Do I Need A University Degree To Get A Work Permit?

[Nelson07]

Warning - this might be a stupid question...

A former colleague is managing the BKK branch of a well established multinational company. He has encouraged me to apply for a position over there. Did some quick research, and found this clause relating to documentation required for a work permit in Thailand:

"Your original university degree and university transcripts plus two copies of each."

I have no degree, although I do have significant experience in my profession. I am not a teacher nor involved in any way with the education sector.

The company employs some expats, and as such if I were to get a porition with them, I expect they would help out with obtaining the visa.

Can anyone tell me if I am ok to follow up with this, or if I am wasting my time. My intuition tells me that a university degree could not possibly be mandatory, but you never know...

BTW I have both an Australian and British passport.

Thanks in advance.

[Mario2008]

The law doesn't require it, but in practise it is sometimes demanded. They will definatly want to see your higest education diploma/degree.

As it is a multi-national company you will in all likelyhood be dealing with the One-Stop Service, and they are normally more accomodating as they are there to help certain companies.

I would say give it a try, your changes are good. The main concern will be if your position can easly be filled by a Thai.

[Crossy]

BKK immigration / labour dept. have never asked to see my degree, there was a form to fill stating my highest education level but the actual paperwork was never requested.

To our OP, go for it.

[ubonjoe]

Degree would only be required if called for in job description/contract.

[notmyself]

If a degree was required, would a degree from a Thai university be accepted?

[Mario2008]

Of course the Thai government accepts a degree of a Thai university.

[Satcommlee]

I was asked for no evidence of a degree when I got my work permit, there may be different rules for teachers but my position is engineering.

Although I do recall the work permit application asking about qualifications but I never needed to show anyone a degree certificate.

They'd probably accept university of Khao Sarn road

[Mario2008]

I was asked for no evidence of a degree when I got my work permit, there may be different rules for teachers but my position is engineering.

Although I do recall the work permit application asking about qualifications but I never needed to show anyone a degree certificate.

They'd probably accept university of Khao Sarn road

Depends on the abour office and indeed the job.

For a teacher at a regular school a degree is required. Simply also because without one you cannot get a teaching license or waiver of that. (You can get a job at a language school and maybe even at a university. The last sounds strange, but higher education is governt by different rules than regular schools).

Khao San Road also offers degrees. But people have actually been gone to jail for getting one there. Sometimes they do check degrees.

[notmyself]

Of course the Thai governments accepts a degree of a Thai university.

lol

[Satcommlee]

The labour office was Pathum Thani, the job would most definitely require someone with a Master's Degree, it was just that I was never asked to show any certificate.

[Mario2008]

Of course the Thai governments accepts a degree of a Thai university.

lol

That should be Thai government, without a "s" at the end.

[notmyself]

Of course the Thai governments accepts a degree of a Thai university.

lol

That should be Thai government, without a "s" at the end.

I figured. Are they considered to be the same level? Interchangeable as it were.

[Mario2008]

Legally a degree is a degree. But just as in my own country, some universities/faculties have a beter standing than others.

[notmyself]

But just as in my own country, some universities/faculties have a beter standing than others.

No question, a degree from say the top agricultural university would be favored over others. What would a degree in structural engineering (for example) set me back and would this be accepted in any other country?

[emilyb]

No degree is generally required, though as mentioned above you can be required to show one for a teaching position. I've gotten three work permits for three different companies over the past decade (non-teaching related), some BOI and some 'regular' companies. I've used two fixers and one in-house employee to handle it and the only time the degree came up was when the in-house employee did it, because she read the requirements and took them at face value. I simply sent in my CV as usual and no further questions were asked. The fixers who spend their entire lives wandering around the labor department getting this stuff done don't bother to ask for a degree, because it's not needed.

As with all ThaiVisa advice there's some anecdotal time that some person somewhere was required to show one by an anecdotal officer and there may have been anecdotal jail time involved, but you won't find a link to anything back any of that up whereas you can come down to the labor department with me later this week when I'll drop in, sign something and receive a valid work permit never having submitted anything more than passport photos, travel docs, a copy of a CV and some money (the company passed on the rest on their own).

On a side note, the most entertaining random requirement - though it's not exactly for the work permit itself, but another part of the process - is the "nonsensical photos of you doing something at the office in question" thing that always cracks me up. When the junior employee was handling it previously, she didn't have any connections, so they sent her back once and demanded that I appear to be working more directly with more Thai people in the photos. Seriously, imagine holding up visa processing over something that stupid. "How can we tell that they're actually working together, though? They're just sitting next to each other talking. To issue the documents, please have them working together more seriously so we can see that it's real." It boggles the mind. I had to sit and appear to do whatever the Hell that was.

[attrayant]

In other words, please pretend more convincingly.

[whomadewho]

... I've gotten three work permits for three different companies over the past decade (non-teaching related), some BOI and some 'regular' companies. I've used two fixers and one in-house employee to handle it and the only time the degree came up was when the in-house employee did it, because she read the requirements and took them at face value. I simply sent in my CV as usual and no further questions were asked. The fixers who spend their entire lives wandering around the labor department getting this stuff done don't bother to ask for a degree, because it's not needed.

Now I am doing my first workpermit application and its through an In house employee and she had sent me the applications form asking for permanent address, blood type etc and also the education. To avoid even being asked for this papers - as mine are in german I would need to get them translated etc - should i just leave the fields empty or they wont even ask for it even when I filled it in?

Thanks for your help.