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Hi Adam,

I certainly understand your anxiety at the move, and the lack of information, or misinformation, is confusing.

The reason that the information is confusing is because the law change pretty often and I'm guessing they just stopped updating the websites.  I'll try to answer a few questions if I can.

Legally, to teach in Vietnam you need a work permit which currently you can only get if you have a university degree (doesn't matter what the major was) and certifications plus a little experience, but if you have lots of experience (5 years or more) and a certification then you can get a work permit also (expats correct me if i'm wrong). Notice I said legally at the beginning!!  Lots of teachers are in Vietnam on visitor visas that they simply extend or renew every 3 months.

Before you decide what job you want, you should come over and see if Vietnam is where you want to live and if teaching is something you really want to do.

Hope this helps

Hi Adam

My girlfriend and I were in EXACTLY your position 12 months ago, asking the same question. Yes it is confusing and no, you can't usually get a straight answer. We now live here so I can answer a few points for you.

Here are the facts:

1. You can't get a work permit without a degree. That's just how it is.
2. You can live on a 3 month visa and extend it twice in-country, meaning you essentially get a 9 month visa before you have to leave and come back. You can do this by just going on holiday, or there are bus trips to and from Cambodia which go and come back on the same day. It's quite expensive to live on a tourist visa, as we are doing now. At the moment it costs upwards of 200USD each to renew every 3 months.
3. Just because you do not have a work permit does not mean people won't offer you jobs. There is work to be got, but just having a TEFL qualification will mean that you won't be getting the good ones. Be prepared to work in smaller language centres that don't have the spotlights on them as to whether or not all their employees have work permits.
4. There is the option for you to do private tuition for non-english speaking children who go to the international schools. It is something we were thinking of looking into but never did. If you have the contacts you can be making $40 an hour working from home or travelling to their house. It's dangerous to base your coming here on the idea you will be able to get this work, so either have a backup plan or lots of savings.

Hope that helps. I spent a year researching this and still am. If you would like any more information on living here, or anything on the above, by all means message me and I'll tell you what I know.

Thanks

Ben

benjoj wrote:

Hi Adam

My girlfriend and I were in EXACTLY your position 12 months ago, asking the same question. Yes it is confusing and no, you can't usually get a straight answer. We now live here so I can answer a few points for you.

Here are the facts:

1. You can't get a work permit without a degree. That's just how it is.
2. You can live on a 3 month visa and extend it twice in-country, meaning you essentially get a 9 month visa before you have to leave and come back. You can do this by just going on holiday, or there are bus trips to and from Cambodia which go and come back on the same day. It's quite expensive to live on a tourist visa, as we are doing now. At the moment it costs upwards of 200USD each to renew every 3 months.
3. Just because you do not have a work permit does not mean people won't offer you jobs. There is work to be got, but just having a TEFL qualification will mean that you won't be getting the good ones. Be prepared to work in smaller language centres that don't have the spotlights on them as to whether or not all their employees have work permits.
4. There is the option for you to do private tuition for non-english speaking children who go to the international schools. It is something we were thinking of looking into but never did. If you have the contacts you can be making $40 an hour working from home or travelling to their house. It's dangerous to base your coming here on the idea you will be able to get this work, so either have a backup plan or lots of savings.

Hope that helps. I spent a year researching this and still am. If you would like any more information on living here, or anything on the above, by all means message me and I'll tell you what I know.

Thanks

Ben

If you have minimum 5 years provable teaching experience you can still get a work permit and teach legally in VN, they prefer TEFL/TESOL certs as well, but they are not compulsory, ( depends on the schools, many don't even worry about legal teachers ).
Apply for a business Visa, ( LD ),  BEFORE you come to VN, then if you find a job in the first 3 months, you don't have to leave, it's one of the few Visa's that can still be changed in country.
Private tuition at your own risk, ( still supposed to have a work permit, for EVERY job/school ),  it's a $1000 fine and deportation if you're caught., (  the school gets hit even harder ),

Hi Ben.

With reference to your  reply to moving to Vietnam, I too find myself in the same position as you did, but Im moving on from Thailand.

Ive been there for sevral years, and teach, but I fancy the move to Vietnam.

Ive a Degree plus TEFL TESOL certs, as well as over five years ecperience.

A job offer has been made to me but it's knowing what to put in place before arriving in Vietnam?

Do I require a work permit and visa before entering Vietnam?

If so, how do I obtain them?

Should the prospective employer provide both the visa and permit?

Do I need a formal letter of 'OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT' and or a copy of the  'CONTACT of EMPLOYMENT'?

As with both you and your partner in the past, I too am finding it very difficult in establishing the answers!

I could simply fly in with a return ticket_ as a tourist, which I believe allows me 30 stay and once at the establishment, have the school adminstration start the process of apply for the formal documents.

Regards

Steven