Dishonest Agency - Work Visa Problems

[Jonesk356]

Please help! My boyfriend and I came to Thailand to teach in October. We (stupidly, as we are now finding out) arranged a job with an agency before we left our home country (UK). When we arrived, we had all manner of problems. We were sent with the wrong paperwork for a B visa 4 times (3 to Bangkok and once to Laos), we have been lied to repeatedly, and shouted at when we ask for what we have been promised (both verbally and in writing). They have, among other things, told us we make them 'very angry', and threaten to take our jobs from us (not to mention posting our jobs, and the other ESL teacher's who works for them, on craigslist).

We have been given assurances from both the agency and the school that our work permit is in the system, so we are legally able to work (we have had a non-B for 4 weeks, and we are still being made to sign documents and get copies, always for something new). We do everything that is asked of us, but given the previous experience with the Non-B, we are not entirely convinced anything is happening with our work permit.

We have recently had (another) heated debate with the agency and the school, and we are seriously considering bailing, as the stress of constantly having to worry about the stability of our job (not to mention all the lies that are passed around the school about us - one of the two people who run the agency is related to the head of English) is far too much.

We would like to know if anyone has any ideas as to what the legal (if any) ramifications of our departure would be. For example, would we be best to leave the country, or are we reasonably safe to stay and find another job? Also, the man who runs the agency also works as a teacher, and we have been told this is highly illegal - can anyone confirm that, and whether it would give us any leverage?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (unless it's recommending us to not arrange a job before we arrive, or to not work for an agency - believe me, we know!)

Thanks,

Kelly

[beano2274]

You can still go to the Ministry of Labour if you want to and ask for assistance, it does not matter to them if you have a work permit or not.

Also the agency cannot put your names on anything to say how bad you were, that is against Thai Law.

[Soutpeel]

You can still go to the Ministry of Labour if you want to and ask for assistance, it does not matter to them if you have a work permit or not.

Also the agency cannot put your names on anything to say how bad you were, that is against Thai Law.

Agreed... DOL is your first port of call

[Jonesk356]

Great thanks for the help

Is there any way we could be caught out and penalised for not actually possessing a work permit? We're worried that if we break our contract and go to DOL that something bad will happen as we've signed lots of stuff for work permit and we've been working.

Thanks

[beano2274]

Like I said it does not matter that you have not got one, it was promised to you, am certain you have something proving this

[Jonesk356]

Yeah we do Thank you. We have our contracts, which are signed by the agency and the school. We also have all email conversations from the agency stating they will get our work permits.

[ThaiRich]

Yeah we do Thank you. We have our contracts, which are signed by the agency and the school. We also have all email conversations from the agency stating they will get our work permits.

If this is the route you decide to take, you might as well just get your salary for November and leave. Do you really think they will have you working for them after you report them to the Department of Labor????

If you are qualified, there are too many jobs out there to be working for people who don't do what they say.

[Jonesk356]

We received our salary today and we’ve decided we’re not returning to work for them after all the hassle. We were mostly concerned about legal ramifications through not fulfilling our contract and not having the permit. Can we still work Thailand if we break a contract?

[ThaiRich]

We received our salary today and we’ve decided we’re not returning to work for them after all the hassle. We were mostly concerned about legal ramifications through not fulfilling our contract and not having the permit. Can we still work Thailand if we break a contract?

They didn't provide the work permit. So it sounds as if the contract was never honored. Just go look for a new job. But, you need to do something to get off of that B visa. You need to do a border crossing by land or air. When you don't show up for work on Monday they will probably cancel your visa.

[overherebc]

Remember if you do a border crossing you will get only 15 days, doing by air you will get 30.

I'm quite sure that if your B is single entry it will be cancelled automatically when you leave either land or air.

[mallet36]

I had this problem a while ago I was working for a bad agency they provided me with the paperwork for my non B visa and I left before they sorted out my WP and within the 90 day deadline of the visa. My new school just transfered the visa to that school so I didn't have to do a visa run to Laos again.

[Jonesk356]

Thanks for all the advice so far.

I had this problem a while ago I was working for a bad agency they provided me with the paperwork for my non B visa and I left before they sorted out my WP and within the 90 day deadline of the visa. My new school just transfered the visa to that school so I didn't have to do a visa run to Laos again.

Yes, this is what we thought might have been the case. We were fairly certain that they can't cancel our Non-B (we still have plenty of time left on it too), but obviously we were worried about the Work Permit situation.

Thanks everyone!

[TerryLH]

I understand, perhaps incorrectly, that your visa is good as long as it hasn't been extended at an immigration office in Thailand.

They may have a legitimate argument about any fees they paid for visa or work permit for you.

If they do say you owe money, make sure they actually spent money for the WP. They should have a receipt for it. (WP3, I think)

Good luck.

Terry

[Mario2008]

Your non-B visa is still good and cannot be revoked by the agency.

[KKvampire]

Its unfortunate , to say the least,we cant name these agencies out there on most websites.because there are stacks of them in thailand who are involved in illegal practices from not obtaining WP to make more money for themselves to tax avoidance

Sent from my LG-P350 using Thaivisa Connect App

[PattayaPhom]

Look for a new job ajarn is a good place to start

[KKvampire]

Look for a new job ajarn is a good place to start

lots of these agencies advertising on there

[saengsureeya]

A work-permit in application is similar to actually having one.

It happened to me a few years back, when my employer was in the process of getting my WP and then I left.

I supposed that I was still safe with my valid non-B, but NO!!

At some point I was at overstay and luckily the immigration in Pattaya found out.

I had to pay my overstay the next day and got 5 days to start a new WP-application process.

[ubonjoe]

A visa and entry from it cannot be canceled. So you must of had an extension of stay based upon working not a visa.

[jaapfries]

We received our salary today and we’ve decided we’re not returning to work for them after all the hassle. We were mostly concerned about legal ramifications through not fulfilling our contract and not having the permit. Can we still work Thailand if we break a contract?

They didn't provide the work permit. So it sounds as if the contract was never honored. Just go look for a new job. But, you need to do something to get off of that B visa. You need to do a border crossing by land or air. When you don't show up for work on Monday they will probably cancel your visa.

No: wrong advice here: do not cancel that B-Visa ! ! ! ! Nobody (but Immigration) can cancel your Visa; besides that; you'll need it to apply for a W/P with a new employer. As long as your B-Visa is valid: you are legal ! ! !

[Jonesk356]

Thanks everyone for the advice

We've more or been offered a couple of jobs in the South, so I guess the agency did one good thing and got us that all important teaching in Thailand experience.

Our visa is still valid for another 2 months.