I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You need to read this on the teaching in Thailand forum. Teaching In Thailand - What You Need To Know

I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You have 3 types of teachers here:

1/ Teachers that are professional teachers in their home country, they have work permit, proper salary.

2/ Teachers that have a Bed (Bachelor in Education); They all have work permit too,but lower pay

3/ Teachers with just a degree or/and a TEFL, or no qualification at all, most of them have no work permit and low pay.

Fairly accurate BUT 3/ should be split.

3/ teachers with a degree, 2 year teaching waiver, wp and extension of stay.

4/ teacher working for language school with wp and ext of stay (probably with degree).

5/ teachers with no degree. And no degree means no teaching waivers or wp or extension of stay.

Oh and with 2/ you would have a Thai teaching license (no need for waivers) this can also be achieved with a standard degree and a top up teaching diploma (1 to 1.5 year course P/T)

Edited January 21, 201511 yr by casualbiker

In my experience teachers with a degree are usually in the waiver system and do have work permits.

I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You have 3 types of teachers here:

1/ Teachers that are professional teachers in their home country, they have work permit, proper salary.

2/ Teachers that have a Bed (Bachelor in Education); They all have work permit too,but lower pay

3/ Teachers with just a degree or/and a TEFL, or no qualification at all, most of them have no work permit and low pay.

Fairly accurate BUT 3/ should be split.

3/ teachers with a degree, 2 year teaching waiver, wp and extension of stay.

4/ teacher working for language school with wp and ext of stay (probably with degree).

5/ teachers with no degree. And no degree means no teaching waivers or wp or extension of stay.

Oh and with 2/ you would have a Thai teaching license (no need for waivers) this can also be achieved with a standard degree and a top up teaching diploma (1 to 1.5 year course P/T)

Okay, so based on this post I take it that all I need to teach with a work permit is a four year degree. That's what other information I read online says as well.

From what I hear getting a job in Thailand is pretty easy. I have already sent out my resume and I'm getting responses.

So I see no need to stay on for two months illegally when I can just find a better more legit place to work at.

I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You have 3 types of teachers here:

1/ Teachers that are professional teachers in their home country, they have work permit, proper salary.

2/ Teachers that have a Bed (Bachelor in Education); They all have work permit too,but lower pay

3/ Teachers with just a degree or/and a TEFL, or no qualification at all, most of them have no work permit and low pay.

Fairly accurate BUT 3/ should be split.

3/ teachers with a degree, 2 year teaching waiver, wp and extension of stay.

4/ teacher working for language school with wp and ext of stay (probably with degree).

5/ teachers with no degree. And no degree means no teaching waivers or wp or extension of stay.

Oh and with 2/ you would have a Thai teaching license (no need for waivers) this can also be achieved with a standard degree and a top up teaching diploma (1 to 1.5 year course P/T)

Okay, so based on this post I take it that all I need to teach with a work permit is a four year degree. That's what other information I read online says as well.

From what I hear getting a job in Thailand is pretty easy. I have already sent out my resume and I'm getting responses.

So I see no need to stay on for two months illegally when I can just find a better more legit place to work at.

Your school will need to apply and receive a 2 year teaching waiver (from khurusapha, Thai teachers council) for you to get an extension of stay from immigration (waiver is for you at that school cannot be transferred) Some Labour offices also require this BEFORE WP application but most don't.

Bear in mind many teaching contracts are between 9-12 months duration and it will shortly be the END of the semester / term. You may find it difficult attaining a new job until new term in middle May (applications in March, April)

Edited January 21, 201511 yr by casualbiker

I am on my Non B visa and it is up soon this month.

If it is true there is a 90 day work permit or similar and they are not getting it who is to say they will pay me while I am working illegally?

The head teacher was telling me that "This is Thailand" and all that stuff. However with the current craziness of the military government maybe it's best not to take chances.

Thank you all for responding, I really do find your input helpful.

Always remember that if you get caught then your life will become " complicated " but for the school its just another normal day at Waterloo Road .......

Very complicated. You could SPEND your life recovering. If you've a shred of any doubt, get to wherever you feel safest and work it out from there. IT doesn't matter where you are. Thailand isn't your home country.

I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You have 3 types of teachers here:

1/ Teachers that are professional teachers in their home country, they have work permit, proper salary.

2/ Teachers that have a Bed (Bachelor in Education); They all have work permit too,but lower pay

3/ Teachers with just a degree or/and a TEFL, or no qualification at all, most of them have no work permit and low pay.

Fairly accurate BUT 3/ should be split.

3/ teachers with a degree, 2 year teaching waiver, wp and extension of stay.

4/ teacher working for language school with wp and ext of stay (probably with degree).

5/ teachers with no degree. And no degree means no teaching waivers or wp or extension of stay.

Oh and with 2/ you would have a Thai teaching license (no need for waivers) this can also be achieved with a standard degree and a top up teaching diploma (1 to 1.5 year course P/T)

Sure if you only have a degree you can theoretically get a work permit. But in reality there are too many candidates with degrees and many just accept to work illegally here

I have an online TEFL. Is that what is meant? Or do you pass some proficiency test?

You have 3 types of teachers here:

1/ Teachers that are professional teachers in their home country, they have work permit, proper salary.

2/ Teachers that have a Bed (Bachelor in Education); They all have work permit too,but lower pay

3/ Teachers with just a degree or/and a TEFL, or no qualification at all, most of them have no work permit and low pay.

Fairly accurate BUT 3/ should be split.

3/ teachers with a degree, 2 year teaching waiver, wp and extension of stay.

4/ teacher working for language school with wp and ext of stay (probably with degree).

