In order to help sustain our career in those countries, we will need to have a police clearance certificate specifying that we do not possess a criminal or conviction record. This is required by many countries to be provided along with the visa application itself, as they believe this will help them protect the rights of their children and from potential child abusers.

In the modern world of teaching jobs, these certificates are considered even more important that the passports we have. Some countries do not even allow people to search for teaching jobs without a proper police clearance certificate. Different countries give a different name for this record; nevertheless it can be defined as any document that is capable of giving a complete background description of ourselves and the fact that we do not have a criminal or conviction record before. This document is to be provided by everyone who wishes to apply for a teaching job abroad, regardless of whether they have been convicted or not.

There are certain countries where you will be able to get teaching jobs without a proper clearance certificate; however, you will be at your own risk in such situations, as they might lead to termination of your work order at any point of time.

Thailand has been the most recent victim of this issue as an American teacher was arrested by the immigration officers from America in the month of August, in the year 2006. The arrest was made in Thailand and as the arrest was made for a murder charge on him, this incident was greatly publicised all over the world. Hence, there are very strict and rigorous background information checkups for teachers applying for the teaching jobs in Thailand.

The certificate needs to be taken along with us at all times and it is always best to keep a set of copies at home after which you are free to take the original along with you when you leave for the workplace abroad. It should be available with you all times in original and they are not allowed to be used in scanned or digital formats. Also, after the contract period, it is important to get a police clearance certificate from the police in the country where you had been working; this will help you in maintaining a perfect record of yourself for the future.

This additional precaution helps you in proving your clean record to the next institution, to which you apply for a teaching job. In countries like New Zealand, United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia, separate divisions like the Ministry of Justice in Wellington, the local police, Criminal Records Bureau check and the Australian Federal Police in Canberra can issue a certificate to this effect.

Thailand is without doubt, a haven for visitors and locals alike. Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand, and is rightfully bestowed with the honor of being the capital city, in addition to being the centre for commerce, industry and cultural activity.

That simply means that finding a career, while in Thailand is sure to revolve around Bangkok. Being the centre of a variety of different activities and commerce, finding a career in Bangkok is not so difficult.

Being a wonderfully popular tourist spot, many of the careers are definitely related to tourism and hospitality. Well, the choice of the careers is totally dependent on the aspirant’s educational qualifications, aptitude and interest.

Tourism and hospitality careers include working in the Hotels and resorts, encompassing a myriad of different designations. Working as a Receptionist at an international hotel or resort will definitely require an excellent fluency over Thai and English in addition to having an attractive personality and cordial demeanor. Providing services as a tour operator is also a very prosperous career option.

The resorts in Thailand are visited by tourists from all over the globe who are seeking to enjoy a session of authentic Thai massage. There are numerous health and beauty resorts and spas, who offer these services and masseurs who are trained and certified, certainly have no dearth of jobs in Thailand.

Thai cuisine is another important segment related to the tourism industry of Thailand. Chefs and connoisseurs, who are proficient and certified, have excellent career opportunities here.

Scuba diving is another fascination for tourist visiting Thailand. Scuba diving operators and instructors need to have an accredited certification, in addition to having a lot of experience in order to successfully carve a career out of it. Being a pleasure sport, scuba diving is a financially profitable venture to select as a career option. Numerous scuba diving centers in Pattaya and Phuket offer facilities for availing certified courses, for interested people, so that they can easily gain the PADI certification and then begin a career in the scuba diving industry

Teaching jobs are very much in demand in Thailand. Teaching English as a second language, to the Thai people, is an excellent choice for people who wish to pursue their careers in teaching. The basic requirement for this job is to have a TEFL certification, in addition to some amount of professional teaching experience.

The health sector is another booming industry in Thailand. Depending upon the aspirant’s qualifications, a career in the health industry can turn out to be quite well paying and professionally satisfying too. Nurses, doctors and alternative health practitioners are all in demand in Thailand. Another related sector is the cosmetic health industry. Surgical and other cosmetic treatments are very much popular in Thailand and hence there is an increasing demand for Dermatologists, Cosmetic surgeons, Botox and Laser therapy specialist etc.

Medical tourism is being encouraged on a vigorous note by the government in Thailand. Patients from affluent countries, have an increasing tendency to choose countries like Thailand, India etc, to get their medical, surgical and cosmetic needs fulfilled. This is because the health care and cosmetic care in these Asian countries is almost 5-8 times more cheaper, when compared to the similar services in their home countries. When the similar or sometimes superior quality of health care and cosmetic services is available at far cheaper rates, it makes sense to opt for such services in these countries. This trend has been on a steady rise, and this has led to a boom in the medical tourism sector. The whole cycle of events has finally boiled down to creation of huge number of opportunities and handsome salaries in the health sector in Thailand.

