Job Discussion Forums

[marathon man]

My wife is looking at possible job relocation in HCMC for the fall and I'm wondering a few things.

1) Whats the teaching job market like for somebody with an MA, US secondary teaching credential and years of experience in Korean univs.? I dont have a TESOL/CELTA but will consider it.

2) How hard is it to get a work permit? I've heard horror stories, can you get health insurance, do banking (including sending money overseas) without one?

3) Whats the tax rate like? I've heard its as high as 40%

4) A friend told me inflation is pretty bad in Vietnam, what is the cost of living like? Figure we'll be ok wage wise as my wife's company will pay her a decent if not pretty good salary for Vietnam.

Thanks

[LettersAthruZ]

1) - With your credentials....as long as you also have experience teaching English like you implied with the Uni in Korea....then a CELTA is superfluous. I can't imagine you'd really have much difficulty in obtaining a slot at a better institution in HCMC.....

2) - I can't say myself what obtaining a Work Permit is like in The South - best answered by somebody who lives down there....

Friends of mine who do the Visa Run deal grabbed health insurance and a bank account with zero issues! SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS is another different deal alltogether.....I have never had the need to do this nor have I tried it myself, but I have heard stories of people trying to send money out of Viet Nam ranging from "WAAAAAY easy!!" to " ....made my life a living hell...." - I know SOMEWHERE on the Viet Nam forum, there is an entire two-or-three page thread specifically on transferring cash out of Viet Nam via the banking system!

3) - It is progressive....and *I THINK* the highest rate is, like, 33% or something ONLY IF you make some absolutely insane amount of money (one generally does not come to Viet Nam to teach English so they can get rich).....

WAIT - just found it now:

VND 0 - 60,000,000 5%
VND 60,000,000 - 120,000,000 10%
VND 120,000,000 - 216,000,000 15%
VND 216,000,000 - 384,000,000 20%
VND 384,000,000 - 624,000,000 25%
VND 624,000,000 - 960,000,000 30%
Above VND 960,000,000 35%

4) - JUST got back from Bangkok today........

Did a VEEERRRRY UN-scientific survey of things whilst there. For the SAME THINGS [apples to apples] that a T�y (Westerner) would buy, in a true International City like Bangkok, they were -

- Slightly more expensive in BKK than in Hai Phong and Da Nang

- SLIGHTLY cheaper in BKK than in Ho Chi Minh City

- MUCH cheaper in BKK than in Ha Noi


.....up until about 10 months ago, ALL FOUR major Vietnamese cities that I listed were CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER than Bangkok.

The Sunshine & Roses crowd can chant all they want about how some post doom and gloom on these pages - the fact is that Viet Nam has THEE highest rate of inflation in ALL of Asia!

DO AN INVESTIGATORY TRIP HERE FIRST.....THAT is the only true way of safely determining if Viet Nam will be suitable for your wife as well as for yourself......

Best of luck!