Will be looking for a new gig in a few months
Will be looking for a new gig in a few months
When I took the job in January I was pleased: the location near my home meant no stress from travelling and the director promised I would get vegetarian means, so I didn't have to worry about cooking... We agreed that he will organise me a work permit as my employer. I will pay for it initially (it's less than $100 per employee) but will get reimbursed if I stay over 6 months...
After three months I figured he has no intention of getting me a work permit, rather he banks on teachers leaving before their contract is over, so he can hang onto the deposit money as well. There are constantly about 4 foreign teachers but nobody has been for long: after 4 months I will be one of the longest serving teachers there and one of the most experienced, which says a lot about the quality! Not only that, but teachers are expected to buy "presents" for the kids (read bribes) every month, paying from their own pocket. And the cook? She puts meat in every dish she cooks for me or at minimum add fish sauce or the oil from frying pork... I had to take a day off sick because of stomach upset.
I can put up a lot but I cannot stomach having to buy compulsory bribes for 30 odd kinder/primary kids that cannot be bothered to learn 5 words for a spelling test and who come to school more than an hour late every day - and I'm sick of the transparent excuses about delays of work permit application and how I don't have to worry because the owner knows the police so I will be safe in the school grounds... I'm just hanging on until my contract is over: I am not in a habit of breaking one without a good reason and I want to see a if he will try to find an excuse of keeping my hundred bucks, as I suspect.
Does anyone know how schools are generally dealing with work permits? Any schools that apply for one promptly?
My previous school paid at least a half of the cost, maybe all of it, depending on teacher's credentials... I understand that schools don't want to pay for teacher's work permits if they have not been working for them long and I am OK with paying the $75 - simply don't want to pay for this year's work permit in December, when I also have to pay for my visa.
After three months I figured he has no intention of getting me a work permit, rather he banks on teachers leaving before their contract is over, so he can hang onto the deposit money as well. There are constantly about 4 foreign teachers but nobody has been for long: after 4 months I will be one of the longest serving teachers there and one of the most experienced, which says a lot about the quality! Not only that, but teachers are expected to buy "presents" for the kids (read bribes) every month, paying from their own pocket. And the cook? She puts meat in every dish she cooks for me or at minimum add fish sauce or the oil from frying pork... I had to take a day off sick because of stomach upset.
I can put up a lot but I cannot stomach having to buy compulsory bribes for 30 odd kinder/primary kids that cannot be bothered to learn 5 words for a spelling test and who come to school more than an hour late every day - and I'm sick of the transparent excuses about delays of work permit application and how I don't have to worry because the owner knows the police so I will be safe in the school grounds... I'm just hanging on until my contract is over: I am not in a habit of breaking one without a good reason and I want to see a if he will try to find an excuse of keeping my hundred bucks, as I suspect.
Does anyone know how schools are generally dealing with work permits? Any schools that apply for one promptly?
My previous school paid at least a half of the cost, maybe all of it, depending on teacher's credentials... I understand that schools don't want to pay for teacher's work permits if they have not been working for them long and I am OK with paying the $75 - simply don't want to pay for this year's work permit in December, when I also have to pay for my visa.
- vladimir
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claptrap, March 31st was the deadline, you now face penalties as well.
Pretty sure I know which school you are at. Leave. No good will come of staying.
Pretty sure I know which school you are at. Leave. No good will come of staying.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
Really? I got my last year'a visa in December, about a week before my visa expired. It could be because the the school that was dealing with it hadn't registered with ministry of education and that process took the best part of the year... I asked the current school several times from January to sort it out. The last time I begged I was told to wait till March 20, which was Sunday and two days after the minister suffle: he then used that as an excuse which of course had nothing to do with my work permit.. I thought about taking with my swim suit and special mug home for the holiday but had hands full already.. very tempted not to go to work after the holiday but I want to get paid at least for the work I have done this month... Do you really think he is going to try to extort money / fines from me? Another teacher said he was threatened to pay for the previous years, with a fine and is still waiting for his permit since December. (But I take a pinch, as I've already seen through a lot of his bull)...
So, any other shady schools like mine?
So, any other shady schools like mine?
OK, I got the point. Of course I should have known, I was just being unrealistically optimistic there would be only maybe a dozen who REFUSE to get one by lying so pathetically...
So, does the penalty go up by month or by year?
A colleague said that I can just nip into some office and get a WP myself since I already have the book and some sort of ID card - but I do not remember seeing the (ex) employer's reference number on it and I'm not sure that I can go by myself anyway. Can I even request to see the employer's reference number? Presumably there is nothing I can do if the employer refuses to fulfil his duty but to move on.
And what happens when I quit and don't have a job? (Planning some volunteering if I find a place that is NOT a business, err orphanage, using kids for pocketing gullible tourists' money.) Since there is most likely no record of me working in the aforementioned school's books, can I just say that as an excuse, that I quit my job in December so I haven't got a WP yet for this year? Presumably you don't need it for unpaid volunteering gig?
I went in and out of the country a few times last year and was questioned at the airport, for what I am doing here the name and the address of the school I worked in and where do I live, although I still had two months left of my multiple entry visa. A work permit might have got me through a little faster. They didn't ask for it when I went to renew my visa, rather the guy was impressed that I had one. I had the impression it was necessary for visa renewal.
