Thai Work Permit Process

To legally work in Thailand, a Thai work permit is needed. Most of you may know that already but do you know how to obtain one? If not, then you are in the right place to know how the Thailand work permit process.

Step 1: Obtain a Thai Work Visa or a Non-Immigrant Visa B

Before you can even process your Thai work permit, you need to obtain a Non-Immigrant Visa.

A Non-Immigrant Visa B is the type of visa for which foreigners should apply if doing business in Thailand or working in Thailand. You will need this to enter the gates of the Kingdom of Thailand if your purpose of entering Thailand is business or work.

To be granted a Non-Immigrant Visa B, there are requirements that both the newly hired foreign employee and the company that hired the new foreign employee shall take note of.

To apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa B, you must have the following qualifications:

You must have been recruited or offered a job in Thailand.
Your employer or the company that employed you must ask for a Non-Immigrant Visa B for the applicant so that you can apply for a work permit on their behalf.
Your employer or the company that hired you must have a high level of trust in your moral integrity, respect for Thai culture, and adherence to the country’s laws.

For the possibility to be granted a Non-Immigrant Visa and Thai work permit, your company that hired you must be:

A registered company in Thailand
A company that successfully applied for a tax ID and VAT registration
A company with a minimum paid-up capital of THB 2,000,000 per foreign employee
A company that have four Thai employees per work permit
A company with a cap of only 10 work permits per company. (Board of Investment or BOI companies may be eligible for further funding.)

Step 2: Preparation for Thai Work Permit Requirements

Assuming that you have already obtained a Non-Immigrant Visa, it is time for you to prepare for the Thai work permit requirements.

Know that like obtaining of Non-Immigrant Visa, responsibilities in obtaining a Thai work permit are also shared between the newly hired foreign employee and the company that hired you. So, both have requirements to prepare.

Requirements for the Newly Hired Employee:

Departure Card TM.6
Certificates or Licenses
Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Non-Immigrant visa B
Passport with Signed Copies of Every Page
University or College Degree with transcripts
Medical Certificate issued in the last 30 days
3 photos (5×6 cm) taken in the last 6 months
Marriage certificate, if married to a Thai national

Note: The original paperwork you will be bringing must be signed copies, and some Thai immigration offices may request the translation of the following requirements into Thai.

Requirements for the Company that Hired the Foreign Employee:

VAT filings Phor Phor 30
VAT certificate Phor Phor 20
Social Security payment filings
Withholding Tax form Phor Ngor Dor
Company Registration Department Certificate
Factory License (if applicable), issued by the Ministry of Industry’s Factory Department.
A list of the company’s shareholders, certified by the Commercial Registration Department
Position, job description, compensation, and contract period are all stated in the employment contract.

Note: The company seal must be stamped on the needed documents, and the managing directors and directors must sign beside it.

The requirements for both the newly hired employee and the company mentioned above shall be submitted to the Ministry of Labour once the foreign employee has already entered Thailand.

Step 3: Applying for Thai Work Permit

Before your Non-Immigrant visa expires and you start working, you must apply for a work permit. You are to go to the Thai Ministry of Labour located at Mit Maitri Rd, Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. Submit the application for the Thai work permit and along with that are the requirements needed.

Your work permit will be managed by the Ministry of Labour after you have submitted your application and requirements.

Step 4: Processing of Thai Work Permit

You must not let your visa expire while it is being processed. The Non-Immigrant Visa B you provided on your application will be linked to the work permit documentation in the Ministry of Labour ‘s system.

The approval of a work permit for a company with a registered capital of THB 2,000,00 typically takes 7 business days in Bangkok up to 2 months. Companies that have been approved by the BOI can take advantage of the One-Stop Service Center’s 3-hour processing periods.

The Ministry of Labour will give you a receipt with a return date for your work permit book.

Step 5: Receiving of Thai Work Permit

You will receive your fully processed Thai work permit from the Ministry of Labour. Once you have received your Thai work permit, you are entitled to the responsibility towards the Thai work permit. What are those responsibilities?

Listed below are the responsibilities that you have upon receiving the Thai work permit:

Always keep a copy of your Thai work permit on you.
Only perform the tasks that your Thai work permit permits.
Before your Thai work permit expires, apply for an extension.
If your Thai work permit is lost or damaged within 15 days, you can request a replacement.
If your Thai work permit changes, contact Thai officials through the Employment Service Office.
If you quit your job, you must return your work permit.

The steps provided above are steps in processing the Thai work permit. After you have obtained the Thai work permit, you are required to obtain other documents that will help you have a quiet, peaceful and legal stay while working in Thailand.

The other documents include:

Tax ID Card which will be obtained through the employer or company.
Re-Entry Permit in case of nearing expiration of Non-Immigrant Visa B, this will enable the individual to leave Thailand before the visa’s validity expires and return to the country. The visa and work permit would be revoked if the foreign employee leave Thailand without a re-entry permit.