Teaching Pro Bono Publico, Pro Gratis, or Privately (one on one)

@Aidan in HCMC yes, I think you are correct. I tried exploring this avenue several years ago and got nowhere.

There is a huge difference between getting away with doing something (in Vietnam) and being able to legally do something.

No foreigner legally teaches in Vietnam without permission AND without someone taking responsibility for giving that foreigner permission to teach.

A simple way to check to see if I'm correct:

Walk into the nearest People's Committee and tell them you'd like to teach for free in Vietnam and ask them if you need permission.

Even if your marital & residency status don't require you to have a work permit for employment, you still need to register your employment.

Try registering yourself as a self-employed or totally volunteer teacher and see if you aren't at least required to have a sponsor take responsibility for you and your activities.

Again, people have gotten away with doing it without permission in the past and some will probably continue to get away with it in the future.

On a related issue, the government's recent push to control VOA business visas and long-term tourist visas has been driven at least in part by their desire to eradicate sub-standard ESL teachers.

- @OceanBeach92107

There is a huge difference between getting away with doing something (in Vietnam) and being able to legally do something.

No foreigner legally teaches in Vietnam without permission AND without someone taking responsibility for giving that foreigner permission to teach.

A simple way to check to see if I'm correct:

Walk into the nearest People's Committee and tell them you'd like to teach for free in Vietnam and ask them if you need permission.

Even if your marital & residency status don't require you to have a work permit for employment, you still need to register your employment.

Try registering yourself as a self-employed or totally volunteer teacher and see if you aren't at least required to have a sponsor take responsibility for you and your activities.

Again, people have gotten away with doing it without permission in the past and some will probably continue to get away with it in the future.

On a related issue, the government's recent push to control VOA business visas and long-term tourist visas has been driven at least in part by their desire to eradicate sub-standard ESL teachers.

- @OceanBeach92107

A good reality check OB for some of the posts I have been reading on here recently by some who are living in a dream world!

- @goodolboy

Thank you for that, OB. My thoughts, precisely.

The reason for my starting this thread was because my friend, visiting from Canada, had been approached by one of my neighbours asking whether he would be willing to give his son two or three lesson a week in conversational English. I advised him against it. The same neighbour had approached me back in May. I declined, stating that without his procuring the relevant paperwork that I would be technically teaching his son illegally. I'm surprised he decided to head-hunt my guest.

I live in a small village on the outskirts of Duong Dong, Phu Quoc. I told my friend that whether he visited the neighbour's house, or whether the kid came here for lessons, mattered not a tot. Word would spread like wildfire, and he could soon expect a visit from the local authorities.

- @Aidan in HCMC