So, does the penalty go up by month or by year?
A colleague said that I can just nip into some office and get a WP myself since I already have the book and some sort of ID card - but I do not remember seeing the (ex) employer's reference number on it and I'm not sure that I can go by myself anyway. Can I even request to see the employer's reference number? Presumably there is nothing I can do if the employer refuses to fulfil his duty but to move on.
And what happens when I quit and don't have a job? (Planning some volunteering if I find a place that is NOT a business, err orphanage, using kids for pocketing gullible tourists' money.) Since there is most likely no record of me working in the aforementioned school's books, can I just say that as an excuse, that I quit my job in December so I haven't got a WP yet for this year? Presumably you don't need it for unpaid volunteering gig?
I went in and out of the country a few times last year and was questioned at the airport, for what I am doing here the name and the address of the school I worked in and where do I live, although I still had two months left of my multiple entry visa. A work permit might have got me through a little faster. They didn't ask for it when I went to renew my visa, rather the guy was impressed that I had one. I had the impression it was necessary for visa renewal.
- vladimir
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If you have the visa for business, it is assumed you are working and therefore you pay for the WP
However, you should only accepts such an inquiry at your workplace, and if some bozo rocks up at your house asking for a WP, get his name and a picture if possible, and tell him you will go into MoL yourself and speak to them. Obviously, if you are not working, no workplace exists.
IF you volunteer with an NGO, you are entitled to an NGO visa and as such, no work permit is required that I know of.
However, you should only accepts such an inquiry at your workplace, and if some bozo rocks up at your house asking for a WP, get his name and a picture if possible, and tell him you will go into MoL yourself and speak to them. Obviously, if you are not working, no workplace exists.
IF you volunteer with an NGO, you are entitled to an NGO visa and as such, no work permit is required that I know of.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
Thanks Vladimir. I have a "standard" visa as it is called now and I plan to look for job later this year as I can''t really afford to volunteer that many months without any income. I imagine I can only get WP once I have a job, as it is the employers duty to get me one (whoever pays for it) as I understand the law. I just worry about the "meanwhile" bit. Do you think it is good idea of being pre-emptive and go there to ask advice or just keep quiet and hope to get one once I start working - and somehow avoid paying the penalty?
By the way, where is the ministry located? I'm sure I can find out who to ask for but it would save time and agro if you happen to know the person ( or even a title) to ask advice.
- vladimir
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MoL is on the road to the airport, about 1km from the intersection with Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, on your RHS if you are heading out of town
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
That's a new one, never heard of it Do you mean "Ordinary" visa?claptrap1 wrote: I have a "standard" visa as it is called now
I'm not a negative person, I encourage people all the time...it's usually to f**k off! But, whatever.
- horace
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claptrap1 wrote:Thanks Vladimir. I have a "standard" visa as it is called now and I plan to look for job later this year as I can''t really afford to volunteer that many months without any income. I imagine I can only get WP once I have a job, as it is the employers duty to get me one (whoever pays for it) as I understand the law. I just worry about the "meanwhile" bit. Do you think it is good idea of being pre-emptive and go there to ask advice or just keep quiet and hope to get one once I start working - and somehow avoid paying the penalty?
You worry too much. just keep quiet. no job , no work permit\. When you get a job, get your employer to sort it out. To go to the MoL and VT on your own would require you to be able to speak excellent Khmer.
Don't stress about shit that ain't happened yet.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
Well, I went to MoL and they said it is illegal to live in Cambodia without a job, presumably because I have the ordinary visa (Which used to be called business visa). He said that this year the fine is anything $65 - 900 but he didn't say how it is calculated. The boss in the foreigner control room kept saying that it is difficult to explain it because his English isn't very good, but when I asked him to explain it in Khmer, he didn't seem to be able to do it in Khmer either. My Khmer is awful and I have a really poor vocabulary, but I can understand the gist of most of plain speech: maybe me speaking in Khmer made him decide I wouldn't understand what he says, but I doubt it.
Anyway, a teacher said that as I already have the book from last year, I can just go to the ministry and get the work permit myself. I don't know where he got that information from but if anyone is reading this, it ain't true unless you have your own business. It also means that any volunteer that comes here without volunteer visa (I think that includes most travellers and visitors) are actually working illegally as I understand it, as the organisation has to include you as their staff: I don't think they will do that with actual (temporary) volunteers.
Adding this to edit: Does anyone know how the fine is calculated? Will the fine go up for every month my application is not in?
Anyway, a teacher said that as I already have the book from last year, I can just go to the ministry and get the work permit myself. I don't know where he got that information from but if anyone is reading this, it ain't true unless you have your own business. It also means that any volunteer that comes here without volunteer visa (I think that includes most travellers and visitors) are actually working illegally as I understand it, as the organisation has to include you as their staff: I don't think they will do that with actual (temporary) volunteers.
Adding this to edit: Does anyone know how the fine is calculated? Will the fine go up for every month my application is not in?
It is not illegal to live in Cambodia without a job. The MOL guy either doesn't know his arse from his elbow or was trying to extort money from you.
This has been covered a hundred times on this forum in the last year or two.
This has been covered a hundred times on this forum in the last year or two.
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