Which Tefl Is Accepted For A Non Imm B Visa.

[vickswagon]

Hi guys,

Looking to be a teacher, have taught before in England without a Tefl and have been teaching English on all levels to Italian relatives all my life as well as giving free lessons helping out EU workers when I was a recruitment consultant to help them find work and make new friends. I want to do everything right and above board in my move to Thailand.

I am aware that the new school year is creeping in and so maybe an on-line Tefl is a good option seeing as I already have experience and a friend who worked here before put in a good word so I already have a job offer. They just need me to have a Tefl and seem to think that an on-line one will be enough.

Just want to make sure I don't spend the money and then can't get the Non Imm B visa. I don't want to go the dodgey route I hear many do. Getting fined and banned from a country isn't something I would want to worry about.

So which on-line Tefl will help me get the visa so I can check out this school and others for work?

Recommendations please?

x

[ralphlsasser]

One isn't required, but it would help. IMHO, TEFL International in Ban Phe is the best. The instructor, Dave, is the best in the business. I took the course and it's tough, but I learned a lot. Good luck.

[beano2274]

A TEFL will not help you get a visa, but help you get a job and a work permit.

Look through the ads on ajarn.com for jobs.

A few places offer the courses and also promise you a job upon completion.

Edited March 26, 2012 by beano2274

[vickswagon]

So what do I need to get a non Imm B visa then? ANd I'm a little confused about how to get the 1 yr and do I still have to leave every 3 mths? It's all rather baffling and I get different stories everywhere I look.

[Gone]

I have never heard of an on-line TEFL however I'm sure they are out there. Why one would not want to take one here in Thailand is beyond me. It's like a guy I know who came here for a vacation and said he was going to go back to Canada, learn to speak Thai and return full time. Arai wah !!!!

If you plan on living and teaching in Thailand then come here and take your TEFL HERE. Text & Talk is a GREAT academy to take it with and they are all over Thailand. Then when you are here you can learn all the rules and ways of getting your visas, work permits etc.

[vickswagon]

I have never heard of an on-line TEFL however I'm sure they are out there. Why one would not want to take one here in Thailand is beyond me. It's like a guy I know who came here for a vacation and said he was going to go back to Canada, learn to speak Thai and return full time. Arai wah !!!!

If you plan on living and teaching in Thailand then come here and take your TEFL HERE. Text & Talk is a GREAT academy to take it with and they are all over Thailand. Then when you are here you can learn all the rules and ways of getting your visas, work permits etc.

I have never heard of an on-line TEFL however I'm sure they are out there. Why one would not want to take one here in Thailand is beyond me. It's like a guy I know who came here for a vacation and said he was going to go back to Canada, learn to speak Thai and return full time. Arai wah !!!!

If you plan on living and teaching in Thailand then come here and take your TEFL HERE. Text & Talk is a GREAT academy to take it with and they are all over Thailand. Then when you are here you can learn all the rules and ways of getting your visas, work permits etc.

I am in Thailand and have been passing through as a tourist since 2001. I know the place, the culture and speak enough to get by. Like I said in my original post.. I don't have time now to do a full on Tefl course.

There are a number of on-line courses for Tefl which are accepted for jobs but I ALREADY have a job offer.

Just want to know what to do and what is needed for an Non Immigrant B visa and where I can get one. If you havce experience or knowledge of that I'd love to hear it.

Thanks for trying to help though but it really didn't answer my question as you do not have the knowledge of Tefl courses and obtaining a Non Imm B Visa that I am hoping for.

But like I said thanks for replying.

[beano2274]

To get a Non Immigrant B visa you require a letter from the school, you will need a receipt from the Ministry of Labour for your Work Permit application, you will also need a few other documents, and you will have to get it outside of Thailand.

The Ministry of Labour will check your documents and TEFL, if they are happy then they will issue you a receipt for your Work permit application, and only then.

Edited March 26, 2012 by beano2274

[Gone]

I did my TEFL in 2000 and have been here ever since and have had some very high ranking jobs hiring teachers and organizing for companies as well as lecturing at Universities. If I was comparing 2 teachers for ghire after an interview and 1 had his TEFL on line and the other from inside Thailand I would chose the Thai cert.

