A Work Permit is a legal document that shows a foreigner’s position, present employment, and Thai business.
Foreigners must get a work permit to legally work in Thailand. It contains information on your present position, current occupation, job description, and the Thai company for which you work.
You can not work in Thailand without a Work Permit, regardless of the sort of visa you hold. In other words, if you don’t have a work permit, you won’t be able to work in the nation even if you have a Non-Immigrant B Visa. When working, you must have your work permit with you at all times.
Before applying for the permit, you must first get a Thailand Work Visa to enter the country and be eligible to apply. If you want to stay in Thailand for a long time, you’ll need to apply for an extension of your permission to stay. As a result, the process of working in Thailand is as follows:
- Apply for a Thai Work Visa in your country from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General
- Apply for a Thai Work Permit at the Department of Employment in Thailand.
- Get an Extension of Stay Permit at the Thai Immigration Bureau.
In This Post
Thailand Work Permit Basics
A work permit allows a non-Thai citizen to work as a skilled professional or even as an employer and operate a business in Thailand.
A work permit is required to be able to work legally in Thailand. Working without a Thai work permit might cause severe consequences. A foreigner who is apprehended for working without a valid work permit may face a fine or jail.
In general, to be eligible to obtain a Thai Work Permit, you have to work for a company that fulfills conditions set by the Ministry of Labour, such as:
- The company has a registered capital of at least two million Thai baht (2,000,000 Thai baht). However, where the foreign employee has a Thai spouse, the registered capitalization may only be one million Thai baht ((1,000,000 Thai baht).
- The company has paid income tax to the Revenue Department in the past three years of at least five million Thai baht (5,000,000 Thai Baht).
- The company is an export business that has has a foreign remittance of at least three million Thai baht (3,000,000 Thai Baht) in the past year
- The company employs at least fifty (50) Thai nationals.
Additionally, there is a limit regarding the number of foreigners a company can employ, in line with the company’s capital. E.g. Companies can hire one foreign worker per every two million Thai baht of registered capital or one foreign worker per fifty Thai nationals.
The Thai Work Permit is tied to a specific occupation and employer. If you want to change your employer or the address of your office has changed, then you have to notify the Ministry of Labour and make the necessary revisions.
The entities above may be granted a maximum of ten (10) work permits each. However, the Thailand Board of Investment( BOI) promoted company is an exception to the regulations above. BOI is authorized to grant the promoted companies special rights concerning the issuance of work permits and visa for foreign employees working on those projects as technical experts.
Thailand Work Permit Requirements
Before applying for a work permit you must have a Non-Immigrant Visa first. This is required for the application for a Thai work visa in Thailand.
It is preferable to get it before you arrive in Thailand. We can help you in obtaining it in your home country or in-country close to Thailand.
Additionally, we can assist you to convert a tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant Visa without leaving Thailand.
1- Apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa (Work Visa)
Outside the country, requirements for getting a non-immigrant visa:
- The applicant has been offered a job or started a Thai company to employ himself/herself;
- The company requests for the applicant to be issued with a Non-Immigrant Visa so that the company can apply for a work permit for the said applicant;
- The company can express great confidence on the individual to be of good moral and respectful to the culture of Thailand as well as being abiding by the Thailand.
Single Entry Thai Non-Immigrant Visa
A Single entry Non-Immigrant visa costs $80. Most people usually get this one. This is valid for 90-day.
Multiple Entry Thai Non-Immigrant visa
A multiple entry Non-Immigrant visa costs $200. This comes with multiple 90-day entries into Thailand within a one-year duration.
If you wish to travel outside of Thailand, then fork up an extra $120 and get a multi entry visa. Otherwise, a single entry is a way to go.
You should apply for this visa at least 30 days before you plan to depart your country. The Consulate or consular officer will request copies of the registration documents and financial statements from the company.
To get a work permit, the applicant and the employer/company has to provide different types of documents.
2- Applicant’s documents for the Thai Work Permit:
- Passport – copies of every page. Each copy must be signed by the employee.
- Your Thai Work Visa (Non-Immigrant Visa)
- Departure Card TM.6
- Your academic degrees and certificates (signed copy)
- Your Letter of Employment / Work Contract which states your salary, position, and work responsibilities (signed copy)
- Any relevant certificates and licenses (signed copy).
- Your CV or Resume – describe in detail the applicant’s past positions, duties, performance, length, and place of employment.
- Three (3) pictures of you with 5x6cm dimensions (not passport photos) with full face and taken wearing business attire (no hat and some jurisdictions require suit and tie). This must have been taken within six (6) months before the application for the Thai work permit.
- Proof of accommodation in Thailand
- A Health Certificate was issued in the last 30 days.
- Marriage Certificate if you are married to a Thai citizen, this includes the original and signed photocopies.
*Thailand government officials can require these documents to be certified by your country’s embassy (this requires bringing your resume, degree, license, or certificate to your embassy to declare it is a true and original document. You are asked to pay an authentication fee to your embassy Additionally, they can ask you to translate these documents into the Thailand language from your foreign language.
