Is it possible to get a work visa without a degree?

last updated 11th May 2010

Firstly, there is no such thing as a ‘work visa’ in Thailand. Any amount of time that you are allowed to stay in Thailand over and above the non-immigrant visa in your passport is an ‘extension of stay’. It’s not a work visa. The degree is required by the Ministry of Education in order to issue you with a teacher’s licence. This then starts the process of you being able to get your extension of stay and work permit.

To answer your question, yes it’s possible to get a work permit without a degree. This has certainly happened in a number of government schools and on teaching projects where large numbers of teachers were required for short term contracts. It’s certainly getting more and more difficult though for teachers without degrees. 

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