Chronological Procedure of Working Legally as a Teacher

[EmptyHead]

Hi guys,

After being told a pack of lies by a prospective employer, i am wondering if anyone can clarify the proper chronological procedure with regards to:

• when you sign the contract
• when they provide you with the documents to get the non-B visa
• when you start work (and which documents you should already have at that time and which are still pending)
• when you get the provisional teachers license (waiver)
• when you get the work permit (and how long it usually takes)

If there is anything i have forgotten please let me know.

Thanks!

[inbangkok]

Depends on the employer. There is no official order or chronological procedure to any of this. Technically speaking, obtaining the Visa, work permit, etc. before begining the position would be ideal. I rarely see that happen though.

[Mario2008]

When you start working you must have a work permit an a non-immigrant visa (normally a non-B or a non-O). Without these you are not allowed to work, including during a probation time.

1. get the correct visa with paperwork from the school

2. get a teaching license or waiver

3. get work permit

4. Now you are allowed to work

5. after some time you can apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

[inbangkok]

When you start working you must have a work permit an a non-immigrant visa (normally a non-B or a non-O). Without these you are not allowed to work, including during a probation time.

1. get the correct visa with paperwork from the school

2. get a teaching license or waiver

3. get work permit

4. Now you are allowed to work

5. after some time you can apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

Technically, yes. But have you ever heard of a school doing it this way unless they recruit the teacher from abroad? I never have.

[EmptyHead]

Thanks guys! I will try my best to adhere to the proper procedure Mario! Hopefully, i won't have to go down the typical road inbangkok.

Cheers

[brianp0803]

As mentioned several times already - can't legally work before work permit is issued.

Has any one teaching seen that followed ?

Even at large prestigious schools the actual practice seems to be

Start working on tourist visa while school applies for work permit and gets paperwork for non-b

Tourist visa converted in bkk to non-b (if enough time remaining)

Work permit issued.

It is illegal to work before work permit is issued but has any teacher ever seen that happen?

[iamariva1957]

Been teaching here for 3 years and ... no... I have never seen things done the way that we all know they are supposed to be. It is always, hire first (on whatever visa) and then apply for WP. Not one school here will hire PRIOR to one's arrival and interview anyway (it is a Thai face-to-face thing). And also be ready to do all the work getting the WP done yourself. This is how I have done it over my time here and though you can tell the school that it is not the way they are supposed to do things... all you will be told is "You member of family, no problem", get a dirty look and might not be called back or given the job.

So hang loose and just go with the flow. Know your limits and what the regs are and keep you 'hands clean' (as they say in courts). Just follow the directions of Immigration for they all do know how the system really works, fill out the forms, pay the money and keep copies!!!

[brianp0803]

I've only worked for 6 years at two large prestigious school and seen many teachers hired.

Always have to cover classes when a teacher goes to immigration to convert tourist visa to non-b and again when go for work permit. Neither school waited for work permit.

One school was big enough that immigration came to the school to extend our visas for returning teachers for the next year.

To be legal, if a teacher left mid contract the school should look for a prospective new teacher, get the non-b, get the work permit before he can replace the disappearing teacher. This is the legal way. Likely to happen??? 555

I need to find the last time I had a tourist visa but I believe it says for tourism only.

Looking for a job is not a tourist.

But need to have work permit applied for to get paper work for non-b.

Is it normal procedure at many schools to deduct money from the first 6 months salary that is returned at termination of contract but lost if leave before end of contract?

[EmptyHead]

"But need to have work permit applied for to get paper work for non-b."

I thought the Non-B comes first? According to Mario it does and I always thought that was the case too.

1. get the correct visa with paperwork from the school

2. get a teaching license or waiver

3. get work permit

4. Now you are allowed to work

5. after some time you can apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

How long does it normally take to get the work permit, by the way?

[ubonjoe]

For teaching there is no requirement that the work permit be applied for first to get the non-b.

If working for a company you need a work permit application approval letter to get it.