Changing jobs: is it possible to keep work permit or non-B for PR purposes?

[Payanak212]

I have just become eligible to apply for PR after being in the same job 3 years, however I will be changing jobs before the next PR application opens at Chaengwattana. Is it possible to change jobs but keep my work permit/non-B/PR eligibility?

 

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

It can be done if your new employer applies for the new work permit and obtains a application approval letter. With that and supporting documents from them you could apply for a new extension based upon working on the date your current extension is canceled.

Then the new work permit could be issued when the existing one is canceled.

[Raymonddiaz]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It can be done if your new employer applies for the new work permit and obtains a application approval letter. With that and supporting documents from them you could apply for a new extension based upon working on the date your current extension is canceled.

Then the new work permit could be issued when the existing one is canceled.

PR= Permanent Resident????

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Raymonddiaz said:

PR= Permanent Resident????

Yes

Permanent Residency to be exact.

[mruniverse]

Sounds very dicey.  I changed employers in 2012 - no break in extension of stay status, but a new work permit.  I had to wait for three years on THAT work permit before I could apply.  Work permits as I understand it are closely linked to the employer so I'm not sure you can do the changeover you're hoping for.

 

The way the regulations read you could interpret it as just three years of unbroken extensions based on employment, but I think the way immigration interprets it is three years with the same employer.

 

Were I in your shoes I would go visit Chaeng Watthana Immigration counter D (permanent residency) in person and ask the officers there.  That way you're getting guidance on exactly what they will and won't accept from the people who will be processing your application.  They don't speak much English so unless you speak Thai fairly fluently, take a friend.

[Sydebolle]

The criteria is, among others, being three years in Thailand ON THE SAME VISA, i.e. no break. If you change jobs then ensure that you carry on with the present visa. 
 

Full set of copies will do as Immigration knows that you have to hand in your old work permit booklet prior to be given a new one. 

Alternatively get it from the horse's mouth - as suggested already - but make sure you talk to the guys dealing with "immigrant visa", not the "non-immigrant visa" fellows. Best is to go there with a competent, Thai-speaking, person of your confidence - allow ample time, be dressed all in black and you will be doing fine! 

[Negita43]

Hi not sure if this is off topic but can someone explain to me about the 3 year continuous employment and PR (permanent residency) - I have 6 years with the same employer.

 

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Negita43 said:

Hi not sure if this is off topic but can someone explain to me about the 3 year continuous employment and PR (permanent residency) - I have 6 years with the same employer.

 

Thanks

If you have 3 or more consecutive years on an extension of stay issued by immigration you would qualify.

There is info here on immigration website. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=residence

[mruniverse]

Negita - you're good to go on that aspect.  Just check the other requirements like minimum salary etc.

 

Just to add to my earlier post, my change of employment was due to an assets acquisition - the new company purchased the assets, customer contracts, and team from the old company.  So if any change of employer would fly it should have be this one since it's actually the exact same business on the same products in the same office, just a different company.

[Junkyarddog]

There are many replies here on how to do this but Im not sure how valid they are. I have had PR for many years. I was told back then if I changed jobs I would have to start over again. This was of intetest to me because I wanted to change jobs. However, I decided not to because getting P R was more important to me than the new job was, so I stayed with my old company. One thing I do not see mentioned here is while your application is being processed which can take up to a couple years, you must be able to continue with the same employer. If you lose your job, your application dies.

Things could have changed since I went through the process. So the best advice I see here is to go to immigration in person and find the answer to your question from the only people that would truly know.

[ubonjoe]

13 hours ago, Junkyarddog said:

Things could have changed since I went through the process.

The one thing that has changed is that immigration will accept a work permit application approval letter when changing employers that allows a person to remain on extensions of stay.

Previously in most cases you would of had to go out for a new non-b visa which would of ended the 3 consecutive years on extensions needed.

[mruniverse]

13 hours ago, Junkyarddog said:

One thing I do not see mentioned here is while your application is being processed which can take up to a couple years, you must be able to continue with the same employer. If you lose your job, your application dies.

You can change jobs once your application is locked in.  You can also switch from an extension of stay based on employment to an extension of stay based on waiting for PR.  I looked into this very carefully and discussed several times with the staff at counter D last year as I was considering doing this.

 

For the latter, in a nutshell you must:

• Resign
• Get the letter from your employer notifying your employment has ended
• In the space of one day take that letter to get your extension of stay based on employment cancelled and then go get a new extension of stay issued by counter D.  In my case this would have meant a visit to Chamchuri square and Chaeng Watthana.  Both steps must be done on the same day or you're toast.

In the end I stuck with the same employer and it looks like I'll get my PR book next week.  Will consider my options after that  Staying with the same employer is obviously the simplest but changes are possible - as always consult your friendly Chaeng Watthana counter D staff :)

 

[Negita43]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I'm sorry not to have thanked you sooner BUT my auto notification of replies to my email appears not to be working!!

[teflonjon]

On 1/26/2017 at 10:01 AM, mruniverse said:

You can change jobs once your application is locked in.  You can also switch from an extension of stay based on employment to an extension of stay based on waiting for PR.  I looked into this very carefully and discussed several times with the staff at counter D last year as I was considering doing this.

 

For the latter, in a nutshell you must:

• Resign
• Get the letter from your employer notifying your employment has ended
• In the space of one day take that letter to get your extension of stay based on employment cancelled and then go get a new extension of stay issued by counter D.  In my case this would have meant a visit to Chamchuri square and Chaeng Watthana.  Both steps must be done on the same day or you're toast.

In the end I stuck with the same employer and it looks like I'll get my PR book next week.  Will consider my options after that  Staying with the same employer is obviously the simplest but changes are possible - as always consult your friendly Chaeng Watthana counter D staff :)

 

Is this also the case if you're changing employers?  I find myself in a similar situation, but will be changing jobs.  Can I just go to my local office with new application and letter from employer?  Does this also have to be on the same day, or different days?  Or do I still need to go to Chang Wattana?