Quote:
|
Originally Posted by MJC
Here-s another question if anyone can help me.
how difficult is it to get a work permit (if you need one?) to work for a diving company. Do employers generally pay for visa fees and help you get legal?
|
I hate to disappoint you, but its nigh on impossible to get a thai company to get a work permit for you.
I have a friend who came with me to Thailand last year, had a mid-life crisis, due to falling for a bg and getting into scuba diving - 1st dive in April, advanced in may, divemaster by august, instructor by November.
BG ripped him off for 200k baht - that was a case of mai pen rai. But his big problem was earning a living as a dive instructor. To get a work permit he had to set up his own Thai company employing 4 or 5 asians and paying their tax (I don't think these guys exist he just pays tax to get a work permit).
Not many dive companies employ full time instructors, and when there are so many on the island why do they need to?
A lot of dive instructors follow the seasons around the world, turn up in phuket leave a phone no. with a dive school and wait for a phone call.
As an instructor I think you get about 30% of the dive schools money. My mate did an open water course for 1 student (3 days starting xmas day and earned about us$100) It certainly wasn't regular.
He now works in the middle east, earning enough money to go back to Thailand.
Iam not trying to ruin your dream, but just don't start out with too many expectations, don't burn your bridges completely and if yopu have a skill you can fall back on don't lose that either.
Even Nicke runs at least two jobs, and he's not the only one. Another dive instructor, I know, supports his life style, by distributing suitcases for a Bangkok factory. If hes lucky hes teacjhing diving during the day, in the evening he goes round all those tiny shops dropping of suitcases.