The Information and technology sector is another addition to the well paying careers in Thailand. With increasing amount of development and progress in Thailand, the IT sector has been on a steady progress, and this has led numerous youngsters to opt for the IT sector, while deciding for a career. IT jobs have great potential and are quite generously paid too.

Thailand has very strict laws governing the employment of foreigners. There are many areas of employment that are restricted to only Thai nationals and therefore foreigners are not allowed to work these jobs. Once you meet the requirements you will need to submit your Thailand work permit application to the Labor Department for approval. We will review the process for your work permit application.

Thai Work Permit Process: Obtaining a work permit requires an applicant to gather the necessary documents prior to applying.

First, the applicant must obtain a Non-immigrant visa category “B”. To receive a category B visa the applicant should file a petition with the Thai embassy in his or her native country at least 30 days before the planned departure. The applicant should include with the petition

1. Proof that the applicant has been offered a job or starts a Thai company and will employ himself or herself,

2. A request from the company that the applicant be granted a visa,

3. A statement from the company declaring the applicant to be dependable, upstanding and law abiding,

4. And finally, registration and financial statements from the company.

Second, once the category B visa has been granted the applicant and the employer should complete the necessary petition and provide a number of additional documents. The applicant should provide the following documents

1. The applicant’s passport along with copies of every page of the booklet (the copies must be signed by the applicant),

2. The non-immigrant visa category “B”,

3. The applicant’s departure card TM 6,

4. A signed copy of the applicant’s educational degree(s)

5. A signed copy of the applicant’s transcript

6. The applicant’s CV or Resume that describes past positions, duties, performance reviews, length of tenure at the positions, and the locations of employment

7. Three 5 X 6 photos of the applicant’s face that have been taken in the past six months

8. Any certificates or licenses held by the applicant (the copies must be signed by the applicant,)

9. Any marriage certificates if the marriage is to a Thai national (this includes the original and signed photocopies and the spouse’s ID card, birth certificates of children and household registration documents,)

10. Note: The Thai officials handling the application may require that the document be certified by the applicant’s embassy requiring a person to go to the embassy prior to submitting the document.

In addition to applicant’s documents, the company should also provide the following materials all of which require the seal of the company stamped on each page along with signatures of the Managing Director(s):

1. A Commercial Registration Department Certificate demonstrating that the company is registered as a juristic person (the document should include the name of the Managing Director(s) along with the registered capital and objections,)

2. A list of the shareholders that has been certified by the Commercial Registration Department,

3. A VAT Certificate – Phor Phor 20,

4. If necessary a factory license issued by the Factor Department of the Ministry of Industry,

5. And if the work permit is being renewed then a Withhold Tax – Phor Ngor Dor 1.

6. Note: Other documents may be requested.

Third, while these are required documents often times a job description can help in having the work permit approved. The job description should indicate why a Thai national would not be able to satisfy the job requirements. Additionally it is important to never let the applicant’s visa expire during the process of waiting for a work permit as it will reset the process. Finally, once the work permit has been approved the applicant must go to the Labor Department and sign the permit.

Additional Steps: Once you have a Thai Work Permit the applicant may or must complete a few additional steps in order to fully enjoy the permit.

Optional Steps

· Obtaining a re-entry visa which allows the applicant to leave and reenter the country without forfeiting the visa or work permit.

· Renewing the visa and work permit if the applicant wishes to remain and work in Thailand for an additional period of time.

Necessary Steps

· Obtaining a Tax ID card and Tax ID Number which will be needed for tax documents.

· Report to the Thai Immigration Police every 90 days to ensure the work permit and visa are being maintained or if the applicant has a multiple re-entry visa then leaving and reentering Thailand will satisfy this requirement.

Due to the country’s high influence on tourism, travelers from all over the globe arrive in Thailand on extended stay. During their time in the country, most foreigners look for job opportunities and places of employment. Two popular options for tourists looking for employment are teaching English or working as a scuba diving instructor. While both fields are competitive and in high demand, some argue that these positions provide less than rewarding pay.

