New Semester Starting

[beano2274]

Well gonna have my little two peneth (penneth).

Been teaching here for many years, and still loving every minute. Worked with some great teachers and some really crap ones. Worked in great language centers and some really crappy ones too.

But what gets me is when these agents grab people and give them jobs, some of them do not have a valid visa, and that really annoys me, I look on ajarn.com and see many people needing work and not able to find it, I hear about it from people I work with. Am not bothered about those without degrees, or those with ones from downtown KhaoSarn Road, or teachers who do Visa runs, but those on Overstay, that annoys me. Do the agents not check the Passports of these people, I know of people who have photocopied a page from a friends passport and handed that to the agent, with the excuse that the real passport is somewhere else.

It seems to be the agents are just after money, but if these overstayers get caught then the agents are gonna lose money and maybe other schools they are linked to might think twice about it.

I am not an agent or never will be, so no business for me if they get caught, but just wanted to have a whinge.

Well had my whinge back to the housework now..............

[beano2274]

Maybe Scott could change the topic,

Companies employing overstayers

thanks

[Scott]

I've changed the topic title. Usually we don't change the Title because it breaks the link in Google search engines, so I hope this minor change doesn't affect that.

[Scott]

I know of a teacher who works for a Government school who is on a lengthy overstay. He will leave to get his visa today, I believe. He said he will call me and let me know how it goes with immigration.

He's very qualified for the job he does and the school was anxious to keep him employed. He was straightforward with them and they were helpful to him, but made it clear he needed to get his visa stuff sorted out.

I don't know if there is much that can be done if people are lying to the agency involved. Personally, I don't want anything other than copies of the passport, although often I make the copies myself. If someone gave me a copy that was fraudulent, I don't know that I would easily catch it, but I would hope that when the documents went to the relevant Ministry, they would catch it.

[Scott]

He went to the airport, checked in, then proceeded to Immigration. He went to a regular line and when they realized he had overstayed, he was taken to an office and paid a 20,000 baht fine and was on his way.

It took him about 5 minutes. He asked if he would have any problem when he returned and they told him 'no'. He will get his non-immigrant B and then a work permit upon returning.

[beano2274]

Good for your friend, however most agents do not register the teachers with the Ministry or get them WP's, so those who give false photocopies of Passports will still get away with it.

Actually one guy I know is not qualified at all, but has been teaching here for many years. Still has a lengthy overstay.

Edited May 3, 2011 by beano2274

[Scott]

Thanks. He's not the type of person to overstay, but had run into some rather serious personal problems--a very sick child, who spent about a couple of months at deaths doorstep. In the process, he spent most of his money and just forgot to renew his visa. Once the child was better, he had overstayed to the maximum (20,000 baht), and decided to get back to work.

His employer contacted Immigration and they informed him that nothing would happen (under ordinary circumstances) except the overstay fine. He finished his term at school. He will return with a non-immigrant B visa.

Overstay is definitely not a good idea and I don't think employers should condone it. Tourist visas are bad enough if your working, but overstay is illegal on more than one front.

[BruceMangosteen]

he spent most of his money and just forgot to renew his visa.

It always amazes me when I read or hear that people "forgot" they had overstayed or to renew etc.. My understanding is that if you are involved in an accident or get into trouble and are in the country illegally it can result in big trouble. Much easier to simply remember to renew your visa.

Do classes start the 9th, 16th, or 18th of May?? My school indicates "we don't know yet", "up to the director". May 17th is a holiday in any event.

[Scott]

Without belaboring the point, his child was dying and the date slipped by. The cost was over a million baht. Sometimes other things take precedence.

As far as dates are concerned, it will depend on the school. The teachers usually return before the students.

[smileplur]

he spent most of his money and just forgot to renew his visa.

Do classes start the 9th, 16th, or 18th of May?? My school indicates "we don't know yet", "up to the director". May 17th is a holiday in any event.

They begin on the 18th for myself and everyone else I know.