If I get a retirement visa, can I teach?

[Lefty]

I was planning on just getting the retirement visa, since I would qualify, but it seems like I may have read somewhere that you can't work as a teacher if under that kind of visa.
If I'm going to complete the tefl course and teach, do I have to get a work visa instead?

[Guest]

As far as I am aware working with a retirement visa is a complete no no.

[Stogie]

The answer is...

Legally no - practically yes!

[rossco]

Retirement translates as no longer working.
Working is seen as performing some role - paid or unpaid

Many schools will 'offer' you work and tell you not to worry about a work permit. So now you are working illegally - penalty can be deportation for up to 7 years.

Getting a valid work permit should be down to your employer - school/college. As above many schools prefer not to apply for work permit and 'officially' employ you.

If they employ you legally there are some mandatory minor social charges, also the school should provide you with medical cover. Perhaps this is why they prefer to employ staff unofficially.

[Lefty]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I planned to apply for the telf at Text and Talk in Soi Day Night, so I'll just get a 90 day visa and see what they will do about getting me a work visa. I don't want to work under a retirement visa if it means even a 10% chance of deportation for 7 yrs.

[Stogie]

It's hard (erm, impossible) to get you a work visa if you arrive with a tourist visa. Try the 'Non-imm B' instead.

These TEFL courses get a bad rap online but they are a safe and legal way to stay in the country and work.

The pay will be pretty rotten if you decide to stick with Text and Talk for your contracts, workwise but work on the ground is pretty thin in Pattaya anyway.

There is a lot of corporate stuff in nearby Chonburi but the standards are pretty high.

As you say - a retirement visa is easy to get and pretty easy to lose, too. Best not to mess with it.

[Lefty]

Thanks Stogie. That's what I've heard about work in Pattaya too and since that is where I prefer to spend most of my time, that could mean I'll have a tough decision to make. A friend who completed the TEFL at Talk and Text in Soi Day Night was told that the toughest places to get jobs was Pattaya and Bangkok, and the rest of the country, the demand was pretty good. He only wanted to get the course taken care of, and sent out no resumes' since he was going back to England to work for two more years or so. He still had some schools, 2-3, call him and offer him work.


Is the Non Immigrant B Visa one I need to apply for and get before I leave the USA as opposed to one I would get after I get there?

[Stogie]

I'd get the Non Imm B before you come here. It will give you 15 months of time to get sorted and you only have to do border runs every 90 days.

[aaron76]

Technically, no. But as Will Ferrell says, "Everybody's doing it!"
In reality you CAN work on any visa, illegally. I have a non imm b and a work permit, bit I am the only person I know that has one.

[Looker]

(Stogie @ Oct. 31 2008,21:03) I'd get the Non Imm B before you come here. It will give you 15 months of time to get sorted and you only have to do border runs every 90 days.

That sounds interesting. How to apply that Stogie? Planning to relocate but the normal 30 days visa you get it's not enough...
Thanks!

[SamplerDoc]

(Lefty @ Oct. 30 2008,03:19) I was planning on just getting the retirement visa, since I would qualify, but it seems like I may have read somewhere that you can't work as a teacher if under that kind of visa.
If I'm going to complete the tefl course and teach, do I have to get a work visa instead?

Lefty, why would you even want to
If you are gonna retire there, just enjoy the retired life

[Lefty]

(SamplerDoc @ Nov. 01 2008,18:10)

(Lefty @ Oct. 30 2008,03:19) I was planning on just getting the retirement visa, since I would qualify, but it seems like I may have read somewhere that you can't work as a teacher if under that kind of visa.
If I'm going to complete the tefl course and teach, do I have to get a work visa instead?

Lefty, why would you even want to
If you are gonna retire there, just enjoy the retired life

I was thinking after a couple of months of just hanging out at the pool, going to the beach, going to the gym, going to ladyboy bars, that I may want to find something productive to do for part of the time. I don't want to work my fingers to the bone, but if I could just do about 20-25 hrs a week, that would be ok, and also give me an extra source of income in case the dollar ever crashes vs the baht in the future.
The one dilemma is I prefer to live in or close to Pattaya and that is a place where there isn't a lot of teaching jobs, compared to the demand for those jobs, or so I am told.
I wonder how that situation would be down the road in Sattahip or Rayong, which would be quieter but still not far from Pattaya.

[rossco]

There are some prestige schools outside of Pattaya. Regents School on Highway 36. Pattaya International school. There are also 2 large Universities BUT none of these will be looking for a TEFL teacher.

Have you any other skills you can impart (excluding LB's?). Have you a practical skill or any other academic type skill. IT, Music, Art etc etc.

You are more likely to obtain a position if you have something 'unique' to offer.
Good luck.

[Stogie]

I don't want to work my fingers to the bone, but if I could just do about 20-25 hrs a week...

Oh dear... You really are new to this!

If you taught for 25 hours a week you'd be burned out after a month!

16 hours is full time because if you are doing lesson plans, morning flag duty and other errands then you'll not have time over for a private life!

Think of working about 4 to 6 hours a week and you'll last a lot longer...

[azza33]

i just pulled the following from a website... anyone know how accurate this is?

* Requirement for Non-Imm B (Business Visa)

The foreigner who wish to apply for the Non-Immigration Visa under type B (Business), need to have one of the following requirements:
# Being employed by the Company Limited, as in case, such foreigner need to be during the process of Work Permit approval from Department of Labour or;

# Investing a minimum of 3 million Baht in the Kingdom of Thailand by
- Deposit the money in a fixed account of a state bank
- Buy bonds issued by a state agency or government enterprise. The bonds must be purchased directly from a state agency or government enterprise or an authorised dealer
- Buy an apartment or condominium at the price set and registered by the Land Department
- Any kind of investment deemed beneficial to the country by the Immigration Bureau