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dongintheklong
Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:27 am Post subject: Maybe Vietnam? I'm in Thailand now! |
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Hi All
I've been teaching in Bangkok for 5 years and...after 5 years I'm thinking that it may be nice to go somewhere else for a change of scenery and more money.
Vietnam has its appeal.
Overall how does it compare with Thailand--not so much the culture (I know that won't be the same), but for the TEFL situation?
I'm thinking that Ho Chi Min City might be the best place to start looking for work.
Any feedback, warnings, opinions from ex-Thailand TEFLers is welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks,
Dong |
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Proffeshnial Teachman
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:44 am Post subject: |
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Oh dear!
As an exodus of teachers flees from Saigon you are thinking about coming here!? 
My advice - stay in Thailand for a few months and then see what the situation is. However if you do decide to come then........
Good luck! |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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I made a similar move from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City in 2004, and to make a long story short I came back to Bangkok.
IF things were the same as back then I would definitely say 'check it out, give it a try, see for yourself, maybe it'll work for you', but...
(and somebody please correct me if I am wrong)
1) a 25% tax has been imposed on foreign teachers' salaries for the first 6 months. Apparently there is a refund of some amount after you have worked there a year. So, yes you can make more money there but subtract 25% and you're down near Thailand wages again.
2) work permits are now required for HCMC (probably eventually all of Vietnam) with some pretty stringent demands being made to get one. This is detailed by Proffeshinal Teachman on two other threads entitled "How can Vietnam pay ESL teachers so much?' and 'Teacher Deportations & Work Permits'. Read those for more info about current complications.
This is what the Teachman is warning you about. Many folks say: 'It's just a silly phase they're going through..."
so yeah, wait and see and check for all the latest info on these sites:
http://www.mekongesl.com
http://www.saigonesl.com |
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Proffeshnial Teachman
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| sigmoid wrote: |
I made a similar move from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City in 2004, and to make a long story short I came back to Bangkok.
IF things were the same as back then I would definitely say 'check it out, give it a try, see for yourself, maybe it'll work for you', but...
(and somebody please correct me if I am wrong)
1) a 25% tax has been imposed on foreign teachers' salaries for the first 6 months. Apparently there is a refund of some amount after you have worked there a year. So, yes you can make more money there but subtract 25% and you're down near Thailand wages again.
2) work permits are now required for HCMC (probably eventually all of Vietnam) with some pretty stringent demands being made to get one. This is detailed by Proffeshinal Teachman on two other threads entitled "How can Vietnam pay ESL teachers so much?' and 'Teacher Deportations & Work Permits'. Read those for more info about current complications.
This is what the Teachman is warning you about. Many folks say: 'It's just a silly phase they're going through..."
so yeah, wait and see and check for all the latest info on these sites:
http://www.mekongesl.com
http://www.saigonesl.com |
Correct sigmoid.
The 25% is withheld by most schools and refunded by the state 'at some point in the future'. I don't know if this comes through the schools or you have to queue up Soviet style and beg at a barred window for what is rightly yours. Cue all sorts of 'irregularities' with the application.
As for the rest of the Tax.......
The first 500,000 (30 USD) is tax free WHA-HEY! Time for a spending spree!
The next 8 million is supposed to be refunded too if you only work at one school. 
Up to 20 million it's 10%
Over 20 million and it's 25% but there are other thresholds of 40% and more which most teachers won't be subject to but businessmen owning 100% of a foreign company will be. 
Ps My school only subjects it's teachers to a flat 10% rate but you get some witheld if you leave before 183 days are served. |
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Snaff
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 142
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:35 am Post subject: |
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| Proffeshnial Teachman wrote: |
| Over 20 million and it's 25% but there are other thresholds of 40% and more which most teachers won't be subject to but businessmen owning 100% of a foreign company will be. |
Many teachers that put in hours will hit the tax threshhold over 20 million.
Do the math on wage X number of hours worked in a month, and calculate the 'over 20 million' tax rate.
It is a sizeable amount of tax for someone teaching.
A teacher last night that loves it here, and has been here for 4 years, told me that he will definately leave the country within a year, because of the over 20M tax rate.
It motivates someone to not work, therefore you won't save. And if you do work over the 20M threshold, they are paying so much tax, that they aren't saving.
With inflation, economic growth at officially 8.4% (plus the underground economy putting growth over 10%), teachers are slipping a bit down the food chanin. Not a lot, but a little.
If someone wants to save:
The best option if inflation and growth continue (which they will), and taxes are kept in place is to:
1. leave the EFL field and stay in Vietnam, 2. Go to another country to teach or 3. return to home-country. |
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dongintheklong
Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Oh dear!
As an exodus of teachers flees from Saigon you are thinking about coming here!?
My advice - stay in Thailand for a few months and then see what the situation is. However if you do decide to come then........ |
An EXODUS? Sounds terrible. I assume you're leaving as well.
The new tax is enough to put me off from going there. What would possess the Vietnamese government to do something like this? I think I know...
So another SE Asian country shoots itself in the foot out of greed and an anti-foreigner prejudice?
Anyone for the Philippines? Haha 
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll bite the bullet here a tad longer. |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:16 am Post subject: |
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| I received notification of a new private message but upon checking my inbox it said 'you have no new messages'. A techincal difficulty I suppose. At any rate, if anyone sent me a PM regarding this thread try to send it again or contact me directly by e-mail. My address is in my profile. |
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