Vietnam: 3+1 does not equal 4. Suggestions?

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Dedicated
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:57 am

Vietnam: 3+1 does not equal 4. Suggestions?

Post by Dedicated »

Vietnam. Sailing merrily along in a respected international school for years.
Quals: 3 year Dip of Teaching plus 1 year Grad Dip Ed. Extensive IS experience.
Short break, switched jobs, can't get a new work permit. Reason: not a four year degree. Can be a four year degree in, well... anything, really!
So, official letter obtained from Ed Dept in home country, addressed to relevant VN authority, explaining situ at length and certifying that 3 + 1 does indeed equal 4 and furthermore would be recognised as such in home country.
Submit new paperwork with letter. Work permit rejected again.
Approaching limit of initial three month visa and now casting around for solutions to avoid exit.
Influencing variables: new school HR seem to be at the very beginning of their working life. Previous school was in HCMC, new school in Hanoi! Those familiar with the country will know the difference!
Positive, practical and creative suggestions all welcomed.
Thank you.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

Whats the IS doing and whats their position? Is this all on you, they are going to dismiss you after the three months and they are already looking for someone else or do they have a plan in mind?

THE GOOD

Explore Excelsior College in NJ (US) you can transfer all of the required units/credits towards a four year first/bachelor degree. Assuming you have all the coursework in education you may be able to meet all of the requirements for their liberal arts (essentially interdisciplinary studies) degree and if not you might be close enough that you can fill in the difference with exam earned credits.

THE BAD

Find another job with an IS that has better relationships to get your visa.

THE UGLY

Leave Vietnam, find another IS in another country or maybe make visa runs with your current IS.
padcf
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:27 am

Re: Vietnam: 3+1 does not equal 4. Suggestions?

Post by padcf »

Hi!

In the short term, inquire with your HR staff about getting a visa extension. This may require additional payment/bribing the relevant authorities - normal enough in Vietnam. This can buy you some time - maybe a month or two.

If you need more time, see if your school is happy with you getting a 6 month or 1 year tourist visa. Technically you'd be working illegally but they may have some workaround for this.

Normally there are ways (people to bribe) to overcome these kind of issues, but it's becoming more and more difficult these days.

Lastly, it sounds like your HR crew are inexperienced, and with a little time may figure this out.
Dedicated
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:57 am

Re: Vietnam: 3+1 does not equal 4. Suggestions?

Post by Dedicated »

Thanks to ''PsyGuy'' and ''padcf'' for their constructive replies (and the other 628 who'd viewed the post!).

Short version: a new school in the same country, but with competent HR, submitted exactly the same paperwork and successfully obtained a work permit for me.
The moral of the story, if there is one: it's often as simple as meeting the right people.
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