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
Number of Expats:
Anywhere between 500,000 – 1,000,000
Expats Job Websites:
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 focussed 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
A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Art of Hiring in APAC
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.
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.