| Teaching overseas is the best way to combine great | | | | she hadn't read the instructions in a registered letter |
| working conditions with living an exotic lifestyle. But | | | | we'd received months earlier. The letter contained |
| it's not without pitfalls for the unwary. I'm going to | | | | our official invitation of employment that we were |
| share a little story with you about how an | | | | supposed to take to a Thai embassy to get the |
| experienced international teacher ended up having a | | | | non-Immigrant B visa which would allow us to work |
| really, really bad couple of days... | | | | legally in Thailand. My colleague had thought the letter |
| When you are getting ready to move overseas, you | | | | was just something for our records... |
| will definitely want to take a very close look at what | | | | As a result my colleague had entered Thailand on a |
| kind of visa you need to get. Moving your teaching | | | | tourist visa which couldn't be 'converted' into a work |
| career abroad isn't the same as going on holiday. You | | | | permit under the immigration rules. This was the |
| are not entering the country for tourism purposes, | | | | beginning of a number of really bad days for her as |
| and most countries distinguish between tourism visas | | | | she had to leave the country in order to get herself |
| and, well, non-tourism visas! | | | | the correct visa. |
| You many need to get a non-immigrant visa, or a | | | | Yes, she got to spend 5 days in Malaysia while the |
| business visa or a working visa... there are many | | | | Thai embassy in Malaysia processed her visa |
| names and number designations that are country | | | | application. But it meant that when she got back to |
| specific. For example, teachers who are moving to | | | | Thailand with the correct visa: |
| the United Kingdom require a working visa (or a | | | | * she had no time to prepare for the students |
| working holiday visa if they're under 30) but I needed | | | | starting school the next day |
| a non-Immigrant B visa to enter Thailand to take up | | | | * she still had nowhere to live when most of the rest |
| my post here. | | | | of us had already found apartments |
| Your new school will let you know what kind of visa | | | | * she was several hundred dollars out of pocket |
| you need to get, but you'll probably have to go and | | | | because she'd had to pay for the trip (hotel, flights, |
| apply for it at the embassy yourself, possibly with | | | | visa for Malaysia) herself. |
| documentation that they'll send to you. Ensure that | | | | And the real eye-opener of this story? This particular |
| you read every word in the emails and letters from | | | | colleague was an experienced international teacher |
| your new school. And if you don't understand | | | | starting her third overseas position. |
| something, ask for clarification. Here's why... | | | | It can happen to us all, but don't let this happen to |
| In 2007 I started my new job in Thailand at an | | | | you! Read everything and ask for further information |
| international school. When we first arrived at the | | | | when you come across something you don't |
| school for our orientation, we were asked to hand in | | | | understand. It's highly likely that the people contacting |
| our passports so that the school administration staff | | | | you about visas and other 'house-keeping' issues will |
| could prepare our work permit applications. Our work | | | | speak English as an Additional Language and this can |
| permits were to take the place of our non-Immigrant | | | | make communication challenging at times. Bear with it |
| B visas when they ran out in a couple of months. We | | | | and don't assume that you've understood until you've |
| were assured that in the interim, we it was quite | | | | checked. |
| legal for us to be working on our non-Immigrant B | | | | A quick tip for you - if you're having trouble |
| visas. | | | | communicating with the administrative staff at your |
| I was rather confused when one of my new | | | | school, ask for a 'buddy' from among the teaching |
| colleagues leaned over and quietly asked me what a | | | | staff to contact you. Your buddy can help interpret |
| non-Immigrant B visa was. After a little questioning I | | | | the correspondence from the school and help you |
| realized that she didn't have the right visa because | | | | out with any questions you have! |