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onboardagain
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 13
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 Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:31 pm Post subject: Time 2 Talk English Academy |
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Has anyone heard of this place? I was offered employment and would like peoples opinions on this agency.
Could also someone explain to me this very confusing work Visa thing. Why do you have to go get your work visa/permit stamp every 90 days? Is there a work visa/permit that is longer that would not require these runs? |
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suphanburi
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 10:58 pm Post subject: Re: Time 2 Talk English Academy |
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| onboardagain wrote: |
Has anyone heard of this place? I was offered employment and would like peoples opinions on this agency.
Could also someone explain to me this very confusing work Visa thing. Why do you have to go get your work visa/permit stamp every 90 days? Is there a work visa/permit that is longer that would not require these runs? |
IF you get a non-b visa you can legally work.
The non-b visa is good for a 90-day entry.
After you get the visa the school should get you a work permit.
IF they do then you can return to immigration and extend your allowed period of sojourn for up to 1 year.
Said extensions can be repeated on an annual basis for many years.
If your agency cannot get you a work permit (labor won't, for whatever reason, allow them to legally hire you as a teacher (things like: no degree, can't get a provisional teacher's permit, disallowed by the TCT, etc.)) then you will work illegally on a tourist visa and do a border run every 90 days (pretty common for folks who work for many of the dodgy, bottom feeder agencies out there).
What you also might be confused with is: those foreigners who are permitted a long stay are required to report their address and status in the Kingdom to immigration every 90 days (90-day report).
This is just your passport and a form making a trip to the local immigration office every 90 days. You can do it in person, by mail or by proxy/agent. My secretary does it for me.
Advice (assuming you have a degree and can legally work):
Get a double entry tourist visa from the Thai consulate/embassy in your home country.
Fly to Thailand and find a job.
Get your non-b. (do a change of status at immigration or do a quick visa run in an adjoining country).
Get a work permit.
Enjoy your stay in the Kingdom.
DON'T find an EFL job in Thailand while you are sitting abroad. You'll regret it.
DON'T work for dodgy agencies. You'll regret it even more.
The BEST time to be on the ground and looking for work is right now.
The new school year starts in about a week.
If you don't have a degree then ignore the above advice:
- Legal work (defined as having a proper visa and work permit) won't happen.
- Take what you can get since any employer who will hire an illegal migrant worker is what they are.
- (How do you feel about illegal Mexicans working in the States? How do you feel about becoming an illegal migrant worker yourself?)
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onboardagain
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 12:29 am Post subject: Time 2 Talk English Academy |
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Hello and thank you so much SUPHANBURI for all the information.
I have 2 bachelors degrees and a TESOL.
I am still confused regarding a couple of things.
1. You said Don't get an EFL job that I would regret it. I thought all teaching positions were some sort of EFL job give or take? The one that I was offered is at a public or private school, I get my choice when I get there. Or did you mean don't get an EFL job while I am still here in the states? Wait until I get to Thailand? But I won't know where to begin once I am there?........since not knowing the area(s)............I want to be able to walk the beach everyday for health reasons, not for party reasons as I don't party.
1a. Can't I just switch schools if I am not happy with the one I will be at or will I be thrown out of the country.....I have heard so many horror stories.........?
2. Could you give me names of a few legitimate schools to look into if I am not happy with this agency? I will be flying into either Phuket or Suratthani.
3. I thought the Non B visa was your work legal visa? I know they said they would get me a work permit once I am there--is this the way its suppose to go? He said it takes a while to get that letter from Ministry, etc...Is this also correct?
4. They told me to just come on a tourists visa or a business visa and then they would help me change it to a non B on arrival. Is that a red flag or sort of normal for me coming so soon?
5. Is it a requirement to get a bank account and/or just good sense.
6. They are providing me with an apartment where the job is in Chumphon and they are paying for it. Is this the norm for Thailand?
7. How long does it take to get this double entry visa and what is the difference between that and a reg tourists visa?
I greatly appreciate all the help..........Evelyn
OH PS IS 30,000 baht for the non degree people or is that the standard pay for everyone? This is the norm I keep seeing everywhere online. |
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 3:02 am Post subject: |
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| 1. You said Don't get an EFL job that I would regret it. I thought all teaching positions were some sort of EFL job give or take? The one that I was offered is at a public or private school, I get my choice when I get there. Or did you mean don't get an EFL job while I am still here in the states? Wait until I get to Thailand? But I won't know where to begin once I am there?........since not knowing the area(s)............I want to be able to walk the beach everyday for health reasons, not for party reasons as I don't party. |
You are right. Most EFL jobs require some give and take. If you want a job near the beach, you will have a lot of competition. There will be very few jobs where you can walk to the beach. Take a motorcycle or tuk tuk to the beach, maybe. If an agency can offer you the location you want and that is very important to you, I would take it, but ask some detailed questions. This is prime hiring season RIGHT NOW. Soon the better jobs will be gone. Agencies are a great resource for some people. If it works for you, than use one.
| Quote: |
1a. Can't I just switch schools if I am not happy with the one I will be at or will I be thrown out of the country.....I have heard so many horror stories.........? |
Switching schools is a lot harder these days. More and more difficult to get NEW paperwork from TCT and MOE and they are getting more and more strict about getting additional teacher license waivers (needed if you dont have a B.Ed or home country teacher license.) If you leave a school or get fired, you will lose your Non-Imm B Visa and work permit and thus will have to leave the country immediately. If you are still on a tourist visa and paperwork hasnt been started, then it is easy to change schools. Non-Imm B visas and work permits are school/company specific. New school/company ---> new Non-Imm B visa and work permit.
