hand it in when I formally notify the Ministry of Labor at the end of my present contract? I understand I may have to pay 1000 baht fine for handing in my work permit late.

Please help. I am unsure which is the best way to proceed. Thank you very much for any help you can offer.

[EVO]

Good question, no easy answer!!

I would guess that when you leave Thailand without a re-entry permit yhour visa, and therefore your work permit are cancelled. That way, when you arrive on your new visa, your work permit would be irrelevant.

Just my two pennies worth.

[Indo-Siam]

If you depart Thailand without a reentry permit, that will terminate your present entry permit - period. If you get a new non-immigrant visa, and return to Thailand, you will receive a fresh 90 day entry permi upon reentry. If you get back before your work permit expires (expiration date based on your previous entry permit), you can revalidate that work permit for the duration of your new entry permit - the fact that you had no valid entry permit at all while you were outside Thailand is not considered.

If you will change jobs, it is good for you if you can get second job added to old work permit before first job is officially terminated - when old job is then officially terminated, you can simply continue on with same work permit - because it still covers ongoing, valid employment - as long as the new employer is eligible to sponsor you for a work permit.

If you return with fresh entry permit, turn in WP booklet because first job is terminated, you can then get new job with fresh company, on that same entry permit. It will be an initial entry permit - not an extended entry permit - so it remains valid for 90 days after entry, regardless of what your employment status is - and it qualifies you to apply for a new work permit.

Good luck!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

Skype: sykesbkk

[ajarnhomebody]

Thank you very much for your replies.

Is it easy to get my new school added onto my existing work permit or will it take a long time to get all the paper work done? I have heard it can take upwards of a few months to get the proper papers from the Ministry of Education.

Any info on how to add another place of work onto my present work permit would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[kenkannif]

It's doable, but depends on your school.