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Should I apply for a work visa before getting a job as a teacher in Thailand?
Visa RulesWork VisaTourist VisaTeaching in ThailandExpats in ThailandNon-B VisaImmigration AdviceThai Education System
Jun 11, 2025
a year ago
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTERHello!! I’m a semi-retired Canadian high school teacher with a TEFL certificate heading to Hua Hin in August. I would like to do some teaching with Thai students. Should I just go on a tourist visa and apply for a work visa, if I’m offered a job? Or do I need to have a work visa just to apply for a job? I would prefer the option that is not going to land me in a Thai jail!!😆
TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around the process of obtaining a work visa for teaching in Thailand. A Canadian semi-retired teacher with a TEFL certificate is considering starting to teach in Hua Hin. The consensus is that one can enter Thailand on a tourist visa and then apply for jobs, but a job offer is necessary to obtain a work visa and work permit. The conversation highlights potential age-related challenges in the Thai job market for teachers and offers advice on where to look for job opportunities, emphasizing the need for caution to avoid illegal work situations. Recommendations include looking for positions at international schools that often handle visa processes directly.
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Sean *************
Lisa, most of the foreigners looking for teaching jobs in Thailand don’t have teaching credentials at home. Since you do, you’d be looking at a completely different set of jobs/wages.
While ajarn.com is the most popular and a very good resource site for teaching jobs, the positions you’d qualify for aren’t usually posted there. You should be looking in the 70,000-150,000 THB/month range (or maybe even higher).
Those higher paying jobs are posted on international teaching sites like tes, schrole, etc. Googling international schools will lead you to a plethora of schools, from pathetic to fantastic. Once you find the better schools among them, their websites will have job links. ISB, Harrows, Shrewsbury are a few to try.
As for your visa question, the top international schools will hire you from overseas and arrange the visa before you arrive. However, 99% of the other jobs will require you to be in the country to apply. Once hired, the visa process will either be easily transferred at immigration, in country, OR you may have to travel to an embassy in a neighboring country. Schools in Bangkok and the surrounding areas will often be able to transfer your visa in country. While outlying provinces (like Phuket) may insist the only way to do it is traveling to Laos or Malaysia. The first visa is usually 3 months, after which you will get your work permit, and then do your 1year extension to your visa, all handled through your employer… but all these steps require you to go to the respective government offices yourself.
Note: you may be asked to work while the paperwork is processed. While this puts you in a position to work illegally for the first 3 or more months, it is actually common practice for about 80% of the jobs. Once visa (at immigration) and work permit (at labor office), processes that are all the employers responsibility, you are legal and only have to worry about *making 90 day reports *ensuring you’ve bought a reentry permit before leaving the country, *keeping your job, and *timely processing of your annual visa extension.
Good luck. It’s worth it.
While ajarn.com is the most popular and a very good resource site for teaching jobs, the positions you’d qualify for aren’t usually posted there. You should be looking in the 70,000-150,000 THB/month range (or maybe even higher).
Those higher paying jobs are posted on international teaching sites like tes, schrole, etc. Googling international schools will lead you to a plethora of schools, from pathetic to fantastic. Once you find the better schools among them, their websites will have job links. ISB, Harrows, Shrewsbury are a few to try.
As for your visa question, the top international schools will hire you from overseas and arrange the visa before you arrive. However, 99% of the other jobs will require you to be in the country to apply. Once hired, the visa process will either be easily transferred at immigration, in country, OR you may have to travel to an embassy in a neighboring country. Schools in Bangkok and the surrounding areas will often be able to transfer your visa in country. While outlying provinces (like Phuket) may insist the only way to do it is traveling to Laos or Malaysia. The first visa is usually 3 months, after which you will get your work permit, and then do your 1year extension to your visa, all handled through your employer… but all these steps require you to go to the respective government offices yourself.
Note: you may be asked to work while the paperwork is processed. While this puts you in a position to work illegally for the first 3 or more months, it is actually common practice for about 80% of the jobs. Once visa (at immigration) and work permit (at labor office), processes that are all the employers responsibility, you are legal and only have to worry about *making 90 day reports *ensuring you’ve bought a reentry permit before leaving the country, *keeping your job, and *timely processing of your annual visa extension.
Good luck. It’s worth it.
John *******
Try Government Universities. I hired on at 62 and later retired. U can work until u die. Good benefits but not high wages.
