Planning on the big move and need big help

[gilligan]

Hi everyone.

I'm a 52 year old Canadian man who has decided to move to Thailand to teach English (I'm sure you all have heard this before) in July 2015.

I don't know where to start.

I have been coming to Thailand for about 10 years now for vacations and stayed in pattaya every time.

The first few times I stopped in Bangkok for a few days but stopped doing that and went directly to pattaya.

I plan on taking a TEFL course here in Canada in May 2015 before coming to Thailand.

I was told to get a type O non immigrant visa before leaving.

I just called the Thai embassy here in Canada and was told I could not get that since I am not married to a Thai but should get a 60 day visa and renew when needed.

I think getting the right Visa is my first step.

ANY help on visas and the different considerations that I need to make will be greatly appreciated.

This is a HUGE decision for me and causing a bit of anxiety for me.

I know the information is probably in this site somewhere, but I am in "panicked mode".

Thanks in advance

[inbangkok]

The only thing I would suggest researching (if you have not already) is the likelihood of finding a position at your age with no experience.

As for the visa, if it is a tourist one.... There is no renewing it. You can extend it once and then you have to leave Thailand to obtain another one.

[gilligan]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

[casualbiker]

You should have no major problems. You could go for a retirement visa (over 50) normal schools start in May. You should get here March, April for the new semester.

2nd semester starts end September. First semester is always better for getting a job of choice.

Your degree will get you 4 possibly 6 years of teaching in standard schools. You may NOT get a position in Pattaya. Which honestly might be good for you!

[gilligan]

Thanks.

I was thinking of looking for a teaching job in Bangkok and maybe once a month heading down to Pattaya (probably Jomtiem) to relax, do yoga by the beach.

Unfortunately, I can not get to Thailand sooner as I have professional responsibilties relating to leaving my current employment.

Thanks for the kind and informative reply.

[JohnC]

You can apply for permission to stay based on retirement if you meet the financial criteria (it's not a visa) however if successful your passport is stamped "employment prohibited" so you take your chances.

[gilligan]

the retirement visa is my last resort.

my risk tolerance is not that great:)

[CharlieH]

A post advocating obtaining illegal paperwork has been removed.

[CharlieH]

My only advice would be to make sure you have the correct Visa and work permit.

A work permit is required for ANY type of work even if its volunteering. You cannot work on either a tourist visa or retirement visa.

Dont believe what some schools or agents promise, ultimately its your responsibility to ensure you have the correct papers.

[elgordo38]

You say you have the funds to live on and are 52. Over 50 you can get a retirement visa. Just need to keep 800,000 bahts in the bank. I think you can teach till your 60. Explore that avenue at your leisure once here. Try Chiang Mai I like it here and the climate is better. Bangkok is sinking into the ocean and Pattaya has seen its better days.

[dddave]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

There are a lot of good people on this forum who go out of the way to help and give informed advice. Unfortunately, there is also a band of very unhappy and negative individuals who would prefer to denigrate any person making a sincere request rather than dealing with their own miserable lives. They live in Thailand but piss and moan about everything Thai and are always the first to ridicule whatever efforts are made to improve society here.

Nothing escapes their smug and often cruel commentary. They see themselves as superior beings and demand the perfection in others that they never came close to achieving on their own.

There are a lot of teachers who do a lot of good work here. Sadly, there are also a fair number of totally unqualified losers, some of whom are here for the worst of reasons and they taint the profession for everybody.

I think you have already found one or more of the local teaching forums on the 'net and that will probably be your best bet.

When you do come here to find a job, best to just find an affordable hotel or short term rental until you know where you will be teaching. Cross town commutes are a huge waste of time.

Don't give up on Thai Visa and try to ignore the ca-ca heads Among the drek, you will probably get some genuinely useful information.

[gilligan]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

There are a lot of good people on this forum who go out of the way to help and give informed advice. Unfortunately, there is also a band of very unhappy individuals who would prefer to denigrate any person making a sincere request rather than dealing with their own miserable lives. They live in Thailand but piss and moan about everything Thai and are always the first to ridicule whatever efforts are made to improve society here.

Nothing escapes their smug and often cruel commentary. They see themselves as superior beings and demand the perfection in others that they never came close to achieving in their own sad lives.

There are a lot of teachers who do a lot of good work here. Sadly, there are also a fair number of totally unqualified losers, some of whom are here for the worst of reasons and they taint the profession for everybody.

