Want a Work Permit in Thailand? Here’s How to Do It

how to get a work permit in Thailand.

There’s no way around it – you need a Thai work permit if you want to work legally in the country. Without one, you’re setting yourself up for serious consequences. 

We know someone who was fined THB50,000 for working in Thailand without a Thai work permit. Luckily, he wasn’t deported and was allowed to stay in the country.   

But trust us, the message was well received.

By the end of this guide, you will know how to apply for a Thai work permit, which documents you need, the requirements you need to meet, and any associated fees.

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What is a Thai Work Permit?

A Thai work permit lets you legally work or run your business in Thailand. If you get caught working in Thailand without one, you could be fined, blacklisted, and/or deported from Thailand.

In fact, we know someone who was fined THB50,000 for working in Thailand without a work permit. Luckily, immigration officers showed leniency and allowed this person to stay in the country.   

You shouldn’t confuse a Thai work permit with a Thai business visa. Even if you have a Thai business visa, you can’t legally work in Thailand unless you have a work permit to go along with it. 

Usually, when you move to Thailand for work you apply for a Thai business visa first. Then you can apply for a Thai work permit. 

Thailand’s work permits and business visas go hand-in-hand. That is, you need a work permit in order to extend your business visa. And if your Thai work permit is canceled, your business visa will be canceled as well. 

A Thai work permit also states your position and the company that employs you. 

Requirements

You need to meet certain requirements in order to get a Thai work permit. We’ve listed them below.

Get a Job Offer from a Company in Thailand

The first thing you need in order to apply for a Thai work permit is a job offer from a company in Thailand. 

The Thai government requires companies that want to hire one foreigner to have at least two million Thai Baht in capital and at least four Thai employees. 

An exception to this is if the company is promoted by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI). 

Satisfy Work and Educational Qualifications

In order to get hired by a company in Thailand, you must have a few years worth of working experience, bachelor’s degree, and necessary skills for the position.

This is something to consider when you’re looking for work in Thailand

Thailand Office Building
If you want to work in Thailand, a bachelor’s degree is usually required.

If you don’t have a degree but are highly skilled in one area, you might be able to get a specialized position. On the other hand, favorable teaching positions always require you to have at least a bachelor’s degree.

There are some instances where you can teach in Thailand without a degree, but this is risky and could get both you and the school into trouble. 

If you register your own company in Thailand, then you can use your company to help you get a Thai work permit. 

Meet the Visa Requirements

You can get a Thai work permit only if you have a certain type of Thailand visa. Some of the popular ones are:

  • business visa (non-b visa) 
  • marriage visa (non-o visa based on marriage)
  • SMART visa
  • volunteer visa (non-O visa based on volunteer)
  • media visa (non-M)

In most cases, you get a Thai work permit as part of a Thai business visa because you need both to be employed in Thailand.

If you marry a Thai national and hold a Thai marriage visa, you can also get a work permit. The good thing about this option is that your visa won’t be canceled if you quit or lose your job, unlike if you had a business visa. 

Effective Ways to Land a Job

You need to get hired in order to get a work permit in Thailand.

If you don’t have a job yet, check out our exclusive content on Effective Ways to Land a Job in Thailand.

Based on the experience of numerous expats who have landed great jobs in Thailand in various industries, it will show you strategies that’ve already proven to be more effective than using job websites.

It’s one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

On the other hand, applying for a Thai work permit while on a marriage visa requires more paperwork than if holding a business visa. 

You can also get a work permit with a SMART visa, which is basically an upgraded business visa. Thai smart visas come with more requirements but give you longer stays in Thailand. 

Other than that, it’s also possible to get a work permit with a volunteer visa and a media visa. 

Anyone holding a Thai retirement visa or a Thailand Privilege Card can’t get a work permit in Thailand. 

How to Get a Thai Work Permit

A work permit in Thailand goes hand-in-hand with a business visa. 

After you apply for a business visa, you need to gather all the documents listed in the below sections, go to the Ministry of Labour, and apply for a work permit. 

Next, you have to visit Bangkok Immigration and extend your visa from its current length to one or two years.

However, if you’ve been hired to work at a BOI-promoted company, you have to visit the One-Stop Service Center at Chamchuri Square instead. Once there, you can extend your business visa when you apply for your work permit.

Keep in mind that the company that is hiring you needs to get approval from the BOI before sending you to the One-Stop Service Center.

If you have a different visa, such as a marriage visa, you can gather all the required documents and go right to the Ministry of Labour. 

Paperwork

You have to file a lot of paperwork when applying for a Thai work permit. But as long as you have everything, you shouldn’t have any issues getting approved. 

You need documents from both your employer and your personal records. However, the company or institution you’re going to be working for is familiar with the process and will most likely help you. 

