Typical starting salaries

[Pockys]

On the weekend I was told that the minimum you can be paid, with a work permit is 50k for teaching here. One guy was on 100k at an international school.

What are the starting levels for:

1.Tefl teaching starting salary:

2.Minimum starting salary with work permit at government school

3. International school starting salary

[angsta]

Only 50k? I thought the minimum wage for a tefler was 55??!

I make 50k part time, probably more. So much I barely bother counting it. There's a big pile of baht in my wardrobe. I think most teachers in Thailand have more money than they can spend.

[pinkpanther99]

I was a tefler about 5 years ago teaching in a private school EP program starting salary 25k/m for first 3 months, then 30k/m after.

No one at the school I taught at got paid anywhere near 55k per month. In fact, I think the most someone got paid 32k/m and that was because this particular farang had taught at the school for about 15 years.

[gerryBScot]

If you survey jobs on the well known recruitment sites the most usual starting salary outside of BKK for a NES graduate is in the region of 30,000: that would be in a private or a government school; many schools however prefer to use agents these days is they can get a kickback and it also means not needing to pay for holidays, absence, etc. On top of that you may get an additional rent and living allowance in the region of 3,000 to 6,000.

With a teaching qualification you may indeed be able to earn more but in all likelihood that would be in an international school; at the lower tier you might earn as little as 50,000 plus allowances all the way upwards to sublime money in the top tier schools.

The whole culture, outside the top tier international schools, appears to be one of rigorous cost cutting in terms of payments to teachers with total disregard for quality. Something about paying peanuts and monkeys...

[Pockys]

If you survey jobs on the well known recruitment sites the most usual starting salary outside of BKK for a NES graduate is in the region of 30,000: that would be in a private or a government school; many schools however prefer to use agents these days is they can get a kickback and it also means not needing to pay for holidays, absence, etc. On top of that you may get an additional rent and living allowance in the region of 3,000 to 6,000.

There is no new-ish rule of a government minimum of $50k baht for a teacher, including work permit?

[Pockys]

I was a tefler about 5 years ago teaching in a private school EP program starting salary 25k/m for first 3 months, then 30k/m after.

No one at the school I taught at got paid anywhere near 55k per month. In fact, I think the most someone got paid 32k/m and that was because this particular farang had taught at the school for about 15 years.

30-40k was more my understanding

[MaeJoMTB]

Minimum wage for work permit related to teaching = no minimum.

Minimum age for work permit related to other occupation = 50k

25-27k is quite a popular wage for foreigner teachers starting in rural areas.

Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)

Edited October 22, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Don Mega]

Minimum wage for work permit related to teaching = no minimum.

Minimum age for work permit related to other occupation = 50k

25-27k is quite a popular wage for foreigner teachers starting in rural areas.

Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)

There is no minimum salary/wage for work permit no matter the occupation.

To successfully obtain a permission to stay extension there is a minimum salary though.

[Colabamumbai]

Schools in Isaan 28000 plus per month, 30,000 on average.

[TerryLH]

"Minimum age for work permit related to other occupation = 50k"

As mentioned, that's for the extension, not to get a work permit.

The amount varies by nationality. I believe it can be as low as 25k for some.


"Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.
(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)"

Employees at private schools are not eligible for SS, which means it is not compulsory for everyone.

[MaeJoMTB]

"Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)"

Employees at private schools are not eligible for SS, which means it is not compulsory for everyone.

You're wrong,

Everyone working legally in Thailand must be in the SS.

[johninbkk71]

I make 40000 at a government school. Teaching 18 hours a week. Easy job. I used to make 54000 at a bilingual school 25 hours teaching and a lot more work.

[Sabot]

Our starting salary for someone with a bachelor's degree is around 65,000 Baht; more for graduate degrees.

We don't require a TEFL; however, if you're teaching something other than English, you'll need a degree in your field.

We are an EP program in a (good and expensive) government school.

[Colabamumbai]

"Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)"

Employees at private schools are not eligible for SS, which means it is not compulsory for everyone.

You're wrong,

Everyone working legally in Thailand must be in the SS.

I have worked for 3 schools with Non B visas and W.P.'s, not one of them has included me or made payments to the SS system!!!!

[Don Mega]

"Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)"

Employees at private schools are not eligible for SS, which means it is not compulsory for everyone.

You're wrong,

Everyone working legally in Thailand must be in the SS.

Have a read of this.

http://www.thaipvd.com/content_en.php?content_id=00313

In particular " those exempted by the Act such as civil servants, state enterprise employees and private school teachers"

[mogo51]

Only 50k? I thought the minimum wage for a tefler was 55??!

I make 50k part time, probably more. So much I barely bother counting it. There's a big pile of baht in my wardrobe. I think most teachers in Thailand have more money than they can spend.

Will he get the sarcasm???

[MaeJoMTB]

Item 1

I wasn't wrong, except for my wording. You need a VISA and a WP, not much point having just the WP.

Item 2

You may be right, but somehow I don't think the OP has any qualifications that a private school will want.

[CharlieH]

Debate/discuss the topic, not the poster, dont make it personal.

[Don Mega]

Item 1

I wasn't wrong, except for my wording. You need a VISA and a WP, not much point having just the WP.

Item 2

You may be right, but somehow I don't think the OP has any qualifications that a private school will want.