I think you have already found one or more of the local teaching forums on the 'net and that will probably be your best bet.

When you do come here to find a job, best to just find an affordable hotel or short term rental until you know where you will be teaching. Cross town commutes are a huge waste of time.

Don't give up on Thai Visa. Among the drek, you will probably get some genuinely useful information.

Thanks man,

I have already received posts and emails from truly good quality members.

It was just a shock that the first couple of replies were a bit harsh.

Personally, I believe that I wil be giving my best effort to teaching.

Over the course of my past visits to Thailand (i.e. Pattaya) I have encountered truly great people (expats, tourists and Thais alike) as well as "drek" lol.

I decided early on to stay away from the negative people since it only ended ruining my experience. I try to follow that rule back here in Canada.

Thanks again:)

by the way, it's -11c here (plus the wind chill) and all white snow outside, I hear parts of northern Thailand are experiencing some cold weather, lol

[gilligan]

You say you have the funds to live on and are 52. Over 50 you can get a retirement visa. Just need to keep 800,000 bahts in the bank. I think you can teach till your 60. Explore that avenue at your leisure once here. Try Chiang Mai I like it here and the climate is better. Bangkok is sinking into the ocean and Pattaya has seen its better days.

that may be the hardest part, deciding where to live in Thailand.

My understanding is that I can't work with a retirement visa and I think I need to be occupied during the week.

I generally live a quiet lifestyle back home and would prefer to continue so in Thailand (with the occasional week-end outing,lol).

thanks for your reply

[NeverSure]

Gilligan, The first thing I'd want to do is decide where I want to live. There are many Thailands. If you haven't seen much of Thailand, you might consider just traveling around to see what you like. I don't care for Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and similar but I don't drink much and I don't care for bar girls.

If you do like bar girls, you will find some similar venue in most larger towns in Thailand.

I like smaller towns; even some in Isaan. A population of around 100,000 works for me.

As for visa, as an American I have arrived visa exempt (visa on arrival) and gone to immigration and gotten a tourist visa which can be extended out for several months. I would do that if Canadians can get visa exempt and then travel, find a job, and then the school should help with your visa and work permit. I was based on retirement so I got a non-O, put everything together and got my retirement extension, all in Thailand.

Another thing you want to consider is that you might hate teaching in Thailand. I would. I'd have to lower my standards of quality too much. So I'd be prepared for the possibility that I wanted to stop teaching and convert to a retirement extension.

Good luck, and sorry for the numbskulls who like to populate the forums with their wisdom.

[beechguy]

You say you have the funds to live on and are 52. Over 50 you can get a retirement visa. Just need to keep 800,000 bahts in the bank. I think you can teach till your 60. Explore that avenue at your leisure once here. Try Chiang Mai I like it here and the climate is better. Bangkok is sinking into the ocean and Pattaya has seen its better days.

that may be the hardest part, deciding where to live in Thailand.

My understanding is that I can't work with a retirement visa and I think I need to be occupied during the week.

I generally live a quiet lifestyle back home and would prefer to continue so in Thailand (with the occasional week-end outing,lol).

thanks for your reply

That is correct, you can't legally work with a retirement extension. You could consider coming on a double entry Tourist Visa, each entry is good for a 60 day stay, and each stay can be extended for 30 days if timed properly, just need to do a border run while the visa is valid, to activate the second entry. That would give time to research locations, and to look for work. Then you can apply for the correct visa, and work permit when you're ready.

Good luck, and enjoy your stay.

[gilligan]

thanks neversure,

i'm also not a big fan of bar girls.

i'm thinking the same thing about traveling around to see where i'd like to settle.

i thought bangkok only because i thought that that is where i'd most likely find a job.

i've been told many times, chang mai and chang rai are incredible as well, so i might go up there.

as for pattaya, what i have ended up enjoying is having a coffee and just people watching. you'd be surprised how many great people i've met just sitting there having a coffee.

other than that, i've found that attitudes and the civility have gone down quite a bit since i started going.

thanks for your reply my "american big brother":)

[DogNo1]

You can't get a tourist visa at immigration in Thailand. You must go out to another country to get it. To the OP: You have read up in the TV forums about the low pay and lack of job satisfaction, haven't you. Before you come to Thailand, you should be fully aware that the rewards of teaching here might not be up to your expectations. Teachers without qualifications in English/linguistics and without a degree in education have a harder row to hoe than those who do. Especially hard hit are those who come without a sufficient source of income from outside of the country and find, as they get to be over sixty, not having accounted for inflation, that they really don't have enough to live on comfortably. Be sure that you fully understand the implications of your actions. Good luck!

