Hi:

I'm changing teaching jobs from a private university in Pathum Thani to one in BKK. In Pathum Thani, I had no need to do a visa run to take the job: the university's immigration specialist took my existing WP and visa extension from a previous employer and handled everything. All I had to do was pay Bt1,900 for a seven-day extension once he canceled my previous WP and visa extension when he was getting me the new WP/visa extension.

I left the Pathum Thani university several months ago, but they kindly kept up my work permit and visa extension so I could look for another job without being forced out of Thailand.

Today, 11 November, I signed a one-year contract with the university in BKK. My WP from Pathum Thani expires 18 December, just over 5 weeks from now.

Is that enough time for my new employer to get me a new WP, thus avoiding my having to take a visa run to get a new 90-day non-B? Is the WP application process longer than normal because it's a teaching job at a university?

I ask because I've heard that the immigration specialist at my new employer is slow and lazy, and she might just blithely tell me to take a visa run as though I'm running to 7-Eleven to grab a a bottle of milk.

What say the experts here?

Thanks for your help, Paul

Actually if you are on an extension of stay for work, as it appears, and your employment ended two months ago you have been on overstay since that time as extensions for work end on the last day or work regardless of returning work permit or not. Maybe it will not be noticed but it could cause an issue. Will let others answer your timing questions as have no idea how long it will take.

Taking into account the work permit only, it can be done in a few days, if all the right documentation is submitted, which is usually not the case.

Is that enough time for my new employer to get me a new WP, thus avoiding my having to take a visa run to get a new 90-day non-B? Is the WP application process longer than normal because it's a teaching job at a university?

The Ministry of Labour, Department of Employment states in its documents that they need 7 working days to process the work permit. In reality an initial work permit (WP.1) application can take up to 10 working days and a work permit renewal (WP.5) application up to 3 days.

No differentiation in process time in regards to the type of school. i.e. OHEC, OBEC, OVEC or OPEC.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by aidenai

But that in reality depends on the labour office. Up country, my first work eprmit was done within 24 hours.

as long as you visa is good and as Lopburi posted you are not on overstay do not worry about the work permit.

Half of us teaching here are on tourist visas while we wait for letters from the Board of Education, waivers, correct documentation, in order to get our Non B visas, this can take months and then you get the Work Permits.

Doesn't the Foreign Ministry come into play here as well? I renewed my work permit today, the very last day it could be done. Reason it was cut so fine, according to my HR guy, was that the FM (I'm sure he said Foreign Ministry) didn't pass on the paperwork until yesterday.. A note of caution: double check that your medical cert mentions all 6 diseases under the requirement. The idiots at my local clinic only lsted 5, meaning a rush to a nearby clinic at Jamjuree and an extra 500 baht ("we know exactly what you want" - the locals said, and I didn't check).