Employer-provided work permit documents:
- The Company’s Certificate (Commercial Registration Department Certificate showing that the organization for which the applicant is going to work has been duly registered as a juristic person, giving the name of the Managing Director and/or Director, and its objections and registered capital).
- Employment Certificate: A contract stating position, job requirements, salary, and contract duration. This certificate of employment needs to be prepared under the form prescribed by the Immigration Bureau (Sor.Tor.Mor.1).
- A list of the Company’s Stakeholders by the Commercial Registration Department.
- Factory License (if required) issued by Factory Department, Ministry of Industry.
- Balance Sheet: A copy of the latest balance sheet and income statement, together with the corporate income tax return (Por.Ngor.Dor.50) and receipt.
- VAT Certificate.
- VAT filing.
- The company’s Withholding Tax. Copy of 3 latest monthly withholding tax returns (Por. Pro.1) displaying the name of employees and the foreign applicant, along with the receipt.
- Social Security Payment filing. Copy of 3 latest monthly social security contributions return filed with the Social Security Office (Form Sor.Por.Sor. 1-10).
- Photographs showing the business.’s location Exterior photographs showing the address and the company’s name sign. Interior photographs showing the employee while working
- Any additional documents that the Ministry of Labour staff handling your application requests.
*Thailand government officials require that all documents have the seal of the company stamped on every page and the true and authorized signature(s) of the Managing Director and/or Directors next to the seal. Additionally, Thailand government officials have in the past requested official copies of registration, shareholder, licenses, and certificates to have been issued by their respective agencies within the past 90 days of your application for a Thai work permit.
The documents you submit from your home country have to be legalized before submission as well as translated into the Thai language.
3- Medical Certificate for Thailand Work Permit:
They check for these things when you get your medical exam:
- 3rd stage Syphilis (blood test)
- Elephantiasis: Clinical Evaluation
- Drug Abuser / Alcoholic: Clinical Evaluation
- Leprosy: Clinical Evaluation
- Insanity: Clinical Evaluation.
4- The TAX ID Card
After completing and submitting an application for a work permit, the applicant must additionally get a Tax Identification Card from their employer. On his tax ID card is the Tax Identification Number, which will be used for documents that need the tax identification number (TIN).
Thai Work Permit Minimum Requirement for Thai Employees:
To apply for a Work Permit for a foreigner, the company must have at least four (4) Thai workers. This is a rule of the Ministry of Labor.
Numerous ex-pats living in Krabi have mentioned that this is not a requirement there as long as a company can show that there is enough capital for the business. It is unofficial although it happens now and then.
Thailand Work Permit Minimum Salary Requirement
There is no minimum salary requirement set by the Ministry of Labor to apply for a Work Permit or the Thai Non Immigrant B visa.
However, to get the Thailand extension of stay based on employment, you must fulfill the requirements of a minimum salary as well as other requirements such as income tax payment and work permit. You will be getting this at the immigration office.
The Thai work permit minimum salary requirement varies depending on where you are from.
If your country is not on the list, you must ask your local Immigration office.
Note: while it is technically possible to work in a job that doesn’t pay minimum wage, this will create many issues down the line. A person can have many jobs. However, in such an instance, the whole revenue must sum up to the minimum wage.
Teachers are usually exempt from the minimum wage requirements for getting extensions of stay based on employment.
How to Apply for a Thailand Work Permit?
1- Bangkok Work Permit
Applicant must apply for the Thailand Work Permit at the Ministry of Labour:
- Khwaeng Din Daeng, Khet Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400
After receiving your Non-Immigrant Visa (Work Visa) and traveling to Thailand. Applicants must have the required documents to support the application. The work permit application must be filed before your visa expires and before you begin working.
After you’ve filed your application, the Ministry of Labour will handle your work permit in one of seven ways. You must return to the Ministry of Labour to get the work permit and complete the relevant documents after a decision has been made.
Once you have got a Work Permit, you must keep it with you at all times, in case the Immigration Officers make visits to the applicant’s workplace and request to see it. If you do not have your permit with you, you could face a fine.
2- Outside Bangkok
If the job is not located in Bangkok, the application should be filed at the province’s Department of Employment or the province’s city hall. You will need to get approval from that particular province’s Department of Employment.
How much Does Thailand Work Permit Cost?
The cost of a Thailand work permit varies according to its validity.
Process | Cost |
Application fees | 100 THB/form |
Thailand Work permit fee: | 750 THB/book |
Change or add employer | 3,000 THB |
Change or add a location or place of work | 1,000 THB |
Change or add other conditions | 150 THB/time |
What Is the Duration of a Thai Work Permit?
A Thai Work Permit is issued for a maximum duration of one (1) year. If your work contract is less than one year, your work permit will also be issued for that duration.
