ScubaGig Blog

Dive career guides, straight answers

What dive work actually pays, which visas actually let you do it, and what nobody tells you before you book the flight. Written by working dive pros and updated as things change.

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Illustration of six dive instructors sitting on a bench with their dive bags and fins while an official with a clipboard stands in front of them

Visas & Logistics

Six Dive Instructors Arrested on Koh Tao: What It Means for Your Work Visa

On 20 August 2026, six foreign dive instructors were arrested on Koh Tao for teaching while holding Destination Thailand Visas. A DTV permits remote work for foreign employers but not paid work for a Thai business. Teaching diving legally in Thailand requires a Non-Immigrant B visa and an employer-sponsored work permit.

August 23, 2026

min read

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Careers & Pay

How Much Do Scuba Diving Instructors Actually Get Paid?

Working scuba diving instructors typically earn between USD $600 and $2,300 a month, plus tips and course commission. Southeast Asia sits at the bottom of the range and Australia at the top, where Cairns instructors earn $2,650-4,050. Cost of living matters more than headline pay: what you keep is the number that counts.

August 2, 2026

min read

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