I recently stopped working for my wife's business, for which I had a 2 year work permit issued in Chiang Mai. This business has now closed and I am in Bangkok teaching. I have an immigration stamp in my passport related to my non imm B visa, that is valid until 24th December. I have been told by Chiang Mai labour office that I have to present myself in person to cancel my work permit which I will do at half term. I am being advised by the school that the labour office will not cancel my non imm B visa and give me 7 days to get out of the country, which is what I think will happen. Can anyone advise me as to who is correct? Thanks!

If you have an extension of stay you got from immigration it will end on the day you stop working. It sounds like you stopped working for the job that entitled you to get the extension and work permit some time ago.

The labor office has nothing to do with your extension. That is an immigration function.

There is no automatic 7 day extension. You have to apply for it and pay 1900 baht at immigration. If your wife is Thai you can get a 60 day extension to visit her.

If your on an extension of stay from immigration for that work it ended the day that employment ended regardless of work permit status and unless a one stop BOI type extension there is no 7 days extra anymore unless you pay for an extension.

Sent from my i-mobile i-note WIFI3 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Also you are working illegally as your work permit is issued in Chiang Mai for your wife's company.

You are not allowed to be teaching in Bangkok on that work permit.

Thanks guys. Just to clarify I don't live on an 'extension of stay' Lopburi 3, I have an annual non imm B from Hull and I go to Tachilek every 90 days. Will this be cancelled when I go to Chiang Mai labour department?

I have to cancel the Chiang Mai restaurant WP, before the school can get a Bangkok teaching one, Poorsucker. The school don't seem overly concerned about that and I think they are fairly well 'connected'.

Since you have a visa it will remain valid.

Labor cannot cancel anything but a work permit.

If you were caught working without a work permit there would be little the school could do to help.

Edited October 4, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

As said with visa you are fine but there may be a small fine involved with new work permit application if old was not canceled.

You guys really know your stuff! many thanks. Lopburi 3. Any idea how much the 'small fine' might be? It may be cheaper to pay it, than go all the way back to Chiang Mai to cancel the WP!

Not sure and it may also require return to old office. Perhaps someone who has done can answer?

The old WP can be cancelled without fine as there is no time limit, see guidance notes on the form attached below; cancellation can be done by a third party with the signed power of attorney and papers, so no need to personally go to Chiang Mai:

wp_cancellation.pdf

As already stated, the OP is currently working illegally, his existing Restaurant WP will probably not help.

Really helpful stuff. Thanks I've printed off the forms and we'll see if my father in law can achieve the cancellation in Chiang Mai with my power of attorney.

As far as my visa is concerned. Will the school be able to obtain extensions of stay to my non imm B visa before 24th December or will I need to do a visa run? This assumes they can successfully obtain a relevant WP once I have provided the cancelled one for them.

Is the 24th of December when your visa expires or your permit to stay from your last entry? The permit to stay date is what is important. You cannot apply for an extension until you are within the last 30 days of your permit to stay.

The work permit issue will will be what could delay you being able to get the extension. Do you you have a teaching licence or waiver?

The extension application should only take a few hours to get done.

You should not need to do a visa run. You though might need to do a border run to get another 90 day entry. You also have the option of getting a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

Really helpful stuff. Thanks I've printed off the forms and we'll see if my father in law can achieve the cancellation in Chiang Mai with my power of attorney.

As far as my visa is concerned. Will the school be able to obtain extensions of stay to my non imm B visa before 24th December or will I need to do a visa run? This assumes they can successfully obtain a relevant WP once I have provided the cancelled one for them.

Your current Non Immigrant 'B' Visa and permission to stay stamp per se (assume the permission stamp is to the 24 December) should be fine for the application for/issue of a Work Permit in BKK.

However your school will need to supply papers/support for your WP1 application to Labour (form attached below), plus you will have to provide copies of your teaching qualifications/other permission documents which are required from the Ministry of Education for a teaching WP.

Form_tt1.pdf

Edited October 5, 201312 yr by digitalchromakey

Thanks again. My actual visa from Hull expires on 9th October, but I went over the border at Tachilek a week or so ago to get my 'bonus' 90 days with takes me to 24th Dec. I am a fully qualified teacher with all the relevant certificates duly legalised by the UK foreign office. Roughly how long should it take to get my work permit in Bangkok once I've cancelled the old one?

Thanks again. My actual visa from Hull expires on 9th October, but I went over the border at Tachilek a week or so ago to get my 'bonus' 90 days with takes me to 24th Dec. I am a fully qualified teacher with all the relevant certificates duly legalised by the UK foreign office. Roughly how long should it take to get my work permit in Bangkok once I've cancelled the old one?

If your old WP is already cancelled, you have all your paperwork, it's all in order and is accepted by Labour, then in theory, less than 3 working days.

Your school should help you with the application process.

Good luck.

Thank you all sincerely for your help!