Is Cambodia for us?

You will only be able to visit on a tourist visa, there will be no chance to get a job without having proper permits except you intend to break the Immigration rules. Usually in all countries here in SEA it is very difficult to obtain work permits and those you may even have to apply in your home country.

You should google and try to get more informations about document requirements etc or contact a Embassy close by and ask them (they should have web sites), and check also if there are open positions for foreigners in your profession field.

From what I understood from reading other blogs is that you can get an ordinary or business visa quite easily at the airport and work for up to a Year without much hassle....has this changed? Please I am asking specifically for Cambodia and not SEA in general!

If I may offer a suggestion...
You can read everything ever written about a place, but still have absolutely no clue what it's really like.
I would go for a long holiday, maybe a month, and see how you like things on the ground.
That and you can have a hunt round schools, and suss out the job market - but don't work illegally.

Thanks,  we don't intend to work illegally!  We plan on getting an 'ordinary' visa which entitles us to work too. My husband taught in Cambodia in 2009 and we were just wondering if it is as easy to teach there and as wonderful to live.

candeigh wrote:

Hi All,

Firstly,  thanks for making this forum the most welcoming!

My husband and I are from South Africa but currently working in New Zealand and both have a dream of relocating to Cambodia.  My husband has a degree in agriculture and a post grad certificate in teaching.

I,  am keen on doing a tefl course and teaching English in Cambodia while my husband looks for employment in the private schools.

Please can I get feedback about Cambodia and whether this move is a good thing,  I would appreciate both positive and negative feedback from all of you. Our plan is to land in Cambodia on 17 December.

Thanks in advance.

There are many expat teachers in Phnom Penh and as far as I know it is possible to work here in Cambodia on a business visa without much problem.

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/work- … oreigners-

The Labor Ministry has begun to enforce a long-neglected law that requires foreigners employed in Cambodia to have work permits, according to ministry officials.

Teams of inspectors have begun scouring the country to ensure that foreign employees and businesspeople have the proper documentation, with employers and workers facing hefty fines in the event that they are not certified.

Yes,  this I know!  But work permits are provide through businesses after work is sought.

Dont believe what HAPPYHOUR has to say  ;    full of crap
Arrive at the border via plane   and seek a business visa  if possible  and you can currently stay forever;
Tourist entitles 1 month and then you are out
look for jobs through the network or this forum   and make your own mind up
If questoned    why business       say you are joining a friend  at  x  guesthouse  as   manager/owner
Or simple  her to buy a business  and wear a smile  and be happy/casual
good luck

Thanks for your reply, most useful information yet!  Much appreciated!

Hi Candeigh, I moved here in September and am working on an agriculture project with a charity at the moment on a business visa. It is true that you turn up at the airport and fill out a form to request a business/ordinary visa (take a passport size photo or pay an extra charge). The business visa costs $35 now since going up in October this year and can very easily be extended even up to 2 years at one time. There are lots of teaching jobs and (altho the internet will tell you different) most dont require a TEFL certificate if you are sorting it out within the country and so can do a trial lesson in front of the recruitment people. I know plenty of 19/20 year olds who are being paid to teach with no experience or qualification so you will find something! I have been offered two teaching jobs by people I have met randomly who are trying to recruit. As for agriculture, once here your husband can visit universities and I think again it is relatively easy to find work as long as you have the masters degree. There are lots of good things about living and working here and it is a once in a lifetime experience. There are also a couple of cultural challenges sometimes of course! Good Luck! Emily

When you arrive, visit the local Rotary club in Phnom Penh  rotaryclubpp.com. It's membership includes a number of teachers and  school administrators,both  university and secondary school level, who will steer you in the right direction. Most members are long term expats or Cambodian professionals  who understand the Cambodian system. (which can be very complex for the uninitiated). Good luck!

Thanks very much Sailor Pete!

Thanks for the advice Emily!

Hello, I am Leangchhe live in Cambodia Now I have a little idea for you, that you want to live in Cambodia. I think you have good job and the future you want to come here , I think Cambodia is good for you because people live in Cambodia happy and think foreigner is good if they do good for people live in Cambodia. I think you can do like this and if you help a lot in social Cambodia you be famous people in Cambodia. You know Cambodia have a lot of natural and history tourism place, because we have a lot of temple drop water green tree and good see. I think you will happy when you came in the Cambodia.

