To teach in Thailand you need permission from the Teachers’ Council of Thailand (a full teaching licence, or a temporary permit to teach without one), a Non-Immigrant B visa for teachers, and a work permit from the Department of Employment within 90 days of arriving. Your school applies for the teaching permit and supports the visa. The temporary permit lasts up to 2 years at a time and up to 6 years in total, after which you need the full licence. Working without a work permit can lead to a fine of THB 5,000 to 50,000 and removal from the country.
This guide is for teachers from any country who want to teach in Thailand, whether at an international school, a Thai private or government school or a language centre. We read the official documents in October 2026: the Teachers’ Council criteria published by Thailand’s Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC), Royal Thai Embassy visa checklists and the work permit law. Some Thai government sites could not be opened from outside Thailand, and where that limited what we could check, this guide says so. Rules change, so treat this as general information, not legal advice, and check with your school.
Teaching jobs in Thailand for foreigners: who hires
Foreign teachers in Thailand work in three main kinds of employer:
| Employer | What you teach | Main extra requirement |
|---|---|---|
| International schools | British, American, IB or other international curricula | A teaching qualification and experience in your subject |
| Thai private and government schools | English or subjects taught in English (often through agencies) | A degree, and a teaching permit from the Teachers’ Council |
| Language centres | English for children and adults | A degree, and often a TEFL certificate |
The US International Trade Administration, citing Thailand’s Private Education Commission, reports 249 international schools in Thailand in 2024 with more than 77,700 students (trade.gov). The International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) keeps a member directory you can search by area.
On Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026 there were 23 teaching jobs in Thailand, 16 of them in Bangkok. The schools with the most ads were run by Nord Anglia Education, Middleton International School and International Schools Partnership. Each job links to the school’s own page, so you apply directly.
The Thailand teaching licence: who needs one
Section 46 of the Teachers and Educational Personnel Council Act B.E. 2546 (2003) forbids anyone to practise the teaching profession without a licence from the Teachers’ Council (Khurusapha). Schools may not employ anyone who is not licensed or does not have the Council’s explicit permission (Teachers’ Council criteria, published by OPEC).
So there are two ways to teach legally:
- A full professional teaching licence, or
- A temporary permit to teach without a licence, often called the “waiver”.
Most foreign teachers start with the temporary permit.
The temporary permit to teach (the “waiver”)
The Teachers’ Council criteria set these rules (OPEC):
Who can get it
You must be at least 20 years old, and have one of:
- a degree in education or an equivalent,
- a bachelor’s degree in a field the school needs, or
- no degree, but a teaching licence from another country.
You must also not have any of the disqualifying attributes listed in the Act, and you sign a self-declaration about past imprisonment and conduct.
How long it lasts
| Rule | What the criteria say |
|---|---|
| One permit | Up to 2 years |
| All permits together | Up to 6 years, counted continuously |
| After that | You must meet the full licence requirements within 6 years of your first permit |
The permit can be revoked if you break the Council’s ethics or conditions or do not meet its professional development standards.
How the school applies
The school applies, one teacher at a time. It sends a cover letter and the Kor.Sor.10 form to the Teachers’ Council Secretariat in Bangkok. The checklist includes:
- the school’s letter,
- a copy of your degree and transcript,
- your foreign teaching licence, if you have one (not expired),
- a Thai translation of any document not in English or Thai,
- your passport and your Non-B visa page with at least 30 days left,
- your contract, with at least 3 months left to run, and
- 2 photos.
Many teachers and agencies say the permit also involves a Thai culture or ethics course or online training modules. We could not confirm this on an official page we were able to open, so ask your school what applies to you now.
The full Thai teaching licence for foreigners
To keep teaching after the temporary permit runs out, you need the full professional licence under the Council’s licensing regulations of 2014 and 2015, which the OPEC document points to. We could not open the Teachers’ Council website (ksp.or.th) or the Thai government’s information pages on the licence, so we cannot confirm the full current requirements here.
In general, a teacher with a degree in education and teaching practice is in the strongest position, and teachers whose degree is in another subject have to show the Council’s professional standards in another way. If you plan to stay more than a few years, ask your school in your first year how it will help you move from the permit to the licence, because the 6-year limit is firm.
If your degree is not in education, a recognised teaching qualification helps both for the licence and for international school hiring. See PGCE, iPGCE and international teaching qualifications.
Non-Immigrant B visa for teachers
You enter Thailand to teach on a Non-Immigrant B visa. Requirements vary a little by embassy. The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur’s checklist for teachers includes (Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
- the application form and photos,
- a passport valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank pages,
- your degree certificate, authenticated by the embassy of the country that issued it,
- a certified criminal record check from your home country, also authenticated,
- a cover letter from the school and the school’s registration documents,
- a letter of approval from the Ministry of Education (OPEC for private schools, or the Educational Service Area Office for government schools),
- your previous Thai work permit, if you had one, and
- a certified bank statement for the last 3 months.
