Convert Retirement Visa to Work Visa

[JeromeJones]

Hi All. Does anyone know if i'ts possible to convert a retirement visa to a work visa? If it is, what's involved? Thanks a lot

[GanzAnders]

Go to the nearest immigration office, they will have all the details about visas. Asking here will very likely just give you 20 different answers.

[KaptainRob]

10 minutes ago, GanzAnders said:

Go to the nearest immigration office, they will have all the details about visas. Asking here will very likely just give you 20 different answers.

Wrong advice. 

Faz will provide an accurate response once he returns from a weekend in the sticks.

Immigration officers do not alway provide the correct answers, often depending on how a question is asked or which side of the bed he or she got out of.

[KaptainRob]

53 minutes ago, JeromeJones said:

Hi All. Does anyone know if i'ts possible to convert a retirement visa to a work visa? If it is, what's involved? Thanks a lot

Faz will answer you either tonight or tomorrow.  Meantime, what passport are on and what type of work are you engaging in.  

[JeromeJones]

Aust. - my background is consulting and training adults in business, corporate and academic English and editing for companies and private clients, thanks for asking. 

[JeromeJones]

By the way - can anyone tell me if they have done a CELTA certificate in Thailand? Is it worth it, or is a TEFL/TESL certificate just as good?

[JeromeJones]

Hi Faz - looking forward to your reply about changing a retirement visa to a work visa

[Faz]

Hi Jerome, welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately, there is no such Visa type as a 'retirement visa'.
You either have a valid Non Imm O, or Non Imm O-A Visa issued for the reason of retirement, or you originally obtained one of the above visa types, but have now extended your stay for 1 year.
An extension, obtained at Immigration, is a permit, not a visa.

Read this for clarity; https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/1652-visa-or-extension-of-stay/#comment-5567

To work legally in Thailand, you need a work permit from the Labour office.
https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/3340-guide-to-work-permits/#comment-27065 There are procedures to change a VE or TV entry to a Non B at Immigration, such as for working in a company, or as a teacher. https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=2537
There is no written procedure for changing a Non Imm O (or O-A) entry to a Non B visa.
Immigration would usually suggest you apply and obtain it at a local Thai Embassy, and again you'd need a job offer and the required documents.

 

7 hours ago, JeromeJones said:

By the way - can anyone tell me if they have done a CELTA certificate in Thailand? Is it worth it, or is a TEFL/TESL certificate just as good?

To be frank, unless you have a certified and legalised degree, you won't get employment in the private school sector. In the government sector, many will employ anyone that speaks English, with or without a TEFL, but the pay is poor.

[Faz]

9 hours ago, GanzAnders said:

Go to the nearest immigration office, they will have all the details about visas.

Doubtful as they usually issue extensions of stay, a permit, not a visa.
Thai Embassies/Consulates will have all the details about visas.