Possible To Get A Work Permit As A Teacher Without A Degree?

[Esoterik]

Hi. My school want to employ two new teachers who do not have have degrees but they won't do it without things being arranged so they are working perfectly legally.

I was under the impression that a degree was essential to get a work permit, but someone I know claims he has been working legally without a degree for years in Thailand. Is this possible? If so how?

Thanks for the help.

[lopburi3]

As this is specific to teaching will move to that forum for better input.

[Scott]

All things seem to be possible in Thailand--or impossible--depending on your perspective.

I believe that some types of schools can employ teachers without a degree and without a Teachers License, but I assume you are talking about a 'regular' school. In that case, it is very, very difficult. This topic is currently running and may be of some interest:

[beano2274]

Depends on where the school is and who at the school knows the person who issues WP's.

[phuturatica]

It's all about who you know in this case. By rights, no but like @Scott said, anything is possible in Thailand. If a person do accquire a work permit without a degree then it would probably be done under the table, as they say.

[LecheHombre]

You said "but they won't do it without things being arranged so they are working perfectly legally" -- who is the they in that sentence? (one of those Eats Shoots and Leaves things)

Most likely you are talking about the two new teachers who want to do things by the book. I agree and understand that stance, but on the other hand depending on who you ask there seem to be 100 different "books" with 100 different, incompatible, or contradictory rules. I guess one should do the best they can without getting TOO stressed out about it.

Most of the schools that I know of are incredibly ill-informed about just what the rules are supposed to be regarding the foreigners that they hire. They send you off to get a visa with incorrect or missing paperwork, and seem to blame it on you if immigration calls you on anything. So if it is the school that is trying to go by the book, that could be a pretty positive sign depending on your point of view.

To contribute to answering your question, a school I worked at previously claimed they were going to try to get around the rule in two ways:

1) The director "knew some people" who could push the school's paperwork through.

2) The school would change our job titles to something like "English Language Advisor/Expert/Translator" rather than anything like "Teacher", and then since they weren't employing "teachers" they could get work permits issued that didn't have to meet the TCT rules.

To my knowledge, that school never actually tried option 2 and have since only hired people that have "degrees" -- although I believe that the majority of them have "Khao San" degrees (in some cases the school actively suggested that they obtain them in that way). It doesn't exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that I and my legitimate degree (not in Ed. though) have been replaced by those dudes with fake degrees. However, I can take some Schadenfreude solace in watching the teaching quality there spiral into the ground as a result of the revolving door of random clowns that take 20+ "sick" (read: hung over) days per year. Som nam na to that place, and the school I've moved to in the meantime is way better.

[Esoterik]

LecheHombre, the "they" was referring to the two applicants.

Seems to be much as I expected. I've also heard people say changing job titles is a possible route, but no one ever seems to have any experience of it working, or even attempting it.

Thanks for the good replies guys, as per usual.

[aidenai]

2) The school would change our job titles to something like "English Language Advisor/Expert/Translator" rather than anything like "Teacher", and then since they weren't employing "teachers" they could get work permits issued that didn't have to meet the TCT rules.

To get an extension of the permission of stay for occupations other than teacher, applicants from Europe, Australia, Canada and The United States must have a monthly income of at least 50,000 Baht. Police Order 777/2551. http://www.immigrati...777-2551_en.pdf

Edited April 26, 2012 by aidenai

[Scott]

That could be a real problem.

Some years ago,when the TCT first started stirring the pot, we checked into hiring 'teachers' as something else. We were told it was not permitted. Also, isn't their a financial requirement for a 'company' to have a certain amount of money for each work permit issued?

[LecheHombre]

2) The school would change our job titles to something like "English Language Advisor/Expert/Translator" rather than anything like "Teacher", and then since they weren't employing "teachers" they could get work permits issued that didn't have to meet the TCT rules.

To get an extension of the permission of stay for occupations other than teacher, applicants from Europe, Australia, Canada and The United States must have a monthly income of at least 50,000 Baht. Police Order 777/2551. http://www.immigrati...777-2551_en.pdf

Good to know -- that would probably explain why that particular school never implemented that "option 2" (and why everybody seems to have heard about that plan but nobody seems to have actually heard of it being done). Although considering that school has actively encouraged people who applied there to get false degrees from Khao San Road, they are clearly willing to ignore the rules.

[puchooay]

There is still that reference to " educational background' certificates both at the TCT and the Labour Department. I have had work permit an extention based on teaching for 14 years now. I don't , as yet but coming soon.have a degree. There has never been any " help" from schools other than giving me the correct documents.

The most recent occassion, yesterday, things went very smoothly.

[tolstoy]

Government schools can get a waiver. Most private schools cannot, but as others have said they can get things passed through with connections or bribes.

I always suggest getting a degree if at all possible. With all the other requirements of a teacher's license and TCT stuff it will save a lot of hassles.

Seems strange that the people without degrees are worried about legally working. Seems if they really were that concerned they would get the proper qualifications or work for language schools.

[IssanDM]

Government schools can get a waiver. Most private schools cannot, but as others have said they can get things passed through with connections or bribes.

This doesn't seem to be true anymore because at my government school we had a teacher that worked here for over 5 years and was denied his renewed licence. There seems to be a new policy that has closed the waiver of not having a degree. My school tried everything to keep him to no avail as the MOE will not except anyone without a degree.

On a side note all the non-native English speaking foreign teachers must take a pass the TOEIC with a score of 600 or better.