Thank you for your reply Leangchhe! Cambodia sounds like an amazing looking forward to coming to Cambodia 

Thanks for your post Candeigh.
Lots of good information here for us as well. We are looking at a possible move to Cambodia in March or May (we've heard March/April is horrendously hot).
I was also interested in Sailor-Pete's reference to the rotary club. Sounds like a great resource. And I'm very interested to hear about the teaching options. Not something I'm specifically chasing but good to know it is possible to get this work without a TEFL certificate.
Enjoy your move.

Emily, can I ask what the agricultural project is you are working on and which charity it is through and which part of Cambodia? Is it a long term or short term arrangement? Did you organise it on arrival or in advance?
It is something we would both be interested in as well.
Thanks,
Sam

Emily, can I ask what the agricultural project is you are working on and which charity it is through and which part of Cambodia? Is it a long term or short term arrangement? Did you organise it on arrival or in advance?
It is something we would both be interested in as well.
Thanks,
Sam

Hi I am working for CCAF it is the Cambodian Children's Advocacy Foundation but we have Agriculture Projects both field and greenhouse based which both grows food which could be used as school meals and also to educate the families of our target children about alternative income generation through soilless agriculture (I work on aquaponic gardening if you have heard of that). It is based in Phnom Penh (out by the airport) but I do a lot of visits to other districts and provinces to farms and schools. It is a short term arrangement for me because I am hoping to start a phd soon. The charity still wants a technical advisor but only part time and can only pay a small salary (no more than $200 a month) unfortunately as that is all they can afford. I arranged it beforehand as the charity was just asking for advice on a forum about urban agriculture and then discussions on the forum lead to me being here! A whole lot of Cambodians like to meet people with experience through facebook/internet.

Hi Emily. Thanks for the detailed reply. That's really interesting to know and sounds like a great project.
I wasn't necessarily looking for paid work, although I wouldn't turn it down, but the possibility of volunteer opportunities. I don't have expertise in that area although I have a great passion for healthy and sustainable food, educating people along these lines and helping them build businesses around it.

Is Cambodia for us,silly Question,only you know the answer,Im from NZ and Aust been living here in PP for 4 years
if you think the salary is great ,think again
you both sound like ( hard to please )

Well Firstly,  we are getting opinions and it's more of a rhetorical question than asking people if 'it is for us'. Secondly, you don't know us,  so assuming we are 'hard to please' is sad but I will forgive that since it comes from an obviously prickly 65 year old man with a username like 'cocaine'. Thanks though!

Hey Guys we From Pietermaritzburg and been living here for almost three years . Can be hard to start and way of life very different ..but we will never return and the entire family is thriving ..Any questions on any issue just pm us regards Gary

I can only tell you my experience.  Cambodia has about the laxest immigration laws of any country I've ever been to.  I just got back from spending two years there and I worked at a University in Phnom Penh the entire time.  When you enter, ask for a 30 day business visa--no questions asked, they give it to you.  Then before your 30 days are up apply for the 1 yr. business visa.  Both of these require zero paperwork and you don't need a sponsor.  Once you have your business visa I believe you can do anything you want--work, start a business, etc.  When I got there, a month later my friend joined me and he did the same.  He's teaching English there still and you just renew your visa every year.  The school is required to keep a copy of it on file.  I've never overstayed a visa so I can't comment on that.  English teaching jobs are fairly plentiful, especially if you have any experience teaching. 

The visa is the easy part.  As my Thai friend says about ping pong shows at Patpong, "never try, never know."  I had my share of culture bumps along the way.  It's a very contained culture.  People don't express much emotion and I found most Cambodians really hard to read.  You rarely will hear a flat out "no" to anything.  It's very subtle and an agreement means nothing to anyone except you.  I'm sounding critical but I'm just trying to point out difference.  Every time I would get twisted about something I would remember the horrific history of this country.  Just about every day I was there  I found something to make me laugh and something to make me cry.  If you have a thread of social conscious you can do a lot with a little here.  I always say, "I've never lived anywhere that you had such an opportunity to do something really good for someone every day."  Khmer people are gentle but don't mistake this for naive.  Forgiveness does not come easily.  I'd recommend reading everything you can get your hands on before going.  I will forever be be taken by this country and I hope to return many more times over the years.  Good Luck and I hope your adventuresome spirit is richly rewarded.