Can you please direct me to a source which states a minimum salary/wage is required for a work permit.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Don Mega

[bumpity]

THERE IS NO MINIMUM WAGE RE: OBTAINING A WORK PERMIT.

The confusion here is that the government requirement is that income taxes paid on income start at a minimum of 50k.

Most salaries for teachers at government are at the 30k-40k level - the vast majority

Thai private schools pay little more than government schools...35K-75K

The top tier of private international schools can pay 65k-100k and beyond

[DavisH]

If you survey jobs on the well known recruitment sites the most usual starting salary outside of BKK for a NES graduate is in the region of 30,000: that would be in a private or a government school; many schools however prefer to use agents these days is they can get a kickback and it also means not needing to pay for holidays, absence, etc. On top of that you may get an additional rent and living allowance in the region of 3,000 to 6,000.

There is no new-ish rule of a government minimum of $50k baht for a teacher, including work permit?

That minimum 50k for a work permit does not apply to teachers an that minimum, for other occupations, varies according to the country of origin. i would say a regular teacher in a government school would start on around 30k a month. Private schools generally pay more (50+ k). More and more schools are using agencies now, and pay their teachers, say, 35k, but the school may pay the agency 50K. Schools use them because the agency has a fresh supply of constant teachers. Unfortunately, they turn over quickly, Most of our agency teachers did not finish their contract. This is not good for the students either. Agencies are being used more and more because the number of long term teachers has steadily decreased because living costs have gone up but salaries have not, over the last 15 years. So in my school we have a constant flow of itinerant teachers + another group of 5+ years long termers.

International schools generally pay a lot more, but the workload can be quite high in the best schools. They generally recruit from abroad and prefer teachers who have worked in western schools or other international schools. And they do attract a lot of applicants for those schools.

[Happy Grumpy]

1.Tefl teaching starting salary:

25-35k.

3. International school starting salary

55k+ lower tier, 80k+ middle-tier, 100k+Top tier.

[HooHaa]

government schools like universities can skirt typical work permit salary requirements as required. As for starting wage for NES, it hasnt changed much in 20 years

[johninbkk71]

There is a minimum salary for foreigners to get a work permit. Most schools use an agent. So you work at the school but the agent says you work at their language school. So they can pay less. The average low level government school pays for a NES,white ( not being racist here) teacher 50000. The agent pays 32000 to the teacher keeps 10000 for themselves. (That's why they don't like to get visa and work permits) the rest goes to the school director

[Don Mega]

Wow. Which part of there is NO MINIMUM SALARY for a work permit do you lot not understand ?

The salary requirement is for the permission to stay extension.

[lostinisaan]

There is a minimum salary for foreigners to get a work permit. Most schools use an agent. So you work at the school but the agent says you work at their language school. So they can pay less. The average low level government school pays for a NES,white ( not being racist here) teacher 50000. The agent pays 32000 to the teacher keeps 10000 for themselves. (That's why they don't like to get visa and work permits) the rest goes to the school director

Truly amazing. There's NO minimum salary for foreigners to “get a work permit."

And do you know why not?

Because the department of labor doesn't give a flying kangaroo how high, or low a foreigner's salary is.

It's also NOT true that most schools use an agent.

So you work at the school and the agent says........completely rubbish. What's an "average low level government school" in your eyes?

Just wondering where you got these numbers from? Did somebody tell you that, or can you back this up?

Your post sounds pretty much like a barstool chat between two newbies, somewhere at Nana, or Soi Cowboy in Bkk. about teaching in Thailand.

To answer the OP’s question.

The starting salary at a government school in Isaan depends on the size of the school. If there’s an EP (which is usually quite expensive for the parents,) you won’t start with less than 33 K. Then it’s up to the qualifications of the teacher and of course the teaching experience

Would you decide to start in lower northeast, but holding a degree, you'd have between 27 and 36 K/month when working directly for a government school.

At some schools you might have free accommodation, most schools will register you at the SS office and if I were you, I’d only look for a position with a 12 months contract.

Forget the modern slavery agencies.

[lostinisaan]

"Many of the schools will attempt employing you with out a work permit or payment into the Thai Social Security system.

(Both of which are compulsory for Thai employers of foreigners)"

Employees at private schools are not eligible for SS, which means it is not compulsory for everyone.

You're wrong,

Everyone working legally in Thailand must be in the SS.

I have worked for 3 schools with Non B visas and W.P.'s, not one of them has included me or made payments to the SS system!!!!

I'm at my fourth school now, where the director of a government school refuses to register "his school."

I've worked three years for an agency, but I could continue to pay into the SS. But I had my SS at two schools and it wasn't a problem to continue to pay in 438 baht/month to have full coverage.

Whenever I want to, I can go to the SS office in my province and take the amount the school and I paid in out. In cash.

( You have to be 55 yo to do so)

Must be around 80 K by now and I'll never stop paying in.

Theoretically, would I pay in for another nine years, I'd be entitled to receive a monthly pension. Sorry to hear that you've obviously worked for some shitty schools.

I believe that it says a lot about the school, if they pay into the SS, or not. Also one of the signs, how welcome foreigners really are. Cheers.-

[TerryLH]

"You may be right, but somehow I don't think the OP has any qualifications that a private school will want."

Good to see you have a sense of humor.

[bigt3116]

.

Edited October 24, 2015 by bigt3116

[Rimmer]

A general flame troll post and reply to it has been removed.

Please make your point without the vitriolic rhetoric and flaming other Thai Visa members