is 10 years teaching experience considered equivalent to degree?

[Max88]

Hello,

I have over 10 years experience teaching English in Japan.

I have references froI m my places of employ.

I have taught in High Schools, Kindergartens, etc.

 

I am considering moving to Thailand.

I would like to teach English.

 

I was offered my first teaching job in Japan, despite not having a degree.

I first came to Japan 30 years ago when there were few foreigners.

The lack of a degree was something that was overlooked.

My over 10 years experience teaching is now considered the equivalent to a degree and I can teach legally.

 

Is this the same in Thailand? I heard that it was. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[BritTim]

As far as work permits and visas are concerned, I am pretty sure the authorities are not flexible. For the best advice, you should probably ask in the Teaching in Thailand Forum

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Talk to some agencies, like the ones listed on Ajarn.com, offering positions out in more rural areas. Can't name any names, but I've known of several instances where they simply require "native English speakers", then are able to bend the rules that require a degree, because of the demand for teachers. Be warned however, this demand is due to the fact there are challenging students and high turnover. Good luck.

[Max88]

Thanks for the replies. This is actually common knowledge in Japan. The Japanese consulate websites clearly states for an Instructor Visa the requirements are: `Bachelor Degree or Higher, or over 10 years experience teaching`

[Max88]

25 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Talk to some agencies, like the ones listed on Ajarn.com, offering positions out in more rural areas. Can't name any names, but I've known of several instances where they simply require "native English speakers", then are able to bend the rules that require a degree, because of the demand for teachers. Be warned however, this demand is due to the fact there are challenging students and high turnover. Good luck.

 

Thank you. I`m not so sure living in a rural area is my cup of tea. I am kind of a city person and was thinking living in BKK would be more suitable.

[EricTh]

Japan is much better than Thailand. WTH do you want to go to Thailand to teach?

 

Competition in Thailand is very stiff because every Farang Tom, Dick and Harry who comes to Thailand wants to teach English in Thailand.

 

Furthermore, the education system and politics in Japan is different from Thailand so your experience there might not be worth much.

Edited October 9, 2019 by EricTh

[sillyfool]

come to thailand for some fun and holiday. i suggest not coming here to teah. it's like being sucked into a black hole. 

[50soon]

No you can not teach in Thailand without a degree as a teacher. Many guys are now refused for a work permit. Was easy years ago but now it’s finished. Not your fault, their fault. They will probably miss a good teacher like you.


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[Hackney35]

I don’t believe you will be able to get a work permit without a degree regardless of years of experience.

 

Conversely it will be very easy to get a job even in central BKK. There is a constant shortage of teachers in the unqualified space especially now there is a clamp down on tourist visa / education visa use.

You will earn less than 60k thb a month though.

The good international schools here require qualified teachers with specific teaching diplomas from the west.

In my first school in BKK which was a good girls private school most of the teachers didn’t have degrees and therefore no work permits. However they were studying degrees in Thailand (worthless paper outside of the country imo) to get round the visa requirements.

As per someone else said I would think carefully about leaving Japan. Teaching in Thai schools can be very frustrating on many levels (Management, children and even parents...) and your visa situation here could be difficult.

good luck ????

 

[thecyclist]

Have you considered Vietnam as an alternative :Plenty of teaching jobs, and more flexible on the visa front. 

[grifbel]

2 hours ago, Max88 said:

I first came to Japan 30 years ago when there were few foreigners.

The lack of a degree was something that was overlooked.

My over 10 years experience teaching is now considered the equivalent to a degree

 

Considered equivalent by who, you?

I think they would be more concerned with the 20 year gap in your resume.  You were in Japan for 30 years, but only worked for 10?

There were also lots of foreigners in Japan 30 years ago, before the bubble crashed, so your comment about few foreigners back then is also incorrect.

Lots of inaccuracies in your post.

