Cancel Work Permit if leaving Thailand between jobs

[pairofraggedclause]

Sorry in advance if this topic is a duplicate. Feel free to refer me to a related thread if so. (I read for about an hour and couldn't find any applicable answers).

Here's the situation: I've put in my 30-day notice peaceably and amicably with my current school. I've also signed a contract with another school in another province. I also have family and friends visiting me during the three weeks between one job's end date and the new job's start date. So here's my plan:

My mother and I are going to Ankor Wat for 3 days when she visits. I figure I'll allow my Non-B to cancel when I exit Thailand for that trip. And since the trip is planned for 5 days after my current job's end date, I'm assuming I'm in no risk of overstay. Since I'm to Thailand through BKK, as an American I should get a 30-day Tourist visa, which will carry me long enough to move to the new province, and collect my new Non-B paperwork. Then, I'll head to Laos to apply for a new Non-B.

What I'm not clear on is what to do about my WP. Will it cancel automatically when I exit the country and thereby cancel my Non-B? Or do I need to go personally to the province's Labor ministry and cancel it myself?

Is there anything else I'm missing here, or need to do?

Also, for those of you that are experienced, are there any alarms going off with my plan? (I already anticipate some saying that it's risky given the recent crackdown on immigration, so if that's your qualm, please elaborate.)

Thanks in advance for all answers. I know it's kind of a unique situation, as I'm one of those rare people who are willing to leave the country and pay for a new visa.

cheers!

[ubonjoe]

You need to cancel your work permit by submitting this form. http://wp.doe.go.th/wp/images/form/wp_cancellation.pdf

You extension of stay (it is not a visa) will end when you leave and re-enter the country without a re-entry permit.

[pairofraggedclause]

Thanks for clarifying that last bit. Yes, I meant that I'd be canceling my extension of stay.

Does it matter whether I or my employer go? Other than the competency of the school staff (which is questionable), are there any other considerations in that decision?

[ubonjoe]

Your employer or anybody else you give power of attorney to can submit the work cancellation form.

[nealthewheel]

Thanks for clarifying that last bit. Yes, I meant that I'd be canceling my extension of stay.

Does it matter whether I or my employer go? Other than the competency of the school staff (which is questionable), are there any other considerations in that decision?

I just did a TV run to Laos and cancelled my work permit 5 days before my non-B finished. It cost me 2500 Baht because the day you cancel your work permit your non-B is void. Also I was asked at Mukdahan for my work permit cancellation document at the border at the passport control kiosk. To summarise: my non-B expired on the 30th of March, I cancelled my WP on the 24th of March (I wasn't aware of the full cancellation procedure), and I exited Thailand on the 29th of March hence the 5 day overstay. So be warned you must cancel your work permit before leaving Thailand if you are leaving at a land border crossing. Here's the kicker - if you cancel the WP a day before your non-B expiry and it takes you all night to get to a land border you will be on a one day overstay. And as far as I know you have to cancel your WP at the issuing office (I may be wrong here). As for flights and WP cancellation I have no info.

[kvv84]

I have resigned my job this May but my working permit will expire on Sept. 2016. I have plan to go to Denmark this coming June and i am confused if do i need to cancel my working permit or it will be automatically cancel at the airport when I go out on June?

I paid for my working permit and my school doesn't know anything how to cancel it.

Thank you so much!

[ubonjoe]

I have resigned my job this May but my working permit will expire on Sept. 2016. I have plan to go to Denmark this coming June and i am confused if do i need to cancel my working permit or it will be automatically cancel at the airport when I go out on June?

I paid for my working permit and my school doesn't know anything how to cancel it.

Thank you so much!

To cancel a work permit it requires a form to be submitted to the Labor Ministry. Only the permit to stay from an extension issued by immigration ends when you leave.

If you don't plan on returning to work here again there is no need to cancel the work permit.

[kvv84]

I have resigned my job this May but my working permit will expire on Sept. 2016. I have plan to go to Denmark this coming June and i am confused if do i need to cancel my working permit or it will be automatically cancel at the airport when I go out on June?

I paid for my working permit and my school doesn't know anything how to cancel it.

Thank you so much!

To cancel a work permit it requires a form to be submitted to the Labor Ministry. Only the permit to stay from an extension issued by immigration ends when you leave.

If you don't plan on returning to work here again there is no need to cancel the work permit.

Thank you so much for the information.

I don't know if this is right but my plan is not to take the re-entry so that my extension will be cut. Do you think the immigration at the airport will be asking further questions and some documents about this?

Yes, I will no longer work here but maybe go back here for travel. How about my working permit blue book? Can I keep it with me as a souvenir?

[ubonjoe]

Immigration at the airport will ask no questions or want anything.

Even if you canceled the work permit you would be allowed to keep the book.

[pairofraggedclause]

Immigration at the airport will ask no questions or want anything.

Even if you canceled the work permit you would be allowed to keep the book.

I have resigned my job this May but my working permit will expire on Sept. 2016. I have plan to go to Denmark this coming June and i am confused if do i need to cancel my working permit or it will be automatically cancel at the airport when I go out on June?

I paid for my working permit and my school doesn't know anything how to cancel it.

Thank you so much!

To cancel a work permit it requires a form to be submitted to the Labor Ministry. Only the permit to stay from an extension issued by immigration ends when you leave.

If you don't plan on returning to work here again there is no need to cancel the work permit.

Thank you so much for the information.

I don't know if this is right but my plan is not to take the re-entry so that my extension will be cut. Do you think the immigration at the airport will be asking further questions and some documents about this?

Yes, I will no longer work here but maybe go back here for travel. How about my working permit blue book? Can I keep it with me as a souvenir?