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| 2. Could you give me names of a few legitimate schools to look into if I am not happy with this agency? I will be flying into either Phuket or Suratthani. |
Nothing legitimate or illegitimate about schools, just some are better than others as far as paperwork, resources, class sizes, communication, etc. Its a crapshoot whether you use an agency while overseas or get a job in Thailand. Even if you are able to speak with current EFL teachers at a school, they often have huge biases one way of the other. THings often look pretty and shiny on the surface here, but the truth, ugliness and imcompetence shines through once you get started.
| Quote: |
| 3. I thought the Non B visa was your work legal visa? I know they said they would get me a work permit once I am there--is this the way its suppose to go? He said it takes a while to get that letter from Ministry, etc...Is this also correct? |
Non-B visa allows you to be in the country and apply for a WORK PERMIT. In 99% of cases for teachers, work permits are done once you are in country. Only major companies or top International school get work permits in advance. It can take time to get all the paperwork done for a work permit. If the schools or agency is good at what they do, it should take a few weeks, maybe a month. If they are not good, it will take 6 weeks++, often it never materializes.
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| 4. They told me to just come on a tourists visa or a business visa and then they would help me change it to a non B on arrival. Is that a red flag or sort of normal for me coming so soon? |
Thats fine. My understanding is that tourist visas can only be changed to Non-B visas in country at the Bangkok office though. You have to have at least 21 days remaining on your tourist visa to change it. Worse case scenario is you will get a little trip to Laos or Malaysia to get a new Non-Imm B visa. You will need your original degree and transcripts to get legal work. Good idea to also get a confirmation of graduation letter from your University as well
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| 5. Is it a requirement to get a bank account and/or just good sense. |
Most agencies will pay directly into a Thai bank account. It is difficult, but possible to get a Thai bank account without having a work permit.
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| 6. They are providing me with an apartment where the job is in Chumphon and they are paying for it. Is this the norm for Thailand? |
The better agencies will provide accommodations or accomm allowances. Most schools will not and if they do, it is usually accomm on school grounds. DO NOT take this kind of accomm. You will have NO privacy. Ask for details and pics of any provided accomm.
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| 7. How long does it take to get this double entry visa and what is the difference between that and a reg tourists visa? |
From what I know (long time since Ive done tourist visas) double means you pay for 2 visas in advance. When one runs out, you just hop across the border and get a new stamp. No new paperwork.
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I greatly appreciate all the help..........Evelyn
OH PS IS 30,000 baht for the non degree people or is that the standard pay for everyone? This is the norm I keep seeing everywhere online. |
Anywhere near the beach will have more competition and lower salaries. 30,000/month is a standard starter wage. With 2 degrees and TEFL (any exp?) you should be able to find better if you are presentable, friendly, outgoing, youngish, smartly dressed, etc.)
| Quote: |
Advice (assuming you have a degree and can legally work):
Get a double entry tourist visa from the Thai consulate/embassy in your home country.
Fly to Thailand and find a job.
Get your non-b. (do a change of status at immigration or do a quick visa run in an adjoining country).
Get a work permit.
Enjoy your stay in the Kingdom. |
technically there are many more steps in this process. A good agency will take care of all of this for you. One of the main reasons both schools and agencies use agencies.
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DON'T find an EFL job in Thailand while you are sitting abroad. You'll regret it.
DON'T work for dodgy agencies. You'll regret it even more. |
A lot of people get jobs in Thailand from overseas and they are perfectly happy. Many will stay on for a new contract. Some dont like it. Good advice not to work for a dodgy agency and its good advice not to work for a dodgy school. BUT there are both good and bad agencies and good and bad schools. Agency bashing is old news. The top ones are good at their jobs and will take care of you much better than most of the schools will. the bad ones wont. Ask a lot of questions.
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onboardagain
Joined: 25 Mar 2014
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 5:07 am Post subject: |
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MaiPen Rai,
Anywhere near the beach will have more competition and lower salaries. 30,000/month is a standard starter wage. With 2 degrees and TEFL (any exp?) you should be able to find better if you are presentable, friendly, outgoing, youngish, smartly dressed, etc.)
Thank you for all of the valuable information. I do have teaching experience but that was back in 2006 for 2 years in India and after that in 2008 for 14 months in Afghanistan. I am all the above you mentioned except youngish.
Shouldn't the school pay for any trips across the border or wherever for the visa's? |
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 6:02 am Post subject: |
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| Most schools/agencies will pay for the work permit but NOT the visa and any visa expenses. Some schools will pay for visa expenses, but they are usually private schools, not government schools. Some schools will pay for visa extensions, but the not the original visa and any associated costs (travel). |
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suphanburi
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 8:23 am Post subject: |
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| onboardagain wrote: |
MaiPen Rai,
Anywhere near the beach will have more competition and lower salaries. 30,000/month is a standard starter wage. With 2 degrees and TEFL (any exp?) you should be able to find better if you are presentable, friendly, outgoing, youngish, smartly dressed, etc.)
Thank you for all of the valuable information. I do have teaching experience but that was back in 2006 for 2 years in India and after that in 2008 for 14 months in Afghanistan. I am all the above you mentioned except youngish.
Shouldn't the school pay for any trips across the border or wherever for the visa's? |
Schools usually DON'T pay for your border runs.
Decent schools and agencies will pay for the visa, work permit and extensions.
IF you have everything in order and your school is on the ball you won't need a border run. You can change your status from tourist to non-b at immigration in Bangkok. CURRENTLY you need 15 days left on your allowed period of stay to do a change of status.
Many agencies almost never pay for your border runs and often don't pay for the visa or work permit either. ASK.
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 5:28 am Post subject: |
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| There is also a difference between an "agency" that just acts as a middleman for schools and once you take the job, they move on to he next AND "agency" that continue to work with schools and teachers throughout the contracts. |
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