College students and graduates who have obtained a four year degree from an accredited college or university may apply as English instructors in Thailand. Those with only a two year degree or partial college credit may find it slightly more challenging (due to stricter oversight of credential verification) to obtain employment but work in the teaching field can usually be found in outlying areas. The typical starting salary for an English instructor is on average 30,000 baht per month and can vary depending on the location. Teaching positions are highly competitive and in order for an applicant to gain an edge over their competition obtaining a TESOL or TEFL certificate is recommended. You can obtain such a certificate in the village of Ban Phe, Rayong (just a few hours south of Bangkok). Ban Phe is home to one of the largest TESOL schools in Thailand, TEFL International.

Work as a scuba dive instructor is also highly competitive and somewhat esteemed. Throughout the coastal regions of Thailand there are a number of dive shops that provide training, coursework, and internships for those pursuing certifications in diving. One of the most sought after destinations for certification is known as Turtle Island or Koh Tao. This diving school is located in the Gulf of Thailand, several hours off of the coast of Chomporn. Divemasters make a competitive wage but only enough to cover their living expenses, whereas a dive instructor makes a somewhat more lucrative wage. Since most foreigners are not allowed to own 100 percent of their own business, managing a dive shop is as high as some care to go.

Foreigners may have a difficult time finding employment in other fields due in part because of the language barrier and low wages. Volunteering is a good way for foreigners to get their feet wet in the immersion of Thai culture and tradition as well as getting to know the local people. Many widely known organizations and institutions that offer volunteer programs include fields such as science and research, educational programs, wildlife, community development, and conservation. Work permits are required for foreigners to work in Thailand and because of the added expense of these permits to area businesses, some companies opt to forgo the hiring of westerners.

Some westerners have achieved volunteer positions as nuns and monks in Thailand so that they are able to stay in the country without being sent home. The positions are not paid and exclusively voluntary. The volunteer positions are highly rewarding in regards to the projects expected to work on, which include AIDS projects and the assistance of refugees.

For those visitors with a business background or acumen, management positions requiring English speakers are open to foreigners at local bars, restaurants, and guesthouses. Although not allowed to completely own their own business in Thailand, foreigners are able to partner up with a Thai business partner or Thai spouse. If marrying a Thai spouse, the business credentials are put in the name of that spouse and the requirements fall on the lap of the Thai individual.

Another accepted means of legal employment in Thailand for foreigners is to work for a Multinational National Corporation (MNC) or “Global” company that has offices in Thailand. While working at the office, picking up on the Thai language can be quite useful and provide a bit of an advantage when pursuing other employment options. Engineering and some IT positions, while not completely off limits to foreigners, are normally staffed by local Thai’s who are quite proficient with these skills and work for much lower salaries.

From the well known to less common methods of adding a little more cash to your travelling kitty.

Teaching English as a foreign language, scuba diving instructor, freelance travel writer, activity promotion, and I.T. are a few ways in which those wishing to enjoy an extended visit to the land of smiles can fund their adventures.

Jobs in Thailand for Travelers and Tourists:

As long as you have a degree and a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate finding a job teaching English in Thailand is the easiest route to take to become employed in Thailand. Depending upon your level of education and experience becoming a teacher in Thailand is a fairly easy task to achieve, and one of the most stable and profitable careers for the ‘Farang’ exploring old Siam. A quick search of the internet should provide a good starting point which numerous websites acting as portals to paid teaching opportunities.

Scuba diving instructor is another relatively easy path through which to gain paid employment in Thailand depending upon your level of proficiency at scuba diving. However many of the scuba diving centers based in areas such as Pattaya and Phuket offer live-in courses to allow you to gain PADI qualifications whilst staying in Thailand, with the potential offer of paid employment following completion for those who make the grade.

Work can often be found promoting activities such as scuba and tours for cash-in-hand commissions by asking tour operators etc. directly whilst on location. Don’t be afraid to ask as this can prove to be one of the most profitable means of earning money in Thailand if you are the sort of person who likes to get out there and mix with others. Especially in areas such as ‘Khao San Road’ the backpackers Haven where tourists and travellers alike can make easy pickings, already seeking out adventures as they are.

I.T. positions are rarer but can be found either through contacts made in the English speaking community of Thailand or by searching Thai newspapers and websites such as the ‘Bangkok Post’.

And perhaps the most profitable (long term) and most enjoyable means of getting paid to work in Thailand is to become a freelance travel writer or video blogger making money online from affiliate programs such as Google AdSense, eBay Partner program, and Amazon for sending traffic to related products for a cut of the profits. Find out how by clicking on the link below.