Thread: Teacher's License is a requirement for extension of visa

I work in a large Government High School English Programme with 12 foreign staff. We have been following the requirements of the TCT and have completed 2 of the 3 clauses for acquiring a teacher’s license. Many teachers are due to renew their visa and one of the requirements for a visa renewal is a teacher’s license, this is being asked for at the immigration office.

Only one of the 12 teachers in my school has a teacher’s license the rest of us are waiting for our boss to finish the paperwork and get our temporary license.

So it now appears all visa renewals/one year extensions at your local immigration office for a teacher’s visa will now only be granted with a teacher’s license or a temporary teachers license.

Good luck to all…

Matt

Man on man did you open Pandora's Box.

I will try to explain the facts. Now bear in mind this is Thailand.

Technically and legally any 'falang' teacher in Thailand should have a teaching license from their respective country. Now once again bear in mind this is Thailand.

Some schools will require this while other will not. So there you go.

So why the gray area? Certainly any reputable international school will demand such documents. Ones not accrediated might not be so demanding. Thai government/private schools? It boils down on who knows who.

I was expecting the OP to one of those wonderful Thai Catch-22s, where you need a TL to get a WP and you need a WP to get a TL or something.

I'll get me coat.

As I stated, it is now a requirement at the immigration office in Nan, and In Tak, as we used to use Tak but now we use Nan as the law just changed regarding local jurisdiction, but that’s another story altogether.
1 teacher at my school just did his seventh 1 year extension at my school and was asked for teacher’s license at the immigration office. We knew in advance that they were asking for teacher’s license as we contacted them in advance. Fortunately the guy who went already has his teacher’s license.
We have six people going for a 1 year extension in March and they all have to get their temporary teacher’s license ready some teachers will be going for their 5th extension another their 1st extension but a clear cut requirement is a teacher’s license or a temporary license.

This is just information from the immigration office and from a bunch of long term teachers/Expats that have been doing the visa process for many years….

OK, I'll throw my 10 bahts worth in here and say that you only need a teaching license if you are teaching high school (M6) or below. The universities/colleges I have worked at "seem" to be exempt and I have never had to do it. It's the MoE's money spinner, like the other government departments have their ones too.

This may not be strictly definitive but appears to be the case in practice, certainly outside Bangkok. I do understand there are places that you can't even fart without approval, depends where you are. When I have worked at a college or university(outside Bangkok) I have never had to apply/do/aquire etc a/for teaching license but had to when working with the lower age groups.

Not definitive but just an observational post. Cheers.

I just joined this forum today, so please forgive my ignorance. Where do yu get a Teacher's License? From your local school employer, or you get a TEFL certificate?
John

^apply at the education departments i believe. A TEFL has nothing to do with it.

I think that this teachers license thing is nothing but a scam.

I have already told my school that I will refuse to pay for such ludicrous tests & that I will not abide by any such rule unless the rule comes from the Ministry of Education.

Originally Posted by mikehunt

I have already told my school that I will refuse to pay for such ludicrous tests

Thats really telling them, you do not have to do any such thing if you do not wish to.