In fact, larger companies and reputable schools employ staff who can walk you through the entire process. 

That said, below is a list of company and personal documents you need in order to apply for a work permit. Keep in mind that this list changes every few years. So check with the Ministry of Labour or BOI beforehand.

Company Documents

Here’s a list of all the documents your employer must submit with your work permit application.

  • company registration department certificate
  • a list of the company’s shareholders, certified by the Commercial Registration Department
  • factory license (if applicable), certified by the Factory Department of the Ministry of Industry
  • VAT certificate Phor Phor 20
  • VAT filings Phor Phor 30
  • withholding tax form Phor Ngor Dor 1
  • social security payment filings
  • employment contract stating position, job requirements, salary, and contract duration
  • BOI approval letter (only for BOI-promoted companies) 

Keep in mind that every page of each of the documents above must be stamped with the company seal. Also, all of the managing directors must sign their names next to the company seal.

Personal Documents

Here’s a list of all the personal documents you must submit with your work permit application.

  • passport and copies signed on every page
  • non-immigrant visa and signed copy
  • university or college degree with transcripts and signed copies
  • certificates or licenses (if applicable)
  • resume/cv
  • three photos, each 5×6 cm, taken in the last six months
  • marriage certificate (if married to a Thai national)
  • medical certificate issued in the last 30 days*
  • Thai Immigration Bureau TM.6 card for your latest entry into Thailand with a signed copy

If any document requires a signed copy, it must bear your signature and be accompanied by your name printed in block capital letters beneath the signature. 

Additionally, be aware that the TM.6 copy mentioned in the provided list should feature both the front and back of the card on a single A4 page. 

In some cases, Thai immigration officers may ask for some of the documents to be translated into Thai and notarized by your embassy if it’s not in English or Thai. 

*You can get a medical certificate from any clinic or any hospital in Thailand. Just tell the staff you need it for a work permit. It costs THB200 from most clinics or THB1,000 to THB2,000 from most hospitals.

Additional Documents for Teachers

If you’re thinking about teaching in Thailand, you’ll need extra documents when applying for a Thai work permit. 

This is because the Educational Service Area Office and Khurusapha must provide documents as evidence of your official endorsement to work legally in Thailand as a teacher. 

Below is a list of documents required for this specific field.

  • a letter written by the school of employment to the local employment office
  • a letter from the Educational Service Area Office recognizing you as able to teach in your school of employment
  • a teacher’s license that has not yet expired (either a temporary or permanent)
  • your teaching schedule from the administration office of the school
  • a map showing the location of your residence
  • power of attorney document allowing another person to act on your behalf while in Thailand
  • school director’s ID card with signed copies of the front and back
  • school director’s license with signed copies of the front and back
  • documents mentioning the teacher’s identification information, salary, and other details, completed via a school form
  • B.I.25 form, which can be downloaded from the Foreign Workers Administration Office website
  • copy of your contract with every page signed by the director of the school
  • information about how many foreign teachers are working in the school (in table format) signed by the director
  • B.T.46 form, which can be downloaded here
  • an appointment letter written by the director

If you’re considering a teaching position, the school will provide you with the necessary letters, schedules, and documents requiring the director’s signature. 

They will also offer guidance on delicate matters such as the power of attorney and the specific forms needed by the Foreign Workers Administration Office website. 

The procedure is far less stressful and daunting than it appears. Simply follow the instructions provided by your assigned agent or administrative office staff and make sure you have the company and personal documents listed above.

Where to Apply for a Thai Work Permit

To apply for a Thai work permit, you need to go to the Ministry of Labour. 

Here’s their address in Bangkok: Khwaeng Din Daeng, Khet Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400. (Google Maps link)

If you live outside of Bangkok, you can go to your local provincial labor office.

For BOI-promoted companies, you need to go to the One-Stop Service Center at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok (Google Maps link). You can do this while extending your Thai business visa.

How Much Does a Thai Work Permit Cost?

Before you get a Thai work permit, you’ll need a non-immigrant visa. Initially, the visa will cost you THB2,000 for a single-entry visa or THB5,000 for a multiple-entry visa.

As for the work permit, here are some fees that come with the application process.

  • THB100 application fee
  • THB750 government fee for three-month work permits
  • THB1,500 government fee for work permits ranging from three to six months
  • THB3,000 government fee for work twelve-month work permits

There could be a lot of other fees associated with work permits, like fees to change job descriptions, add multiple branches of companies, and so on.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Thai Work Permit?

It normally takes a few hours to apply for a Thai work permit, including wait times, when visiting the Ministry of Labour or One-Stop Service Center. 

If there’s no queue, you will be done in 15 minutes. But this is quite impossible unless you’re lucky. To increase your chances of speeding up the process, arrive early in the morning. 

