Working For Free In Phuket.

[Jimholio]

Hello everyone.

Here in Sweden we have something called Interpraktik. It's basicly a program paid by the Swedish state allowing unemployed people in Sweden between 20-30 years to go and work in a foreign country for 6 months. Everything is paid by the Swedish state.

This may seem wierd to some but if you think about it's actually cheaper for the Swedish state to pay for this then to pay for educations and other expensive programs they have to offer here in Sweden.

When you apply for this you apply trough The board of Private Schools in Thailand im not exactly sure how this will work yet, i need to check with the Thai embassy here in Sweden. If that doesnt work out, you have to apply the normal way trough the Thai immigration for a Work permit.

I am 23 years old speak Swedish, understand Norwegian and Danish and i also speak English allmost fluently. Im looking for work in most areas such as:

-Bar jobs

-Guide

-Reception

-Basicly everything within the tourism area is interesting aswell.

I have Drivers license aswell if that would be part of the job.

The hours would be 8 hours a day 5 days a week or those 40 hours divided on 7 days and that is totaly up to the employer. And the "Practise" would last for 6 months in total. During these 6 months 14days is a paid vacation by the Swedish state.

If anyone is interested in this or know someone that might be, please send me a PM or mail me at [email protected] and ill tell you more about myself. I can also call you trough Skype if you would want that.

Im mostly interested in work on Phuket however other areas may be interesting aswell.

Holding my thumbs

/Jimmy.

[richard10365]

If you have a degree you maybe could teach. Lots of farangs do it without a degree too. Of course this makes the legit teachers angry.

But I think to do anything legally, you would need a work permit. It is possible to get, but that might bring you back to the degree requirement.

[Jimholio]

Maybe i should add that Internships are allowed with a None-Immigrant (Education) Visum as it would under the category for studies in Thailand. Which means the 2 million baht rule per employee is not needed.

Edited January 10, 2006 by Jimholio

[rishi]

Here in Sweden we have something called Interpraktik. It's basicly a program paid by the Swedish state allowing unemployed people in Sweden between 20-30 years to go and work in a foreign country for 6 months. Everything is paid by the Swedish state.

I (or rather my Thai company) might make you an offer, but before getting too aquainted I'd like to know a few things:

1) Are you sure this "Interpraktik" covers any foreign country and not just EU plus a few neighbouring countries? (As would've been the case for my own European mother country).

2) Are you sure, Sweden has an arrangement with Thailand so that Thailand will accept your "work" as education rather than employment. (Otherwise, I believe that you can forget "Interpraktik" in Thailand right away - getting you a WP would be a close to impossible task for any "regular" employer).

[Jimholio]

Here in Sweden we have something called Interpraktik. It's basicly a program paid by the Swedish state allowing unemployed people in Sweden between 20-30 years to go and work in a foreign country for 6 months. Everything is paid by the Swedish state.

I (or rather my Thai company) might make you an offer, but before getting too aquainted I'd like to know a few things:

1) Are you sure this "Interpraktik" covers any foreign country and not just EU plus a few neighbouring countries? (As would've been the case for my own European mother country).

2) Are you sure, Sweden has an arrangement with Thailand so that Thailand will accept your "work" as education rather than employment. (Otherwise, I believe that you can forget "Interpraktik" in Thailand right away - getting you a WP would be a close to impossible task for any "regular" employer).

1) Interpraktik is allowed in all country's (Unless Swedish Foreign Ministry advices against travel)

2) Interpraktik or Sweden doesnt have any special agreements with any country's when it comes to Internship. However i called Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm a few days ago and they said that it will count as studies, which means you need a None-Immigrant EDU i believe it was - As she was speaking Swedish she said the name of the Visum in Swedish and that would translate to (Internship Visum) I asked if Work Permit was required for Internship in any fields and it wasnt as long as the employer didnt pay for the job.

This Visum is given 90days at a time - after 90 days the employer have to apply for an extension of the Visum and i assume you do that to Ministry of foreign affairs in Bangkok.

[simon43]

Not sure how you can confidently say that Interpraktik is allowed in all countries. Surely that's up to the destination country to decide, not for Sweden to decide

[Jimholio]

Not sure how you can confidently say that Interpraktik is allowed in all countries. Surely that's up to the destination country to decide, not for Sweden to decide

From the Swedish point of view ofcourse.

[rishi]

... I asked if Work Permit was required for Internship in any fields and it wasnt as long as the employer didnt pay for the job...

