My school won't pay for Visa and WP, how much will it cost me?

[Nokkeaw]

I am holding a Non-B visa and a WP at the moment but since I am going to move to a new school I will have to make new one.

The school said the won't pay for that, so anyone can tell me how much will everything cost me?

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

The fee for a one year work permit is 3000 baht plus a 100 baht filing fee.

The fee for a single entry non-b visa is 2000 baht. After you get the visa and work permit the fee for a one year extension is 1900 baht.

[chrisinth]

That should tell you a lot about the new establishment you are about to work for.

What does it say in your contract?

I'm not sure about the education side of things, but it has been my experience that the company you are working for is responsible for your employment and invariably your permission for employment. They provide the documentation for your work permit (leading to the issue of your non-B/non-O visa) and as your employer should cover the costs.

IMHO, any company who expects employees to pay for the privilege of working for them sets the alarms and bells ringing.

For clarity, I'm not sure of the actual law or ruling off this issue, but i know i wouldn't be entertaining it if asked to pay for both work permit & visa/permission to stay.

Edited April 22, 2016 by chrisinth

[Colabamumbai]

By the time you go to Laos to get the visa, with all expenses involved you will be out about 10,000 Baht. I did this many times. Most schools do not pay for Visa and Work Permit.

[stevenl]

Are they willing to assist you in the process and supply the necessary paperwork?

[Nokkeaw]

Are they willing to assist you in the process and supply the necessary paperwork?

Yes, they will do all the paper work, but the asked me to pay the fees. I like the school but I am not really happy about it though...

[Nokkeaw]

By the time you go to Laos to get the visa, with all expenses involved you will be out about 10,000 Baht. I did this many times. Most schools do not pay for Visa and Work Permit.

I interviewed with 5 or 6 schools. All of them offered me to pay for my visa except this one. Are you sure most schools do that? Not from my experience though.

[jimcarr65]

The cost of going to Laos for a new Non-B, including hotel, tuk tuks, transfers will be 10,000 baht. The WP is 3,000 and your school should pay for that, mine does.

My school also pays for the 1,900 to extend the visa for the year. But the initial cost of going to Laos and the Non-B is not covered by my school.

Edited April 22, 2016 by jimcarr65

[chowny77]

If it was me, I would make sure to keep all the receipts and when I return back make photo copies. I would then talk to the HR department and see if they would at least refund the basic, such as visa stamps and that they will cover the WP payments. If they refuse I would walk and look for a different school. Years ago when I worked at one school before the director got too greedy, they would pay for travel, one nights accommodation, a meal, visa and the WP. Sad how things have changed!

[new2here]

Most of my friends who work in government schools are like post #8; employee pays for the visa itself, the employer pays for (or reimburses either just after issuance or end of contract) the work permit fees. The annual extension seems to be a wild card as some appear to pay that too, while others do not. But as a general rule as I've heard it, you bear the cost for the visa, the employers pays for the permit.

At my university, I had to pay for the initial non-B visa, but the university reimbursed me for the work permit after month #6 of the 12-month initial contract. Starting with with my second contract (so long as they are back-to-back) they pay for the permit as well as the extension of stay.

To me, while I am not aware of any law that specially addresses who must pay for what in an employees work permit type case, I suspect that the norm is you pay for visa and extensions while they pay for the permit. I think this is a reasonably fair split of the costs and one that I might push them to agree to as I bet it's not outside of the realm of reasonableness or commonality.

[scorecard]

By the time you go to Laos to get the visa, with all expenses involved you will be out about 10,000 Baht. I did this many times. Most schools do not pay for Visa and Work Permit.

Always case by case, I'm aware of one uni. (maybe here's more) which does not pay for visa or WP even if they have given the lecturer a monthly salary.

[spermwhale]

You are not allowed to transfer your work permit from one employer to the next. The new employer must sponsor you for a worker permit.

If they don't I highly recommend not working for them as they are either dodgy or cheap skates.

[alien365]

Don't take the job, negotiate maybe. Sounds like you're saving the director 5k to go in to his 'new Mercedes fund'. If its a decent school, they should pay everything.

[quandow]

Something ain't right here. Schools that behave like this have a history of firing teachers a week before their contract is up so they don't have to pay any bonus nor pay any holiday pay. Be very careful!

[gyrosman]

your moving to another school and you haven't learn the system?????????????????????

[Colabamumbai]

By the time you go to Laos to get the visa, with all expenses involved you will be out about 10,000 Baht. I did this many times. Most schools do not pay for Visa and Work Permit.

I interviewed with 5 or 6 schools. All of them offered me to pay for my visa except this one. Are you sure most schools do that? Not from my experience though.

Over 5 years I worked at 7 yes 7 schools. I left 4 of them because they would not even provide paper work for Visa or W.P. 3 out of seven did, only one paid for the Work Permit. These are all in the North of Thailand.

[tonray]

Something ain't right here. Schools that behave like this have a history of firing teachers a week before their contract is up so they don't have to pay any bonus nor pay any holiday pay. Be very careful!

That's utter nonsense. Some schools pay and some don't is the reality.