[gilligan]

thanks dog,

at the end of the day, nothing is final.

if i don't like it, i go home.

i have a professional designation that should allow me to find employment upon my return.

there is also a good chance that i will have an opportunity to work in singapore in my current profession (i'm not sure how i feel about that,lol).

i think that the best way to find out is to try to be as prepared as possible knowing that i will never be prepared enough:)

[ubonjoe]

I have removed several abusive, off topic posts and replies to them.

[ubonjoe]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

Sorry about all the nasty replies. They are gone now.

You tried to get your non-o visa at the wrong place, The embassy in Ottawa and the official consulate in Vancouver will not do the them for being 50 or over because they only do the OA visa.

You should contact one of the 3 honorary consulates listed here: http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/obtaining-visa-canada

You should look here for info about teaching and the requirements on the Teaching in Thailand Forum

[Mario2008]

To be a teacher at a regular school you need at least a bachelor degree to get a waiver for the teaching license. A TEFL does not count, (although it will be helpful in teaching). The waiver gives you time to become a fully qualified teacher.

With no bachelor degree you still have teaching possibilities at places like language schools and adult education (non-formal education). If you manage to get a job, you can expect an income of about 30,000 to 35,000 a month.

Be sure that the company you will work for will give you the required papers for a non-B visa and work permit. Some promise the heaven, but don't deliver and have you work illegally. You need a WP also during any probation period.

You should come here on a tourist visa, giving you 90 days to find a job. When you find a job you apply for a non-B visa in a neighboring country with paperwork from the school. Don't start teaching without the required papers.

[bim]

I wish you well on your move. I have no regrets moving to Thailand. I am thankful everyday to be here and around such wonderful people. When I first moved I did have 2 back to back triple entry tourist visas but when I discovered the PE visa from the Thailand Elite programme it was a godsend. As I wasnt of retirement age and dont need to work. You at least have that option of the retirement visa. Because of the Asean coming next year there is big demend for English teachers. I am being asked all the time even though I have no qualifications, from people here to teach there kids English. But I have no desire to work. Wishing you well on your journey my friend. Am sure when you find the right place to settle you will not regret moving to this wonderful country.

[mfharrison]

if money is not such a concern then i would say come here and do your tefl here with an group that places you at the end. you might not end up where you want to be but the firm i used sorted out all my visa worries for me and i was only commited to them for 6months and then i could leave and search for my own work.

[berybert]

Just out of interest lots of people mention getting a tourist visa then look for work etc etc then you can get a work permit once you find a job. Please correct me if I'm wrong but is there any reason you cant enter on a retirement visa and then change to a work permit once you find the job ?

Seems to me that way saves the hassle of leaving the country doing border runs etc.

[Mario2008]

You can enter on a non-O based on retirement and look for work, but a work permit will not be issued. It is often simpler to apply for a non-B visa abroad then to go through the whole process of changing the permission to stay to reason of work.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Gilligan, The first thing I'd want to do is decide where I want to live. There are many Thailands. If you haven't seen much of Thailand, you might consider just traveling around to see what you like. I don't care for Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and similar but I don't drink much and I don't care for bar girls.

If you do like bar girls, you will find some similar venue in most larger towns in Thailand.

I like smaller towns; even some in Isaan. A population of around 100,000 works for me.

As for visa, as an American I have arrived visa exempt (visa on arrival) and gone to immigration and gotten a tourist visa which can be extended out for several months. I would do that if Canadians can get visa exempt and then travel, find a job, and then the school should help with your visa and work permit. I was based on retirement so I got a non-O, put everything together and got my retirement extension, all in Thailand.

Another thing you want to consider is that you might hate teaching in Thailand. I would. I'd have to lower my standards of quality too much. So I'd be prepared for the possibility that I wanted to stop teaching and convert to a retirement extension.

Good luck, and sorry for the numbskulls who like to populate the forums with their wisdom.

The op said himself that in 10 years of travel to thailand, he hasn't been anywhere in Thailand other than Bangkok and Pattaya, and that after awhile, he couldn't even bother with Bangkok. So there's something about Pattaya that is of keen interest to the op...like maybe the fascinating Wat Chaimonkol or Nong Nuch Gardens, or at least that's what the TAT would have us believe.