Edited October 9, 2019 by grifbel

[recom273]

Oh my .. here we go

 

Yes, you can get a work permit without a degree, there was a big move from the government a few years back, fines were increased in an effort to to get all foreign workers on work permits, it was mostly directed at foreign construction workers, but it also applies to westerners. You need the acceptance of the head master and you will need some copies of your qualifications.

 

This however will not get you an extension of your visa, for that immigration dept will want to see a degree, then some schools will ask you to apply for a teachers license waiver, you can read up about that, you will need degree transcripts for this and ultimately some personal development courses or an education degree.

 

Its all rather complicated, but if you have a non-o visa or a a business visa you can work under a work permit, I’m not saying it’s totally correct, but you can work without the risk of deportation because you have no WP.

I think you could find work in Bangkok without a degree, but working without an extension based on employment or another kind of long stay visa, it would be impractical, and certainly not financially rewarding. 
 

Hope you understand.

 

 

[Max88]

1 hour ago, grifbel said:

 

Considered equivalent by who, you?

I think they would be more concerned with the 20 year gap in your resume.  You were in Japan for 30 years, but only worked for 10?

There were also lots of foreigners in Japan 30 years ago, before the bubble crashed, so your comment about few foreigners back then is also incorrect.

Lots of inaccuracies in your post.

No, I have far more than 10 years experience. The Japanese requirements are "More than 10 years teaching experience". I heard that it was the same in Thailand. Just trying to find out if that is true or not.

[Max88]

18 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Oh my .. here we go

 

Yes, you can get a work permit without a degree, there was a big move from the government a few years back, fines were increased in an effort to to get all foreign workers on work permits, it was mostly directed at foreign construction workers, but it also applies to westerners. You need the acceptance of the head master and you will need some copies of your qualifications.

 

This however will not get you an extension of your visa, for that immigration dept will want to see a degree, then some schools will ask you to apply for a teachers license waiver, you can read up about that, you will need degree transcripts for this and ultimately some personal development courses or an education degree.

 

Its all rather complicated, but if you have a non-o visa or a a business visa you can work under a work permit, I’m not saying it’s totally correct, but you can work without the risk of deportation because you have no WP.

I think you could find work in Bangkok without a degree, but working without an extension based on employment or another kind of long stay visa, it would be impractical, and certainly not financially rewarding. 
 

Hope you understand.

 

 

Thank you for the useful information. I'm not familiar with "Non-O visa, or Business Visa". Guess I have some homework to do.

[Max88]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

Have you considered Vietnam as an alternative :Plenty of teaching jobs, and more flexible on the visa front. 

No - have not considered Vietnam. Perhaps it's an option too. The weather in SE Asia is what makes the region appealing - along with the culture, of course.

[Max88]

2 hours ago, Hackney35 said:

I don’t believe you will be able to get a work permit without a degree regardless of years of experience.

 

Conversely it will be very easy to get a job even in central BKK. There is a constant shortage of teachers in the unqualified space especially now there is a clamp down on tourist visa / education visa use.

You will earn less than 60k thb a month though.

The good international schools here require qualified teachers with specific teaching diplomas from the west.

In my first school in BKK which was a good girls private school most of the teachers didn’t have degrees and therefore no work permits. However they were studying degrees in Thailand (worthless paper outside of the country imo) to get round the visa requirements.

As per someone else said I would think carefully about leaving Japan. Teaching in Thai schools can be very frustrating on many levels (Management, children and even parents...) and your visa situation here could be difficult.

good luck ????

 

The visa situation is very important to me. Don't want to do anything illegal. When you say I can get a job easily without formal qualifications, but no work visa, I am not sure how that is possible. Guess there must be ways around things?

Japan has been good to me, but as I get older I find the winters very tough.

[Dnyy]

50 minutes ago, Max88 said:

The weather in SE Asia is what makes the region appealing - along with the culture, of course.

Don't forget the massive air pollution. OISHI!