The checklist says the visa is single entry, must be used within 90 days of issue, and gives you a stay of up to 90 days. Within 90 days of entry you must get a work permit, and with it you can extend your stay to 1 year at the immigration office.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Hanoi lists similar documents, and for private schools also a police certificate valid for at least 6 months and a bank statement showing at least THB 20,000 (Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi). Check the page of the embassy where you will apply.
The work permit
Thailand’s Foreigners’ Working Management Emergency Decree B.E. 2560 (2017) says a foreigner may work only with permission from the Registrar, and you cannot apply while in Thailand as a tourist or in transit (Sections 59 and 60) (English translation by the Council of State). That is why you enter on a Non-B visa, not as a tourist.
We could not open the Department of Employment’s website to confirm current work permit fees. Your school normally prepares the application, so ask who pays the fees.
Fines for working without a permit
The penalties were changed by Emergency Decree (No. 2) B.E. 2561 (2018) (Royal Gazette text):
| Who | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Foreigner working without permission | Fine of THB 5,000 to 50,000, then removal from Thailand |
| Employer | Fine of THB 10,000 to 100,000 per foreigner |
| Employer, repeat offence | Up to 1 year in prison and/or THB 50,000 to 200,000 per foreigner, and a 3-year ban on hiring foreigners |
Older articles quote prison terms of up to 5 years for workers. Those were from the original 2017 text and no longer apply.
Teaching jobs in Thailand for Filipino, Indian and non-native English teachers
The Teachers’ Council criteria do not set a nationality rule. You qualify for the temporary permit with a degree in education, or a degree in a subject the school needs, or a foreign teaching licence. So:
- At international schools, your teaching qualification and subject experience matter most. Filipino and Indian teachers with an education degree and a home teaching licence meet the permit’s first or third route.
- At language centres and in English programmes, some employers prefer native speakers for marketing reasons. That is the employer’s choice, not a legal rule we found.
- Documents: your degree and police check must be authenticated for the visa, so start early.
If an agency asks you to pay a large fee for a job or a visa, be careful. Read teacher recruitment scams.
Can I teach in Thailand with no experience?
For the temporary permit, a bachelor’s degree in a field the school needs is enough, so experience is not a legal requirement. Many Thai schools and language centres hire new graduates, often with a TEFL certificate (see TEFL, CELTA and TESOL certificates explained). International schools usually want a teaching qualification and at least 2 years of experience.
Teach in Thailand programmes and agencies
Many first-time teachers go through a programme or a placement agency. One well-known US provider, CIEE, says it has decided to retire its current Teach Abroad programmes from 2027. Its page still lists Thailand and says Thai schools hire for one semester or one academic year and that its teachers receive free housing (CIEE).
Whether you use a programme or not, check that the employer will:
- apply for your Teachers’ Council permit,
- provide the Ministry of Education approval letter for your visa, and
- get your work permit within 90 days.
If they tell you to come on a tourist visa and “sort it out later”, that is a warning sign.
International school jobs in Bangkok
Bangkok has the largest share of Thailand’s international schools and of the jobs on this board. For international school jobs in Bangkok, hiring for an August start often begins the autumn before; see the international school hiring season. To compare packages, see international school salary and benefits. We found no official minimum salary for foreign teachers, so compare offers on the full package: salary, housing, flights, medical cover and who pays for your permits.
Step by step
- Apply to a real school on its own site. Every job on Teacher Jobs World links to the school.
- Get your documents ready: degree, transcript, police certificate and any teaching licence, authenticated where your embassy asks for it.
- The school gets Ministry of Education approval (OPEC or the Educational Service Area Office).
- Apply for the Non-B visa at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate.
- Enter Thailand and get your work permit within 90 days.
- The school applies for your Teachers’ Council permit, with at least 30 days left on your visa and 3 months on your contract.
- Extend your stay to 1 year at immigration with the work permit.
- Plan the full licence before the 6-year limit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a teaching licence to teach in Thailand?
Yes, or a temporary permit from the Teachers’ Council. The Act forbids teaching without a licence, and schools may not employ unlicensed teachers without the Council’s explicit permission. Most foreign teachers start on the temporary permit.
How long is the Thailand teaching licence waiver valid?
Each temporary permit lasts up to 2 years, and all permits together up to 6 years. Within 6 years of your first permit you must meet the full licence requirements.
Can foreigners teach in Thailand without a degree?
Only if they hold a teaching licence from another country. Otherwise the temporary permit needs a degree in education or a bachelor’s degree in a field the school needs. The Non-B visa checklists also ask for an authenticated degree certificate.
What visa do I need to teach in Thailand?
A Non-Immigrant B visa, supported by your school and a Ministry of Education approval letter. You then get a work permit within 90 days of entry and can extend your stay to 1 year.
Can Filipino or Indian teachers teach in Thailand?
Yes. We found no nationality rule in the Teachers’ Council criteria. You need a degree in education or a relevant subject, or a teaching licence from your country, plus the visa and work permit.
What is the penalty for teaching in Thailand without a work permit?
A foreign worker can be fined THB 5,000 to 50,000 and sent out of Thailand. The employer can be fined THB 10,000 to 100,000 for each foreigner it employs illegally.