5/ teachers with no degree. And no degree means no teaching waivers or wp or extension of stay.

Oh and with 2/ you would have a Thai teaching license (no need for waivers) this can also be achieved with a standard degree and a top up teaching diploma (1 to 1.5 year course P/T)

Sure if you only have a degree you can theoretically get a work permit. But in reality there are too many candidates with degrees and many just accept to work illegally here

I know a lot of teachers. 90% of them have a degree and a work permit.

An inflammatory post has been removed.

Working in Thailand without a work permit is illegal under thai immigration law.

Teachers will be especially scrutinized by authorities.

"Especially"? I figure if anyone gets a break on this it's people working for government schools. In fact, I'd say the real concern is if you're working on a tourist visa or something and not even trying to get setup with a work permit. But if you're moving forward with the process of getting one, then you shouldn't have a problem. I mean, we're talking about a PM that pretty much pulled back on the border run crackdown b/c he realized there wouldn't be any English teachers in TH.

I'm leaning on not continuing due to the draconian climate regarding foreigners these days. However, two months isn't a lot of time....

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm sure a 'government' school is the last place the 'government' wants to go looking for people working illegally. Those places are as corrupt as any outfit in the nation. Finish up the term and move on.

Edited January 21, 201511 yr by eldragon

I'm leaning on not continuing due to the draconian climate regarding foreigners these days. However, two months isn't a lot of time....

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm sure a 'government' school is the last place the 'government' wants to go looking for people working illegally. Those places are as corrupt as any outfit in the nation. Finish up the term and move on.

Maybe. I'm a paranoid guy though.

I'm leaning on not continuing due to the draconian climate regarding foreigners these days. However, two months isn't a lot of time....

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm sure a 'government' school is the last place the 'government' wants to go looking for people working illegally. Those places are as corrupt as any outfit in the nation. Finish up the term and move on.

Maybe. I'm a paranoid guy though.

Can you afford to be! Three and a half months without pay can be hard. You could get a gig in a language school in between time, but I doubt any mainstream school will take you on this close to term end and pay you through the holiday! And if they DO need a teacher you gotta ask yourself WHY!

Some interesting posts. I knew a guy who kept getting told that they would get him a WP and then not do it. He worked for 10to 12 outfits in BKK and none of them would get his WP. Some promised him they would get it for him but did not want to do

the paper work stating it was a problem and they could not trust him to stay once he got the WP and they gave so many excuses that he finally went back home. He got a fairly good teaching back home, but really wanted to stay in Thailand, so he tells

everyone he knows that getting the Thai school managers to get a WP for you is impossible. I don't think there is any way to

get a WP without a hiring agency or school doing the paper work for you, don't know anyone one who has gotten one on his own. Would be interesting to know if there is a way to get a WP without the hassle of going through these bad faith third parties. Also, they never paid this guy for the last few days he worked.

Working in Thailand without a work permit is illegal under thai immigration law.

Teachers will be especially scrutinized by authorities.

And the irony is it's the Thai government employers at his school who are willlingly encouraging him to break the law by employing him without a work permit.

Can anyone imagine any other country where their own government departments would intentionly hire illegal foreign workers?

Only in thailand.

Edited February 3, 201511 yr by Time Traveller

I left when I got my last paycheck. I don't take any chances.

This is where i am coming from even agencys say wp no problem then they dont pay you for weeks that you work to teach lovely children in need

Thus is why thailand is corrupt and shouldn't falsely advertise to nattive speakers what they can peoduce when they know they can't.

Ive been in and out of thailand for ten years and its a discrase why they want their upcoming youth to engage in this

Thats why the rich thai go overseas to study and the poor are left behind in their own country conributing to the corrupt thai menas

Your on the money bro

The agency will charge the school 45,000 month you get 30,000

Then if the scholl hires you direct they only eant to pay max 25,000

Wouldnt you think the middle man is cut out that you deserve more

This is where i am coming from even agencys say wp no problem then they dont pay you for weeks that you work to teach lovely children in need

Thus is why thailand is corrupt and shouldn't falsely advertise to nattive speakers what they can peoduce when they know they can't.

Ive been in and out of thailand for ten years and its a discrase why they want their upcoming youth to engage in this

Thats why the rich thai go overseas to study and the poor are left behind in their own country conributing to the corrupt thai menas

I don't usually do this, but please tell me you don't teach English in Thailand

Working in Thailand without a work permit is illegal under thai immigration law.

Teachers will be especially scrutinized by authorities.

And the irony is it's the Thai government employers at his school who are willlingly encouraging him to break the law by employing him without a work permit.

Can anyone imagine any other country where their own government departments would intentionly hire illegal foreign workers?

Only in thailand.

I believe a certain government minister in the UK hired a house maid who was an illegal

So not only in Thailand

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by Soutpeel

Removed two troll posts and a reply to one of them.

Do you know or remember (if you're as old as i am, it's remember) the Doors song?

the chorus goes:

When the parties over,

When the parties over,

When the parties over,

Turn off the lights

Turn of the lights and go home.

I think the problem for foreign teachers in Thailand is that the party never starts.

I think the problem for foreign teachers in Thailand is that the party never starts.

Good then that the lyrics are 'when the music's over', and not 'party'

I left the job at the end on January. Just took my last paycheck and never came back.

In order to teach legally as a foreigner in Thailand,

you require

1. a teaching licence or waiver. (Ministry of Education)

2. a work permit (Ministry of Labour)

3 permission to be in the country (Immigration Department)

You only have 1 of 3, that is number 3 in the list above.

You don't require Number 1 to teach in a university, that is only for schools.