[BritTim]

43 minutes ago, Max88 said:

The visa situation is very important to me. Don't want to do anything illegal. When you say I can get a job easily without formal qualifications, but no work visa, I am not sure how that is possible. Guess there must be ways around things?

Correct. In Thailand, there is a way around almost everything. However, it is often not worth it. In your case, especially if you want to live in Bangkok) it would likely mean a horrible job, with low wages, through a dubious agency who would officially have you on a work permit as a teacher's aide or something.

 

If you still want to teach, you should probably look elsewhere.

[cat handler]

Simple answer is NO, you have no qualification.

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Max88 said:

Thanks for the replies. This is actually common knowledge in Japan. The Japanese consulate websites clearly states for an Instructor Visa the requirements are: `Bachelor Degree or Higher, or over 10 years experience teaching`

you are talking about Thailand here, be so kind not to compare it to any other (good sense) country (sarcasm)

[Max88]

52 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Correct. In Thailand, there is a way around almost everything. However, it is often not worth it. In your case, especially if you want to live in Bangkok) it would likely mean a horrible job, with low wages, through a dubious agency who would officially have you on a work permit as a teacher's aide or something.

 

If you still want to teach, you should probably look elsewhere.

I have a passive income which brings in money each month. As long as I could have a job that supplies a visa I believe I could live okay. Thanks for your reply. 

 

 

 

 

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, 50soon said:

Not your fault, their fault. They will probably miss a good teacher like you.

Not sure how fault is an issue or that longevity establishes quality.

 

paraphrasing Prunella Scales, in After Henry,  William II was king for 13 years but he wasn't particularly good at it.

[ChouDoufu]

anything is possible in thailand, depending on the thickness of the brown envelope.

 

you can probably find work, but you'll have no legal protections.  you'll be completely at the mercy of an employer who hires unqualified applicants.

[Max88]

15 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Not sure how fault is an issue or that longevity establishes quality.

 

paraphrasing Prunella Scales, in After Henry,  William II was king for 13 years but he wasn't particularly good at it.

I get your point - but according to my students and colleagues, I am a good teacher. I have 25 years experience.

[fordguy61mi]

There were plenty of us foreigners in Japan over 30 years ago and we were in the US Marine Corps at the time.

[Mavideol]

4 minutes ago, Max88 said:

I get your point - but according to my students and colleagues, I am a good teacher. I have 25 years experience.

but no degree and Thailand likes paper to support any claim

[J Town]

Bottom line - you can not work legally as a teacher without a Bachelors degree. Period, full stop.  They are absolutely pedantic on this requirement. There are schools that will hire you illegally, and if you are caught by immigration you will be in a world of hurt. As well, you would have to arrange all your own visa workings - either a tourist visa or "retirement" visa. All illegal.

[PlastikbinLina]

The short answer is No. Especially as money is involved and I can't imagine the rules being charged to accommodate one person.

[gimo]

I went to rural Thailand 8 years ago with 10 years experience in Japan ( 1989 -99 )  and was able to get a teaching job without a degree , very quickly . Being married to a Thai made the visa ' situation' a lot easier . In my opinion , if you want a legal visa , it would be very difficult without a degree . The schools outside BKK are very willing to make 'adjustments' to accommodate native speakers of english , especially those from western countries , provided they can take care of their own visas . Age is also a consideration . It's very hard for schools to find younger teachers who are willing to work outside BKK and tourist areas . However , there is a company that employs people that don't have degrees . It provides schools in Issan with teachers and trains them how use their method , which involves very little actual teaching . Must be under 60 y.o. 

Edited October 9, 2019 by gimo

[Slip]

No.  I am aware of a single time that an international school (Not bkk based, but in a popular tourist area), took on a teacher with no degree, but she was a young female.  I know about this case because the teacher in question was having trouble getting the required documentation under OBEC rules to get legal at my school which is why she left.

Edited October 9, 2019 by Slip