So, you’ve made the decision to migrate to a friendly, warmer country and begin an entirely new chapter of your life. While booking the airplane ticket, and searching for a place to live in the Kingdom is a relatively easy part of the entire process. Finding a job open to westerners and moreover an employer who is prepared to process the required visa and work permit is much more of a proverbial headache.
Positions that foreigners are allowed to work in include education, hospitality, corporate and business, creative media, manufacturing, and some short-term health care positions.
Obtaining a Thailand work permit is an essential requirement for foreigners wishing to work legally in Thailand. Issued by the Ministry of Labour the work permit (similar in size and shape to a passport) outlines the job description, the location, employer, and holds a record of renewals and extensions.
Before applying for a work permit, the applicant must either first enter Thailand on the correct visa or have a visa-exempt stamp entry with two weeks’ validity remaining. A non-immigrant visa B (for “business”) or O (for “other” marriage or dependents) are acceptable for the application of a work permit.
For the process to run smoothly, your employer must play a key role in obtaining a work permit. The company must be legally registered in Thailand and meet specific conditions, such as having a minimum of two million baht in registered capital per foreign employee. Importantly, the company must have four full-time Thai staff for each foreigner employed. A company with two foreigners must have a Thai staff of eight, three foreigners, 12 etc.
Documents that need to be furnished to the department for a Thailand work permit of labour include:
- Company affidavit and business registration
- List of company shareholders
- VAT registration
- Company map and financial statements
- Employment contract
The employer or the foreign employee submits the application at the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour. In some areas, the One Stop Service Centre can process work permits more quickly, especially for BOI (Board of Investment)-promoted companies or international businesses.
Documents required from the applicant include a passport with non-B visa, education and qualification certificates, a resume, a local medical certificate, photos, and any previous work permits.
If the application is complete and the position does not fall under prohibited occupations for foreigners, approval usually takes around 7–10 business days. Once approved, the work permit can be collected in person. The employee can only begin work after receiving the work permit.
A Thailand work permit is usually issued for up to one year and can be renewed annually. Employees must also report their address every 90 days to immigration (known as 90-day reporting). If the employee changes jobs or leaves Thailand, the permit must be returned and cancelled. This is an important step to take as many people neglect to realise that their employers have cancelled their visa and they have only a small window of time to apply for a new visa/work permit resulting in overstay fines or at worse, immigration detention.
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