Job Discussion Forums

halfischer84 · Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

I am going to Thailand in 1 month to go hunt for a job. What is the best option for visa before I go? Can I just come in on a tourist visa and have my job help me change it to a work visa once I get hired? Is it difficult to find jobs offering visa support? I suppose I ought to apply for a three month visa from the embassy before I go rather than just getting the 1 month on arrival.
Thanks,
Hal

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

If I were you I'd get the 60 day tourist visa from wherever you are now.

That visa can be extended by 30 days, giving you 3 months in total -

to hunt for a job & get comfortable with the new environment,

without the added hassle of having to do a border-run.

Yes; most schools do offer visa / work-permit support.

Immigration has been checking up on schools and teachers.

Those without proper paperwork and those with fake diplomas

are being fined and / or deported and / or possibly even sent to jail.

If you arrive here and like it, you'll probably spend a week or two job-hunting and learning your way around.

After you sign on the dotted line, the school will give you the paperwork needed for a Non-imm B visa,

which can be obtained here in Bangkok or in Vientiene - that's up to you and the school.

With a Non-imm B visa in hand, the school then applies for your work permit.

If a school or agency hesitates to apply for your Non-imm B visa and work permit,

tell them politely to shove it (or something along those lines) and head straight for the door.

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

What about? A one way ticket or a round trip?
It is unclear on their official website.

First they do not precise if someone entering the country without any visa (it is legal for 30 days from 40 countries) has to leave the country and then apply for one at a honorary Thai consulate abroad and then comeback - or can he apply for one wile in Thailand?

It doesn't say anything about one way or round trip ticket neither...

- May I enter the country without any visa and a one way ticket?

- Should I have a 30 days renewable tourist visa and a one way?

- Should I have a 30 days renewable tourist visa and a round trip?

Dammit those bureaucrats sux! No mater what! No mater where!

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

If I were you I'd get a 60 day tourist visa from the nearest Thai embassy or consulate to wherever you are now. With a visa inside your passport, you don't need to show a return ticket. Without a visa - you may or may not be asked by airport officials to show a ticket out of the country. It's a roll of the dice. Sometimes they ask and sometimes they don't. Get the 60 day tourist visa and save yourself the hassle. That's the best advice I can give you.

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

Yes Kent, and thank you.
I am in China - The consulate here needs to see my ticket before giving me a visa... and I do not feel comfortable arriving in Thailand without a job.
That said I am trying to secure a teaching employment from China... and I don't feel comfortable setting up a date and purchasing a ticket without having a job...

A vicious circle indeed...

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Understood. Many people feel the same way. Try to set up some interviews via e-mail and see what happens. Of course it's a lot easier to find a position when you are on the ground here, but ... there's no law against making contact with schools or agencies that are advertising positions. The better option, imho, would be to spend 2 weeks here on holiday - scan the job ads on ajarn.com while you're here - and use those 2 weeks to set up interviews. Face to face contact is always your best bet. You might be able to secure a firm offer for a starting date that suits both of you. Good luck.

tedkarma · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:15 am Post subject:

I did exactly as Kent suggests when I first moved to Thailand.

Made numerous contacts before arriving, flew into BKK as a generic tourist, did several interviews and got a definite job offer for a place where I wanted to work, flew back to Saudi Arabia, finished up the last couple weeks of my contract, got a Non-Imm B Visa in Saudi and wrapped up the paperwork on arrival in BKK.

Only difference might be that you will get a Tourist Visa vs. a Non-Imm B.

Generally speaking, the better jobs hire face to face and not via email or over the phone. And, from your side, it is better not to commit to someone or someplace that you have not personally given the once over. Far better to find out early in the game if an employer is flaky/dodgy or not.

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

Ha great!

tedkarma · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:01 am Post subject:

Don't fantasize too much about what is here.

My opinion is that Thailand is a wonderful place to live - a relatively difficult place to work. My experience has been that Thailand expects more and pays less than anywhere else I have taught EFL (Korea, Saudi and Taiwan). Certainly for language school and even for university/college level positions.

