Job Discussion Forums

[nighthawk]

I�m an American working in South Korea. I�ve got some problems with my employer, and I�m thinking about going elsewhere in Asia. I just want to understand my options. In South Korea you get a work visa that lasts 1 year. One of the things that really irks me about South Korea is that if you want to quit your job and get another in SK, then you have to get a letter of release from your 1st employer in order to work legally or you have to leave the country and wait until your 1-year work visa expires before you can reenter. Well, as I�m sure you can imagine, there are a lot of employers that don�t provide these letters of releases like they should, so the teacher either has to put up with his employer�s b.s., try to fight the system legally, which is often futile, or pack his bags and leave the country. Is a letter of release required to change jobs in Thailand? Can a teacher just quit a bad employer and start working for a better one? Do you have to leave the country? Basically what I'm asking is what happens if you find out that your employer is a scumbag and you want out? What are your options then?

Also, how common is it to work in Thailand illegally? How much do you get fined if you get caught working illegally? How long do they prohibit you from reentering the country if you get caught working illegally? Thanks in advance for the help.

[kenkannif]

Well it's not as bad as it sounds in Korea, but schools can make your life difficult if you have a work permit with them and wish to leave mid-contract, by not giving you things like your tax payment etc. But generally as most school won't apply for a WP for you from day one (generally you'll be on probation (i.e. working illegally) for the first 3 months plus....yes the better schools will get you a WP from day one...but they are in the minority!).

When you leave a job you have to hand in your WP (or the school does) which means you only have 7 days to leave the country and get a new Visa, or activate a new entry (if you hold a Visa with more entries on). Sometimes if your new employer is quick they can convert the old extension to a new WP....again though this is rare!

Most teacher here (in the 90%) have or do work illegally at some point in Thailand (either teaching a subject they're not supposed to, privates, working off location (as work permits are location specific) etc.). I've only heard of one person being deported for not having a WP....she was grassed up by a fellow teacher a few years ago...other than that it SEEMS a blind eye is generallt turned to people teaching English here (not condoning it but it happens!).

I hope this helps somewhat?

PM me if anything is unclear etc.

[Gringo Greg]

If your employer is a scumbag, then you just leave the school. They have out provisions in the contract and as long as you keep ahold of your paperwork, you can walk whenever you choose. Otherwise your school can screw you over, but since you can easily work illegally here, that power is very weak.