[gilligan]

unfortunately, i'm a creature of habbit.

my feeling is that pattaya is not representative at all of thailand.

in fact, if i am speaking with any women in canada about thailand i am embarrassed about saying that's where i visit.

that being said, i have made some really incredible friends in pattaya and there is a sense of comfort due to familiarity,

for example, if i go to a restaurant, it is more important who i am with than where we go.

when i am in pattaya, i will spend a lot of time in jomtiem (doing yoga/meditating by the beach), going to the gym, reading by the pool.

now that i will be moving to thailand, this will "force" me to explore other parts. nothing stopped me from doing so in the past but, like i said, it was just "easier" to go where i was familiar with.

[gilligan]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

Sorry about all the nasty replies. They are gone now.

You tried to get your non-o visa at the wrong place, The embassy in Ottawa and the official consulate in Vancouver will not do the them for being 50 or over because they only do the OA visa.

You should contact one of the 3 honorary consulates listed here: http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/obtaining-visa-canada

You should look here for info about teaching and the requirements on the Teaching in Thailand Forum

"nasty replies" i guess are a curse that comes with posting on the internet.

i will be using the links that you provided.

the information from this forum (excluding the negative replies) is exactly what i was originally hoping for and is very very much appreciated!!

i know that i am being repetitive, but thank you to everyone!!

[gilligan]

To be a teacher at a regular school you need at least a bachelor degree to get a waiver for the teaching license. A TEFL does not count, (although it will be helpful in teaching). The waiver gives you time to become a fully qualified teacher.

With no bachelor degree you still have teaching possibilities at places like language schools and adult education (non-formal education). If you manage to get a job, you can expect an income of about 30,000 to 35,000 a month.

Be sure that the company you will work for will give you the required papers for a non-B visa and work permit. Some promise the heaven, but don't deliver and have you work illegally. You need a WP also during any probation period.

You should come here on a tourist visa, giving you 90 days to find a job. When you find a job you apply for a non-B visa in a neighboring country with paperwork from the school. Don't start teaching without the required papers.

Hi Mario,

Thanks for the info.

I do have a bachelor's degree in addition to a post-graduate degree.

I do remember a few years ago when I started to think about moving to Thailand (yup, I have been thinking about it for about 8 years!!) that the question of proving that you had a degree was an issue.

I thought that I read that I needed to bring the actual degree(s) with me to Thailand.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Squeegee]

The op said himself that in 10 years of travel to thailand, he hasn't been anywhere in Thailand other than Bangkok and Pattaya, and that after awhile, he couldn't even bother with Bangkok. So there's something about Pattaya that is of keen interest to the op...like maybe the fascinating Wat Chaimonkol or Nong Nuch Gardens, or at least that's what the TAT would have us believe.

He said he does yoga on the beach.

In 10 years of coming to Thailand you don't have the most basic of knowledge about visas, to add to your disinterest in anything Thailand outside Pattaya? Please OP, for the sake of the students, if money is no issue to you just go with the retirement visa.

On the other hand, if you're actually serious about teaching, get away from Pattaya for a number of reasons: it'll be a lot easier to find work; you can learn more about the country you are trying to teach English to and will better understand your students; you'll possibly help break your cycle of being "a creature of habit" which might help enlighten you to more of life's experiences, maybe make you a better person and as far as teaching is concerned, can help you be a better teacher who is reflexive and adaptable. These are just for starters.

Why not get a tourist visa and travel the country a little bit. Not a tour: target maybe 3 specific areas that are not tourist traps and stay in the area to explore. See if it can get you out of Pattaya being center of the universe. An awful lot of some of the best expats in Thailand (whatever that means) are in all kinds of places living very high quality of life that you probably don't realize is well within your grasp, and if you ended up in a life like that and being a teacher, who knows, it could change a lot of deserving kids' lives for the better (a tiny bit) as well as your own (potentially a lot).

Or just go and die in Pattaya knowing you'll always feel embarrassed about it (you admitted it yourself) for as long as you live.

Pattaya doesn't need another 'English teacher', but thousands of other kilometers worth of Thailand desperately do. However, since the tourist industry seems to be the way it seems to be at the moment, I imagine it could probably do with another retiree doing "yoga on the beach".

Now, as they say in Thailand, it's up to you.