Receive Thai Work Permit
Once the work permit is granted, the applicant will get a blue-colored book with their picture, information, and work permit information. It can take from seven (7) days or up to two (2) months to receive.
After receiving your work permit, you must appear in person with your passport and sign the Thai work permit book in the presence of the Labor Department staff. You will receive a stamp on your passport at that time.
Extending a Thai Work Permit
You can get an extension of stay based on employment at any immigration office in Thailand by paying 1900 THB in cash.
Documents need:
- TM.7 form (visa extension form)
- Valid passport
- One 4×6 CM passport photo.
- Copy of your current Non-Immigrant Visa.
The extension will be valid for the duration of your Thai work visa. It will usually be given for one year from the date of initial arrival in Thailand.
The extension will be valid for the length of your work permit in Thailand. Normally, it will be granted for one year from the date of first entry into Thailand.
Your extension of stay is dependent on your work permit and is not valid for staying in Thailand after your work permit has expired. The date of the stay extension is irrelevant. The date of the work permit IS relevant.
So, if your work permit expires before the date mentioned in the Thai extension of stay, you must find other ways to legally stay in Thailand, such as renewing your Thai work permit, leaving Thailand to get a new visa, and so on.
Staying in Thailand on an extension of stay if your work permit has expired would be a case of overstay and would result in fines and other penalties.
Restrictions on Your Thai Work Permit
When a work visa is obtained, the worker must work only with the said company. In this case, If he/she is transferred to another location within the same organization, he/she must get a new work visa for that location. The same is required if and when the worker would work with another company. This is because the work permit is issued to the employee for the specific company at the specific location.
In the case, If he/she tendered his/her resignation or has been laid off by the company, he/she is tasked to surrender his work permit to the Labor Department, not more than 10 days.
Getting a Re-entry Permit when Leaving Thailand
If you plan on leaving and re-entering Thailand while on a Work Permit, you must first get a Thai Re-entry permit to avoid losing your visa.
If you plan on leaving and re-entering Thailand while on a Work Permit, you must first get a Thai Re-entry permit to avoid losing your visa.
A re-entry permit can be secured from a Thai Immigration Office or Thailand International Airport.
A Single Re-entry costs 1,000 Baht and 3,800 Baht for a Multiple Re-entry permit.
Thailand Work Permit Renewal
You can renew your Thai Work Permit at the Ministry of Labor inside Thailand. It will cost 1,900 THB. You will need all the documentation you provided during the initial application process and they must be stamped and signed.
In, case your Thai work permit expired, you would need to leave Thailand, get a new Thai Non-Immigrant visa-the same one you got in the beginning. Then, with this visa, you can return and start the process again by applying for a work permit in Thailand.
Reporting your Staying every 90 days
Persons who have been granted a long-term extension of stay must report to Immigration Police every 90 days. Those with a multiple entry visa will simply depart Thailand and renew their extension of stay after each 90-day entry.
Thailand Work Permit FAQs:
How much does a work permit cost in Thailand?
If the holder of this sort of visa wishes to work in Thailand, he or she must first get a work permit. The visa charge is 2,000 Baht for a single entrance with a three-month validity period, and 5,000 Baht for repeated entries with a one-year validity period.
How long does it take to get a work permit in Thailand?
Work permit processing times in Thailand vary depending on your location.
Work permits in Bangkok normally take seven working days. However, if you live in Phuket, it might take up to two months.
Is it easy to get a work permit in Thailand?
To get a work permit in Thailand, a foreigner must first obtain a non-immigrant visa. A non-immigrant visa is required to enter Thailand. The work permit application procedure takes 7 days. The Ministry of Labor processes works permit applications.
Can you get a work permit in Thailand without a degree?
No, you can’t get a work permit without a degree
Can you work online in Thailand without a work permit?
Working without a work permit in Thailand is illegal, to work online, you can join the Nomad program in Thailand.
Do I need a degree to work in Thailand?
Yes, You need it. A bachelor’s degree (in any field) is usually required to get a non-immigrant B (Business) visa and work permit.
Who pays for a work permit in Thailand?
To be eligible for a work visa, a Thai limited business with at least Baht 2,000,000 in paid-up capital must be majority Thai-owned.
However, if the majority ownership is foreign, the paid-up capital per work permit must be Baht 3,000,000.
Can you have 2 work permits in Thailand?
Foreigners who work for two separate companies performing the same job must obtain two work permits, one for each.
Can I convert a Thai tourist visa to a work permit?
In Thailand, tourists are not permitted to work. If they choose to do so, they must get their visa converted to a Non-Immigrant B Visa. To apply for a work permit, you must already have a non-immigrant B visa.
How long can I stay in Thailand after canceling my work permit?
Since the cancellation of the visa forces you to leave the country the same day, it is important to file for a stay extension immediately. The extension allows you to remain an extra seven days in Thailand.
Can I work as a freelancer in Thailand?
The Thai government does not recognize freelancers as employees, so locate an employer that can give you a work visa.