Very few employers here actually even respond to email. I know why - I worked with a recruiter about 15 years ago in Korea and maybe only one of ten or twenty people who inquired ever showed up - of course after demanding detailed information that took hours to respond to. Positions in Phuket are often flooded with emails from folks in Bangkok who want to move here - but never bother to show up for scheduled interviews.

A bird in the hand . . . in Thailand, if probably worth twenty in the bush. Thus little response. AND, if you do get an offer via email - be careful, perhaps their reputation is so poor locally that they can't find anyone here.

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

Hi Ken and Ted and all:
I'll be in BKK this weekend, my first time to LOS.
Hope they will have time to execute the Visa in 4 days... I already have purchased my RT ticket... Still dunno how much cost the Visa... Will find out tomorrow AM
Smile

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

Went to the Thai embassy yesterday Am, presented 2 pictures, they only took 1, presented a bank certificate, they said - no need -, presented my airline ticket with two (2) photocopies, - no need - and they didn't check my ticket anyway ...
They asked why are you going to Thailand, and I answered Tourist reasons this is my first time.
How long do you plan to stay?
me: I would really appreciate if you could allow me to say, and visit your country for 60 days.
Answer: Ha?! you want to stay 60 months.
me: [laughing] I would love too... anyway I'll take what ever you give me.
Answer: Ok no problem we will give you 2 months.
me: Thank you very much! [showing the polite hand sign explained to me by my Thais friends.]
I paid 200Rmb, and left happy!

Dressed like Donald Trump and being polite might have helped... definitely the best visa application experience so far.
Will see what tomorrow's pickup time will be about.
My Thai friends are waiting for me, they are preparing an apartment, I am wondering if dinner will be served.... Smile

***

I know this Cal. guy that applied last summer, and was questioned for 20 minutes... (He is an arrogant *beep* anyway) I believe they made him comeback 3 or more times... So I was well prepared ...

ontheroadagain · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: PRC since 07/04

Thank you so much!
They gave me 3 (three) months!!!

Thailand is cool, Thais are great and soft, polite and they even smile!!!

Comparing with China, this is a different planet!

skann · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 25

I'm glad this thread was started because it's exactly what I need to know right now. I'm planning on going to Thailand in a few months. I'm thinking I'll spend the first week there getting oriented, then I'll attend a language school for a few weeks to get a certification and then, if I haven't already found a job, will job hunt. Since this may all take more than 30 days, I'm planning on getting the 60 day tourist visa.

Want to clarify: I should apply for a 60 day tourist visa and not a non-immigrant visa, correct? When I apply, should I tell the embassy/consulate that I'm going to go to a language school and then get a school to sponsor me to work teaching English, or just pretend I'll be a tourist the whole time? What about the immigration officer on arrival; same deal? Once I find a school to sponsor me, they will convert my tourist visa into a non-immigrant visa and apply for a work permit, yes?

Oh, and just out of curiosity, once I'm sponsored, is it legal to teach English to private parites on the side on weekends or something to make some extra cash?

Thanks for your advice!

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

Skann,

Coming to Thailand without a job on a tourist visa you will almost certainly have to do (at least) 1 visa run.

I came here in Feb with a job lined up and my non-imm B in hand and I might still have to do a visa run. The Thai government is in the process of changing the ministry that handles teaching licences and my non-imm B may expire before they get around to giving me the licence. Add to this the new requirements of taking a Thai culture course and an 'ethics test' and teaching (legally) in Thailand becomes a real mess.

Your school may forbid you in your contract to teach privates. But what they don't know can't hurt them. And how on Earth would the Thai government know you're teaching privates unless you tell them?

Extraordinary Rendition · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:21 am Post subject:

Thai 'culture' course and test is only for teaching primary and secondary. Employer should take care of getting your visa extended at immigration office when paperwork is delayed, at least they used to...