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Thailand

Work Permit in Thailand

Why is Work Permit Needed?

Although there are several thousand illegal immigrants who work in Thailand, this doesn’t permit you to work in Thailand without a work permit.  

A Thailand work permit is a document that allows you to legally work in the country for a determined period of time. During your stay, you should strictly adhere and carry out the tasks that are under the scope of your work permit.

About the Thailand Job Market

Work Permit in Thailand

Number of Expats:

500,000-1,000,000

Popular Industries for Expats:

Tourism, Real Estate, Teaching, Recreation, Hotel and Restaurant

Types of Thailand Work Visa

Every applicant applying for a Thailand work permit has to first apply for a Thailand non-immigrant visa before they enter Thailand. Unlike several countries where you enter them on a work or a business visa, Thailand Immigration initially offers a non-immigrant visa. 

Once you enter Thailand, you have 90 days to apply for a work permit.

Now, Thailand offers four different types of work permits:

Non-immigrant visa B:

Employer issue this Thailand work permit for those who wish to work or pursue business in Thailand.

Non-immigrant visa IB:

The investment and business visa is acquired for foreigners who wish to teach in schools in Thailand. 

Non-immigrant visa B-A:

This work permit is acquired by employers on the applicant’s behalf so that the latter can invest in the former’s business. 

These visas are valid for a period of 1 year.

Non-immigrant visa O:

These visas are offered to foreigners who wish to stay with their spouse or their family in Thailand. It is also secured for those who wish to volunteer in social welfare organizations.

These visas are valid for up to 3 months and can be renewed upon expiry.

Non-immigrant visa M:

This visa is issued to foreign workers travelling to Thailand as a film producer, journalist or reporter.

The employee must be solely focused on work related to media in their in Thailand.

Requirements for a Thai Work Permit and by Thai Employers

The requirements for a Thai work visa vary with the type of visa you apply for. Specific work visas are required depending on the kind of venture you are going to pursue in Thailand.

As stated earlier, any foreign worker should come into Thailand with a Category B visa. Once they enter Thailand, your employee can apply for a work permit.

Non-Immigrant Visa Category ‘B’

Here are the documents required by your employee to apply for a non-immigrant visa category B.

Foreigners looking to work in Thailand are required to apply using the following documents:

  • A passport or travel document with a validity of fewer than 6 months.
  • Fully filled visa application form
  • 2 passport size photos taken no older than 6 months
  • Health insurance
  • Evidence of adequate finance to support your stay in Thailand (20,000 Baht per person)
  • A confirmed ticket to recognize your travel date
  • Copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour or a Letter of Approval – the employer is required to contact the BOI or the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour.
  • Letter of appointment
  • Certificate of education
  • Working address in Thailand

What are employers required to have in order to hire foreign employees?

  • You should be officially registered in Thailand
  • Have successfully applied for a tax ID and VAT registration
  • Your company needs to show a minimum paid-up capital of 2 million Baht per foreign worker
  • Maintain a ratio of 4 employees to 1 employee with a work permit
  • Shouldn’t exceed 10 work permits per company
 

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Thailand Work Permit Application Process

Work permit processes vary regionally, especially outside of the capital. If you are applying for a position in Bangkok, you can do so at the Ministry of Labor in Din Daeng.

However, if you work in another province other than the capital, you must be approved by that particular province’s Employment Department.

Your passport must be presented in person for your work permit to be stamped by Labor Department staff. Your passport will be stamped by the Department when it is received.

Timeframe for Work Permit Application

In Thailand, the processing time for work permits varies according to where you apply for your work permit. The average processing time for work permits issued in Bangkok is seven working days. However, if you were to work from Phuket then it can take up to two months.

Thailand Work Permit Fees

There are various costs associated with acquiring and extending a Thailand work permit. In the table below, we describe the costs pertaining to its various aspects.

ProcessCost
Application fees100 THB

Thailand Work permit fee

A visa valid for 3 months

A visa valid for 3-6 months

A visa valid for 6 months-1 year

750 THB/book

1,500 THB/book

3,100 THB/book

3,100 THB + the amount exceeding 1 year

Change or add employer3,000 THB
Change or add a location or place of work1,000 THB
Change or add other conditions150 THB/time

How Does Multiplier Help With Work Permit?

As a global EOR solution, we have local entities in over 100+ countries enabling companies like yours to hire and employ people from all around the world. Our suite of HR solutions accentuated by our in-house experts enables us to offer end to end solutions to our users.

Using our SaaS-based solution, you can request a Thailand work permit and our in-house experts will take care of the entire process encompassing the processing time, costs, document checklist, and keep you informed throughout the process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A Thailand work permit is a legal document issued to foreign workers by the Thailand Ministry of Labour, after adjudicating their skills and experience, allowing the former to work in Thailand.

Basically, Thailand work permit cancellation is a two-step process where you first cancel the work permit and then the Thai extension of stay.

The labor office cancels the work permit, and the immigration office cancels the extension of stays.

You can avail an extension on your work permit by applying for a 1-year extension at the Immigration Bureau. Usually, extensions are valid for the length of your work permit in Thailand, which is 1-year. In other cases, extensions may be granted based on the period of your work permit initially given to you.

Your period of stay is purely dependent on the number of days given in your extended work permit and is not valid for stay in Thailand after your work permit ends.

Work permit holders can apply for a permanent residency once they have continuously stayed for 3-years in Thailand, including the extensions you have availed. Obtaining a work permit is easier for a Permanent Resident than for a Non-Resident, but you still need to have a work permit if working.

Here are a few rules and regulations employees should keep in mind when they apply for work permits:

  • Your employee should have it with them all the time
  • Any damage or loss to your worker’s work permit should be addressed immediately
  • You have to confer tasks to your employee in accordance with the responsibilities mentioned in the work permit
  • Any changes in the job description or in the address should be promptly informed to the Employment Service
  • Once your employee resigns from their job their work permit must be returned within 7 days

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