Moving to Thailand to teach? Start here.
Charlie House explains the parts of the move that trip people up: which jobs need which qualifications, how the visa, work permit and teacher licence fit together, and how renting and health cover work once you arrive.
Visa
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Find an international school job
Recruitment seasons, what schools check and how to read a contract offer.
Visa and work permit
The Non-B visa, the work permit and the one-year extension, in the order they happen.
Teacher licence or waiver
How the Teachers' Council of Thailand permission to teach works for foreign teachers.
Renting in Bangkok
Leases, deposits, TM30 and choosing an area near your school.
Health insurance
School group cover, private policies and what to check before you sign.
Lecturing at a university
International programmes, degree requirements and how hiring differs from schools.
The order things happen in
- Accept a written job offer.
- The school prepares documents for your Non-B visa.
- Apply for the visa, usually online through the Thai e-Visa system.
- Arrive, then the school applies for your work permit and teaching permission.
- Extend your stay for a year at Immigration, based on your job.
- Report your address every 90 days.
New to the site?
Charlie House is a new publication, launched in 2026. We write for teachers who have a job offer or are about to look for one, and for their partners. We do not recruit, place teachers or take fees from schools.
Read the first two weeks checklist if you have already booked your flight, or the about page to see how we work.