First you need the job and contract signed, then you have the employer give you all of the paperwork to take to a consulate outside of Thailand say Vienttiene etc. to apply for your Non-B visa (The school must have all the relevent credentials). Once you have your 90 day Non-B visa and come back the school then starts the application for your Work Permit. This can take quite a while depending on the power of the school applying however once they approve it you will get the paperwork to take back to Immigration inside Thailand and they will most likely extend your Non=B. After 6 months you will go back in to the Labour office and get a 1 year work permit then back to immigration for your 1 years visa.

The WP can only be used at the place of employment it has on it and you cannot teah anywhere else without a new WP.

Also it is highly unlikely you will get a WP these days without a proper certified Degree in any field related and can even be in Business Administration. International schools will only hire you if you have a degree in Language.

Many language schools will hire you without anything but most likely won't give you a contract so you would have no help from the Labour board if they fire you without pay which many will. These jobs will pay between 25 - 30k per month but if you get caught working without a work permit you could be deported and black listed.

PS: No I do not teach any more.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Gone

[CharlieH]

Lets not also forget the times we have heard "got a job offer already" and this and that has been promised only to find later down the road, usually much later none of it materializes, no contract etc and the person is left with no paperwork no visa followed soon after by no pay that's been owed for months.

BE CAREFUL ! and search a little in the Teaching forum too for more info and experience with this.

[beano2274]

I thought the applicant cannot get a Visa from a neighbouring country without an official receipt from the Ministry of Labour to say they have applied for a Work Permit. Sure this was the rule,

Have to agree with CharlieH, loads of times people are promised jobs and work permits, but if they get the job no work permit, and visa runs can be the norm.

Edited March 26, 2012 by beano2274

[Gone]

I thought the applicant cannot get a Visa from a neighbouring country without an official receipt from the Ministry of Labour to say they have applied for a Work Permit. Sure this was the rule,

Have to agree with CharlieH, loads of times people are promised jobs and work permits, but if they get the job no work permit, and visa runs can be the norm.

You are correct. I should have mentioned that part of the paper-work that the employer will provide you with to take to get your Non-B visa is the receipt for the WP application. Good eye beano2274

With a decent company really people shouldn't even need to post on here. It should be made very simple and easy and completely explained to the employee. This is where teaching jobs lack.

[udonguy]

I believe the only two internationally recognized are those validated by Trinity or Cambridge? all the others taught here are ok for Thailand but not much good elsewhere

[brewsterbudgen]

I believe the only two internationally recognized are those validated by Trinity or Cambridge? all the others taught here are ok for Thailand but not much good elsewhere

Indeed, Cambridge CELTA and Trinity TESOL are the qualifications you want if you're considering a 'career' in TEFL, or plan to teach in other countries. However, for just teaching in Thailand anything will usually do - it's more important that they like you!

[Slip]

It's been said but is worth repeating- you do NOT need a TEFL to get a non-imm B visa.

[beano2274]

It's been said but is worth repeating- you do NOT need a TEFL to get a non-imm B visa.

Very true, a degree is normally required to get past the Work Permit issues.

Years ago before applying for a Work Permit your certificates had to have been approved by the Ministry of Education, and only then could you apply for a Work permit.

[udonguy]

I believe the only two internationally recognized are those validated by Trinity or Cambridge? all the others taught here are ok for Thailand but not much good elsewhere

Indeed, Cambridge CELTA and Trinity TESOL are the qualifications you want if you're considering a 'career' in TEFL, or plan to teach in other countries. However, for just teaching in Thailand anything will usually do - it's more important that they like you!

haha that's true... but sad too... but I do wonder at all the farang who spend all this money on 'Thai' versions of TFL's and have not researched that they are pretty limited in the 'real world' outside of Thailand and maybe, one day, within too. Best to stick to the Cambridge or Trinity validated I would think.

[udonguy]

It's been said but is worth repeating- you do NOT need a TEFL to get a non-imm B visa.

what you're really saying is 'you do NOT have to be a trained teacher to get a Visa to teach'!

[Gone]

Seems the OP has lost interest in his thread.

[ScouseTommy]

For a non-imm B visa you simply require your school to complete the paperwork (theres a lot of it) then you either do a visa run to laos and get it there, or if your school are good then they can convert your tourist visa to a non-imm B at Chaeng Wattana in BKK. You dont need anything but your paperwork from the school (and your original degree certificate if you do it in bkk), for Laos.