After you submit your paperwork, if you’re approved you’ll get your Thai work permit within five to seven business days. 

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How to Extend or Renew Your Thai Work Permit

When it comes time to extend (renew) your Thai work permit, you’ll need the same documents as when you first applied for it. You’ll also go through a similar application process. 

Be aware that you can start renewing your Thai work permit up to 30 days in advance. We suggest that you start the process early so that you can ensure you have sufficient time for any necessary corrections, just in case of complications or mistakes during renewal. 

Being proactive and organized in this regard can reduce the stress associated with last-minute adjustments. 

Additionally, you’ll need to provide the following additional documents during the renewal process:

  • contract copy with every page signed by the director or manager as evidence you will be working for the same company or institution
  • receipt of notification to verify your current address
  • latest receipt of notification for your most recent 90-day report submission 
  • proof of completed tax payments for the prior financial year

Regarding tax payments, it’s crucial to note that payment is necessary only if you’re considered a tax resident of Thailand, defined as living in the country for 180 days or more in any given tax year.

If you meet this criterion, you must obtain a tax number before the tax return due date. Unlike some countries, such as the U.K. where taxes are automatically processed, individuals in Thailand are responsible for their own tax payments. 

The official end of the tax year is December 31, and paper-based returns are due by March 31.

To get a tax number, bring your passport and Thai work permit to your local provincial revenue department. They will assist you in getting your official tax number and provide a password for online tax processing if you choose to make payments electronically. 

If you work in a company, ask your HR person for help. They should already have applied for your tax ID on your behalf. 

Thai Work Permits for Freelancers

Unfortunately, as of 2024 Thailand still doesn’t have a visa and work permit for freelancers. 

So, for digital nomads in Thailand, they go with an alternative route instead such as using a relocation service or getting a Thailand Privilege Card

What Happens to Your Thai Work Permit if You Lose Your Job?

If your work contract expires, you’re fired, or you quit your job, you must leave Thailand ASAP. 

The only other option is to go to Bangkok Immigration and apply for a seven-day extension, which will buy you some time. The extension costs THB1,900.

When your work permit is terminated, you must also return it to your local Thai immigration office.

How to Transfer a Work Permit When Changing Your Job

While you are supposed to leave Thailand on the same day you quit your job, there are ways to get around this. 

We know someone who has taught at three different schools within six years of working in Thailand, and not once did he have to leave after quitting his job. 

You might be wondering how this is possible and legal, given the common understanding that you need to leave the country and apply for a new visa and work permit. 

Simply put, given that all schools operate under the Ministry of Education, government schools can transfer employees from one to another. 

We will show you how to do this in the next section. Although these tips are mainly for teachers, those who work for BOI-promoted companies can use them as well, since it works pretty much the same. 

Tell Both Your Current and New Employer

To achieve this successful transfer, inform your school about your intention to transfer to a new one. Respectfully explain your situation, providing your old school with ample notice to hire a replacement teacher and allowing for smooth negotiations upon your departure. 

Importantly, ensure that your plans wouldn’t disrupt the ongoing school term since by aiming to transfer and apply to new schools the following semester. Inform the school well in advance to allow for proper organization. 

Why should you take this route?

First, it’s the courteous thing to do and gives the school enough time to adjust. More crucially, though, it allows for a civil parting, providing the school with an opportunity to prepare for your departure without you having to leave Thailand.

Complete the Transfer on the Same Day

According to Thai immigration rules, Thai work permit transfers have to be completed in a single day to be considered legal. Due to this limitation, cancel your initial work permit in Tak, gather all relevant documents, including the transfer papers, and head to the Ministry of Labour to process everything from your new school on the same day.

Secret Education Visas in Thailand

If you want to stay in Thailand but don’t want to work at a Thai company, an Education visa is often the easiest route.

We have an exclusive article on Secret Education Visas in Thailand.

It shows you various Education Visa options you have in addition to studying at a Thai language school, as well as a list of schools all over Thailand that can help you get the visa.

It’s one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

This may involve coordinating with both schools at the same time, but it will be worth it to not have to start the process again by leaving and then returning to Thailand. 

If you’re considering a similar move, it’s worth checking with your company’s administration staff to see if this option is available to you, potentially saving you the hassle of leaving Thailand and starting again.

Or Get a Seven-Day Visa Extension and Complete the Transfer

You can also opt for a different approach. You can use the school’s transfer document to get a letter from the director explaining the situation and the reason behind your move.

Take this letter to the immigration office and get a free seven-day visa extension. This extension will buy you some time to obtain the new work permit after processing all the documents for your new school.

It’ll make the transfer stress-free, allowing you to manage tasks on different days and give you the flexibility to review documents and communicate with your new school. 

It even provides reassurance that you will have time to rectify any potential mistakes that might occur during the process.

