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Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

...considering working part time at some schools pays a little extra (higher than full timers)...that extra can easily pay the cost of extending a 3 month visa.

Also going through all the hassle , signing a contract and hoping not to get jerked around too much.

If your part time you can design your own work schedule and leave your employer when you want. Sticking a $300 bonus at the end of your contract if you finish it, isn't that spectacular.

The work to get a work permit doesn't seem worthwhile. I do have a work permit but am looking at other schools and I'm not sure if I want to go down the work permit route again.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

You can only have 1 work permit. It's technically illegal to work more than one company.

Also, extending visa every 3 months goes up in price each time you do it. So after extending once or twice it's usually cheaper to fly out of the country and get a whole new visa.

I don't understand why you're saying it's not worth getting a work permit. Of course it's worth it. The work permit gets you a residents card. And every half-way decent school in Vietnam pays for all the work permit costs. It costs you nothing, especially since you have all the paper work from your first work permit, and basically gives you a free, up to 3 year long multiple entry visa.

Just remember, any school who doesn't require a work permit from you, is operating illegally. You have no protection against them if they decide to fire you on the spot or stop paying you. Going to the police will only get you deported for working without the proper documents.

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

I think most of us have heard stories of people getting into problems with employers even when they have all their paperwork in order. What can we really do if an employer decides to stick the boot in?

I know from working in Korea that there was very little the teacher could do.

Perhaps I'm just repeating erroneous hearsay or times have changed - and Vietnam is a whole different system with different laws so maybe a much more even fight.

If I had one good job with an employer who processed the W-P then why not? But such jobs are still a tiny minority and will always remain so.

I can see the OPs point - if they don't especially like their WP sponsor or the hours/pay or not enough and they need to work illegally anyway why bother?

The system is a shambles but I suspect it works as intended or they'd change it.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

Very stoic of you Luke.

I think it's one way to achieve the best of all possible living situations in Vietnam.

The tricky part is finding a school that does the first 3. They exist but there are FAR more places that don't even come close.

Vietnam is not alone in having badly managed schools. I have worked in language schools in the UK and seen some lousy management there too. I think you're dead right not to let this stuff get to you. We cannot change it.

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

I like this ABC approach and I can agree. I'm gonna try to do less of what I don't like and more of what I do.

RustyShackleford · Joined: 13 May 2013 Posts: 449

Luke said the most of it. My added 200 VND is that I would not ever want to be in a situation where I was without proper residence documents for any period of time in a foreign country.

I was forced to do it in Spain, and it made life very uncomfortable for those three months. Had to basically fight for everything.

In Vietnam, I was able to get a full-time contract with WP, and it was great to know I was entitled to recourse to the law, such it is. Not to mention that, even three months after leaving my job, I was still able to return to Vietnam with no issues whatsoever. (The residence card you receive as part of the WP enables the holder even after leaving the job, as I understand it, although just as likely that the employer just neglected to deactivate it.)

sigmoid · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276

Many teachers don't even last a year in VN before throwing in the towel.

And probably most freelancers view a visa run as a good excuse to get out of VN for a while and actually relax, eat some good food, enjoy some nightlife, and have some fun for a change.

VN's economy is still fairly strong, demand for teachers is high, hard workers can bank a few bucks but beyond that the place has little to offer.

Thus, it's better to stay free IMO.

RustyShackleford · Joined: 13 May 2013 Posts: 449

You make a good point that many find Vietnam a stressful environment.

Personally, I had no end of good food, nightlife and fun. It didn't take very long either.

It isn't a place I would recommend for someone to just up and go without research, the way I could do for Korea or Japan, but I thought it was cool and would love to go again. (Especially now that I'm in Saudi!)

That said, I liked having legal residential rights and not having to pick up and go every three months. Maybe if I had what Mark in Saigon would say (wherever he is) the magic $5000 of "Flip-off money," I would be okay with flittering from job to job like a hummingbird for years on end, but nah, rather just work and be assured of a modicum in stability where stability is often scarce!