[Kwasaki]

Seems the OP has lost interest in his thread.

Yes it seems that way but if he bothers to look maybe this will help, it's a true story.

My friend had a English teaching job in 2010, with just a TEFL certificate and the school got him a work permit.

On his recent return he has found the system has changed.

This is just an update on the latest on him going about getting employment as a teacher in Thailand as of now.

Most of the schools it seemed to him haven't got a clue what to do, and many head-teachers and deputy heads do not speak English or are very limited in doing so.

Through his old school my friend inquired about other schools wanting teachers.

Via a Thai teacher apparently the new government instructions to all schools is they have to get English speaking teachers to teach in there school and the applicant's have to have a Bachelors degree.( Yeah !! Crazy I know but that's another topic).

So far he has been accepted for a English teaching job with his TEFL certificate.

He told them he was doing an on-line Bachelors degree and was 25% on his way through it.

He asked about the having to have a Bachelors degree, and was told by a Thai teacher that there is ways around that.

He then got a letter and a contract from the school plus he had to get a letter from the local Thai employment office.

It was then of to Laos to the Thai Embassy via Nong Khai to obtain a non-immigrate ' B ' visa.

Armed with that and all the papers it was off to the head works department in Bangkok.

Eventually he got to talk to a Thai lady who spoke excellent English, she took one quick look and said I cannot issue you with a work permit because you do not have a Bachelors degree.

Somewhat dejected so far, on speaking with her further telling her he had worked before as a teacher she then said, yes but the ruling to us has been changed now, this is what you need to do now, go back to the school and get a letter from them saying that they want to employ you as a Thai teachers assistant, I will then be able to issue you with a permit.

He is at the school now as of now, ready to go back off to Bangkok again.

If the OP wants to speak to him PM me.

He said to her why don't the school ring up and ask this office what to do, she laughed and said they do not want to appear as not knowing something when they are suppose to know what to do.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Kwasaki

[Gone]

Thai teachers, Principals, head masters etc. no NOTHING about the proceedures. They should be the last people you ask.

The rule of having a Bachelors degree has been in since 2004 and has never changed so if he got a WP without one he was very lucky.

It is not a requirement of the MOE that a teacher has a TEFL, it is just a requirement from some schools. Actually most schools.

It is the MOE's job to make sure that the teacher has a legitimate Bachelors degree then it is up to the Labour Dept. to issue a work permit.

I have seen the police along with the Labour Dept. come into 2 schools and actually remove a teacher that was found to be using a BA from Khao Sarn Rd. and they were deported and fined. It's not a pretty site. That's why employees at the MOE take care now to make sure the BA is legite. Now a days they might ask you to have it notarized by your embassy too.

[JenD]

Hi,

I can help you, call me +66(0)800704420

Regards Alex

[Kwasaki]

1. Thai teachers, Principals, head masters etc. no NOTHING about the proceedures. They should be the last people you ask.

2.The rule of having a Bachelors degree has been in since 2004 and has never changed so if he got a WP without one he was very lucky.

3. It is not a requirement of the MOE that a teacher has a TEFL, it is just a requirement from some schools. Actually most schools.

4. It is the MOE's job to make sure that the teacher has a legitimate Bachelors degree then it is up to the Labour Dept. to issue a work permit.

5. I have seen the police along with the Labour Dept. come into 2 schools and actually remove a teacher that was found to be using a BA from Khao Sarn Rd. and they were deported and fined. It's not a pretty site. That's why employees at the MOE take care now to make sure the BA is legite. Now a days they might ask you to have it notarized by your embassy too.

1. Don't understand, who do you speak to, to get a job at a Thai school then.

2. I don't think it was being enforced as much as it is now.

3. So you need a Bachelors degree as well as a TEFL.

4. Well that doesn't seem to be the case in this instance.

5. Well that's because they were committing fraud surely.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Kwasaki

[vickswagon]

I hadn't lost interest thank you. Was just reading with interest. So I'm going to do an online tefl as the school is an alternative school so Tefl is not really required only for the authorities!.. I already have a dam good degree and a job offer from trusted people so I'm sweet. Thanks guys