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Is it Easy?

Navigating Thailand’s immigration rules may seem challenging at first, especially with the expectation of leaving promptly after ending a teaching contract. 

However, it’s important to recognize that there are options available to you to make the Thai work permit transfer process less stressful, depending on the circumstances. We hope the insights from the details outlined above can guide you if you’re facing a similar situation. 

Don’t stress about Thai immigration rules and packing up just yet. Experiences have shown that it can be a more manageable and smoother process than you think.

Now, on to You

Applying for a Thai work permit is relatively painless as long as you have the right documents and you meet the requirements of the Ministry of Labour or BOI. And re-applying every year is even easier. Just be sure you follow the rules and requirements and, when working in Thailand, always play by the book.

John Wolcott is the global editor for ExpatDen. He's a New Jersey native who now lives in Bangkok with his wife and two daughters.

16 thoughts on “Want a Work Permit in Thailand? Here’s How to Do It”

  1. I got a job offer in thailand. I also have 5 years experience related to my offer. Can I get working visa without Bachelor Degree? Need your help.

    Reply
    • This depends on the job. In general, unless it’s a teaching job, it’s possible to do it as long as your work experience is directly relevant to the job you are applying.

      If cause, without a degree, the application process will be harder too since your employer need to be able to explain to the BOI/Ministry of Labour that why they need to hire you. But if your employer have experience doing it before, then, it’s should be okay.

      Reply
  2. Can I get a work permit or work legally in Thailand without university or college degree. I have 5 years of experience working as a software engineer.
    I already got a job offer in Thailand.

    Reply
    • Yes, it should be possible to do it as long as your work experience is relevant to the job you are applying for.

      Reply
  3. Question, i´m married with a thai and we thinking about staring some busness with our thai family in a couple of years. i´m still under 40, so i need to work and earn money. if we make some sort of legal company with me as one of the owners (e.g Limited Company) will i get a work permit for my own company? does “our” company” still need the requirements like 4 thai employee for 1 farang and so on?

    Reply
  4. I am presently in Thailand and have Thai Company wishing to get work permit but cannot leave country to go to outside embassy. Is there away to apply inside the country as Covid restrictions borders are closed?

    I presently have 6 staff and 4,000,000 in registered capital within the company registration

    Thank you for any advice you can offer

    Reply
    • The work permit must be made from within Thailand. You can do it right away if have a non B or non O visa (except for retirement).

      If you don’t have the right visa, it’s possible to change your visa type in Thailand. But it also depends on what visa you are holding. Contacting your local immigration office is a good way to start with.

      Reply
    • I am presently in Thailand and have thai company wishing to get work prermit but I cannot leave country to go outside embassy. Is there away to apply inside the country as covid restrictions borders are closed?

      Reply
      • Go to a local immigration office with a letter of employment. Then, they should be able to tell you what you need to do next in order to get a visa in Thailand.

        Reply
  5. hi Peter, I have a minimart shop that my girlfriend operates. At this point of time we do not have the capacity to hire employees to run the shop so my girlfriend runs it fulltime. I was wondering it it is possible for me to obtain a Thai Work Permit to help out in the shop?

    Reply
  6. I have been married to my Thai wife for 8 years, we bought land and built a small resort on the island of koh phangan, I annually renew my non o visa with the required 400,000 bht bank statement, this year due to covid I do not have the 400,000, my wife applied for a bank loan but was refused siting covid as the reason, looking to set up a company with me as a minority shareholder with work permit, how would I do this and what’s the cost ? My visa expires 8th November

    Kind Regards
    Lawrence

    Reply
    • Lawrence, that looks like you are in trouble!

      I heard though, there are agencies that help you with extending one’s stay, some even lend money to fulfil the 400k THB requirement.

      Reply
  7. Its not always necessary to leave the country when finishing a job. I left IBM and joined Microsoft the following day. We applied for a change of sponsorship on my working Non-Imm B Visa. It only took a few days. I now have a marriage visa which still allows me to apply for a work permit, but I don’t need to leave the country. Have seen many friends rush out of the country when finishing work when it wasn’t necessary.

    Reply
    • Hi Peter, How does work permit work for marriage visa holders. I am a freelancer and married to a Thai. Is it possible for me to get a work permit?

      Reply
      • yes, possible @ahr0b1n you can get work permit on non-O marriage visa if working under company with BOI. Before a company hire me and i got work permit. But after i left the company, workpermit expire.

        But now My situation is same you @ahr0b1n, No 400,000 thb in bank statement. And no company sponsor for visa. so stuck, wonder if i can also get work permit as freelance.

        secondly my visa expire on 1 June. Due to covid, Government has free auto extension until 31July. So I am still in thailand. But wonder, what after this ?

        Reply

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