As the OP, I think it will be helpful if I describe the experiences that I originally asked about.

1) In my experience, immigration was very confused by the fact that I was trying to exit the country with time left on my extension and no Re-entry Permit. He even tried to redirect me to buy a re-entry permit. It was only after I showed him the cancellation document from the Labor Department that he was no longer confused, and stamped me out of the country. What is true of Thai Immigration is that a lot depends on the individual officer. But in my case, he DID ask questions and it helped that I had the proper documentation.

2) I was NOT allowed to keep my WP book. In order to receive the cancellation documentation mentioned in #1, a representative of my employer physically turned in my WP for me on my last day at the Labor Dept. This might vary by province, though (I was in Chonburi).

3) I don't know how true this is, but the staff at my new employer informed me that the window to exit the country after your termination date is now only 24 hours. Apparently they changed it from 7 days in January, but didn't announce the change. He didn't seem able to explain why I wasn't charged overstay at the airport, though. But he was adamant that this change had occurred (I should add that he's one of the most competent Thai staffers I ever worked with).

[kvv84]

Actually I have a cancellation document given by my school. It was stated the dates of my employment and the expiration date and states also that I'm requesting to cancel it. What bothers me is the date which the document was made which is last May 12. Will the date matter when I go out on June and show this cancellation document to avoid confusion to the officer?

[pairofraggedclause]

Actually I have a cancellation document given by my school. It was stated the dates of my employment and the expiration date and states also that I'm requesting to cancel it. What bothers me is the date which the document was made which is last May 12. Will the date matter when I go out on June and show this cancellation document to avoid confusion to the officer?

If you mean that your employment (and therefore WP) termination date are May 12, and that you'll be exiting the country in June, that's definitely an overstay. As far as I see it (and as a disclaimer, I'm fairly new to it myself), you have two options:

1) see if your school will fudge the numbers for you. It's actually a common occurrence here. If you haven't submitted the cancellation request or turned in your WP to the labor department, it's a relatively easy thing to do--the school just changes your employment end date. If you've already received cancellation documentation FROM THE LABOR DEPT, then you might be able to photoshop the document to change the date.

OR

2) Go to the airport and hold your breath. I'm not sure what would have happened if I had just said "Mai Bpen-rai" to the guy when he directed me to the Re-Entry desk. Maybe he would have shrugged his shoulders and stamped me out? I can't comment on exactly what could/would happen to you if you try to avoid showing that you cancelled your WP almost a month before, but you'll almost certainly pay an overstay fee if you do present the cancellation document.

Anyway, that's my two cents...

[ubonjoe]

Actually I have a cancellation document given by my school. It was stated the dates of my employment and the expiration date and states also that I'm requesting to cancel it. What bothers me is the date which the document was made which is last May 12. Will the date matter when I go out on June and show this cancellation document to avoid confusion to the officer?

The important date is the one that is for your last date of work or the date you employment will end. What is that date?

[butchalonto]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

[ubonjoe]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

You can cancel your work permit yourself. The form does not require any signature but yours. See: http://wp.doe.go.th/wp/images/form/wp_cancellation.pdf

[nealthewheel]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

You can cancel your work permit yourself. The form does not require any signature but yours. See: http://wp.doe.go.th/wp/images/form/wp_cancellation.pdf

And don't forget - when your work permit is cancelled so is your non-B so I believe it requires a trip to immigration to extend it or you have to leave the country the same day or face over stay - I was caught out for 5 days as I thought you had 7 days grace but evidently not. So check that aspect too of cancelling your own WP. I cancelled my own as well just download the form. And you need to take the cancellation of WP letter (the Labour office will give it to you) with you when you leave Thailand - I was asked for it at the border at Mukdahan.

[butchalonto]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

You can cancel your work permit yourself. The form does not require any signature but yours. See: http://wp.doe.go.th/wp/images/form/wp_cancellation.pdf

Thank you very much for the response and for sending the files. But the Labor office gave me another form which I attached here.

[ubonjoe]

Not sure what that form is exactly for but it is not for the cancellation of work permit. It appears to be for changes to one.

[butchalonto]

Not sure what that form is exactly for but it is not for the cancellation of work permit. It appears to be for changes to one.

Oh I just noticed that now. Maybe ill go to the labor office again for confirmation. THANK YOU SO MUCH. This is such a big help! May GOD bless you!

[muzmurray]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

You can cancel your work permit yourself. The form does not require any signature but yours. See: http://wp.doe.go.th/wp/images/form/wp_cancellation.pdf

And don't forget - when your work permit is cancelled so is your non-B so I believe it requires a trip to immigration to extend it or you have to leave the country the same day or face over stay - I was caught out for 5 days as I thought you had 7 days grace but evidently not. So check that aspect too of cancelling your own WP. I cancelled my own as well just download the form. And you need to take the cancellation of WP letter (the Labour office will give it to you) with you when you leave Thailand - I was asked for it at the border at Mukdahan.

Stop using the term Non-B, a visa is not cancelled, only an extension of stay.

[pairofraggedclause]

Hello!

I'm suppose to move to a new school but the problem is that our School Director doesn't want to sign the form from the labor office for cancelling or cutting the work permit. What shall I do? Is there any other way of cancelling the work permit without the signature of the school director? PLEASE HELP!

It's a bit odd that your school director won't sign, as my understanding is that as long as you have a WP sponsored by that school, they have to pay taxes for it. Anyone more knowledgeable on this matter is welcome to correct me. But I used that as a threat with my previous employer when they refused to help cancel and it was the extra push needed to make it happen.

Regardless, as others have said, you can always do it yourself.