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
that sounds ideal actually? What did you teach? I was told by a couple of folks that with 8 years of post-secondary education, I should be applying to universities. I don’t have a Ph. D., I didn’t go that route. Mine is an English literature background at two of the top 15 universities in Canada and one very recognized college. Any particular universities you can recommend with a strong Arts/Humanities Dept?Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
wonderful! Thanks, John.🙏John *******
@Lisa ********
Thamasat University. There are a few more Unis in the area. U need to go to each one to apply as they may not post online.Reply to
John *******
Reply
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
that’s hopeful. Thank you! What did you teach?John *******
@Lisa ********
I taught Speeches, Communication, Hotel English and a bunch of other stuff. I would have taught syntex if I stayed. I taught Education and Humanities majors.Reply to
John *******
Reply
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
thanks, appreciate that.😊Todd *********
@John ******
all you would miss out on is fun and freedomJohn *******
@Todd ********
Not true. I had until 12 noon to sign in and out for the day. I had three to four classes per semester at four hours max per week each. I was never in the office. At first u should be. Remember, u work with teachers having a Masters or PHD. First year Thai lecturers are the ones treated badly.Todd *********
@John ******
very true. You will never know. It’s your choice though. And 4 hours per week is minimally invasive. Personally, I enjoy freedom and travel. So trading my valuable time in the endless pursuit of monetary gain, struck me as pointless.
Reply to
Todd *********
Reply
Todd *********
You will be considered old for employment in Thailand even as a teacher. Not easy to come by. But Hua Hin is an older expat community and you will easily make lots of connections. Also a very low cost place to live, so work may not be critical with teachers pension from Canada. It's astounding how many Canadians are leaving that country. StatsCan says over 5 million living abroad
Andi ***********
@Todd ********
Why the mass exodus from Canada?Todd *********
@Andi **********
i would guess that being coldest country on earth, extremely high personal tax load, comically overpriced housing, declining quality of medical care, northern isolation, long & expensive travel to anywhere nice, weak economy, nanny state government, high cost of living, mediocre food and culture all have something to do with it. For digital nomads and skilled/educated young workers, there are better opportunities in dozens of countries. And for retirees, there aren't many worse places to retire than Canada.Benjamin *********
@Todd ********
spot onAndi ***********
@Todd ********
Sounds depressing. Never been to Canada but It used to have a very positive image, popular to study/ work when I was at Uni. Warmer climate is much better for retirees...
Jim ************
@Andi **********
it sounds far more appealing than the USA, though.Todd *********
@Jim ***********
I’m not trying to sell 🇺🇸 on anybody but let’s face facts, Hawaii, California, Nevada + Vegas, Arizona, Utah, Oregon Coast, Florida, Upstate New York… are all wildly better living than anything Canada has to offer. I hate the politics as much as anyone. But not gonna lower my quality of life just to make a useless point. 4 years and done. Meanwhile living it up in fun places, great weather, happy people, better money and less tax, and tax deductible mortgages. Sadly America is kicking our asses
Andi ***********
@Jim ***********
True Almost all countries are more appealing than the states.Reply to
Andi ***********
Reply
Kim *********
Be aware that I’ve been told several times that teachers age out at 60 in Thailand. I’ve been on the journey of trying to find where I’d like to land since I left teaching in the states and have a TEFL as well. Most suggestions are to open my own language school so ageism isn’t an issue. I’m 57.
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Kim ********
I’m very sorry to hear that, Kim. I understand completely how you feel. Such a shame… we should be teaching the younger teachers how to teach.Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks for all the info folks. Ive been to Thailand twice in the last year. Love the country and love the people. I was super excited when I finally made the decision to relocate, but some of these very honest comments are making me reconsider …sadly…😕
Reply to
Lisa *********
Reply
Yadav *******
You can go for either way
Get a job offer and travel or you can come on a tourist visa and apply for a job. Once you get success you can exit the country (you will have to go to the neighborhing county)and get a Non-B Visa and get your work permit based on it.
Get a job offer and travel or you can come on a tourist visa and apply for a job. Once you get success you can exit the country (you will have to go to the neighborhing county)and get a Non-B Visa and get your work permit based on it.
Kool *******
This website spells it all out, with job listings. Ajarn.com
Stuart *********
You need a job (offer) in order to apply for a work visa then work permit. Enter on a tourist or exempt entry. Find an employer and then go from there.
Lisa *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stuart ********
thank you, Stuart. If I understand correctly, it’s difficult to switch visas while in Thailand. Assuming I’m offered a job, is it true that I would need to leave the country to apply for a work visa after arriving on a tourist visa?Reinhard ********
@Lisa ********
It's not Impossible.I switch from a retirement to a marriage Visa ,because I don't trust Thai banks.I'take the 800k and spend it for a new car.The marriage Visa is groundet on income from abroad.(Pension)Stuart *********
@Lisa ********
That’s usually the case for a Non B as most companies can’t (or won’t) supply the vast amount of paperwork to apply in country. Teaching positions are slightly different and it may be possible for your new employer to let you apply in country (rare but can happen).Reply to
Stuart *********
Reply
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