I wouldn't count too much on the validity of this embassy statement. Surfing this board yields many a story about consulary staff, who gave incorrect info even within their own area - visa and such - not to mention the rules of other departments such as the labour department.

In general, its illegal for any foreigner to perform any kind of work without a WP - and it doesn't matter whether or not you are paid.

I've done a little research on 'internship' on this board. I can't say, that I've found much authoritative on the issue, but everything indicates, that the general WP-rules apply also to internship. Can you link to some authoritative online docs, stating otherwise?

If you click 'Search' (on the top-menu - not the Google-one) and enter 'internship' and search this forum together with the forum on "Visas, etc.", you'll know what you're up against.

Actually, seen from Thailand this Interpraktik doesn't looks like nothing but an import of Swedens unemployment problem... So, since there isn't any sort of bilateral arrangement - yielding benefits to Thailand - I sort of believe that even a non-imm visa might be hard to get. (but I'm no authority on this, neither).

[phuketsiam]

student doctors do internships in Thailand and other places, do they have WP's too?

[Jimholio]

... I asked if Work Permit was required for Internship in any fields and it wasnt as long as the employer didnt pay for the job...

I wouldn't count too much on the validity of this embassy statement. Surfing this board yields many a story about consulary staff, who gave incorrect info even within their own area - visa and such - not to mention the rules of other departments such as the labour department.

In general, its illegal for any foreigner to perform any kind of work without a WP - and it doesn't matter whether or not you are paid.

I've done a little research on 'internship' on this board. I can't say, that I've found much authoritative on the issue, but everything indicates, that the general WP-rules apply also to internship. Can you link to some authoritative online docs, stating otherwise?

If you click 'Search' (on the top-menu - not the Google-one) and enter 'internship' and search this forum together with the forum on "Visas, etc.", you'll know what you're up against.

Actually, seen from Thailand this Interpraktik doesn't looks like nothing but an import of Swedens unemployment problem... So, since there isn't any sort of bilateral arrangement - yielding benefits to Thailand - I sort of believe that even a non-imm visa might be hard to get. (but I'm no authority on this, neither).

I sent a mail to Ministry of foreign affairs today, Ill let you know what they answer. But meanwhile all i have to show you is this.

Copy paste:

Internship/Voluntary work

Applicants that need a visa to do internship or volutary work should contact their Thai employer, who in turn should seek visa support from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok. Only once this support is received by the Stockholm Embassy can a visa be issued

Source: http://www.thaiembassy.se/consular/visa.php#intern

Seems a little strange to me that there are no mention of WP's on the official site. And when i spoke with the embassy i asked them if Work permit was required for internship and the answer i got was no. But we'll see once i get the answer from Thailand.

Edited January 13, 2006 by Jimholio

[jrincon17]

student doctors do internships in Thailand and other places, do they have WP's too?

and im sure there is an advisory from your embassy about thailand , most have them due to the unruly south.

[Jimholio]

student doctors do internships in Thailand and other places, do they have WP's too?

and im sure there is an advisory from your embassy about thailand , most have them due to the unruly south.

Yes, the Swedish foreign ministry advices against travel to, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani

[Sir Burr]

The tsunami relief workers at Khao Lak were told that they could no longer work without work-permits. They weren't getting paid.

Incidently, if I was a Swedish tax-payer, I don't think I would be too happy to know that my taxes were being spent sending the unemployed to Thailand for a paid vacation.

Why can't you get a job in Sweden?

[Jimholio]

The tsunami relief workers at Khao Lak were told that they could no longer work without work-permits. They weren't getting paid.

Incidently, if I was a Swedish tax-payer, I don't think I would be too happy to know that my taxes were being spent sending the unemployed to Thailand for a paid vacation.

Why can't you get a job in Sweden?

In my field of education its VERY hard to get a job without experience and due to how popular the graphics/design/webdesign area is. I cant realy afford to reschool myself now, that would mean taking a new loan for studies. So i figure this is a good opportunity for me to learn a new trade and also to do it in a country that i love.

As for the tax issues, even tho ive been unemployed for 2 months, and even if i go to Thailand for 6 months - I have 40+ years left in Sweden to pay taxes. What's wrong is those lazy bums that rather sit back home collecting unemployment because they dont wanna do anything at all. I see this as an opportunity to learn something new, gather experience and also for personal development, not as a paid vacation.