Thailand Work Permit Service
How does a foreigner get a Thai work permit?
The employer applies to the Department of Employment, usually after the foreigner enters on a Non-Immigrant B visa. Companies generally need registered capital and Thai staff for each foreign worker, unless BOI rules apply. Some jobs are reserved for Thais. Check current rules with the Department of Employment.
Ministry of Labour filing, LTR/BOI digital WP, employer transfers — same-day cancellation to avoid immigration gap.
Quick Answer
New WP + Non-B a fee quoted after review. Renewal a fee quoted after review. LTR digital WP a fee quoted after review. BOI single-window a fee quoted after review.
Scenarios we cover
- ✓ New WP + Non-B change of visa
- ✓ Annual WP renewal
- ✓ Employer transfer (same-day cancel)
- ✓ LTR digital work permit
- ✓ BOI single-window (OSOS) filing
- ✓ Director / partner WP
- ✓ WP-4 additional workplace
- ✓ Freelancer / self-employed WP
- ✓ Restricted-occupation exemption
- ✓ MOL audit response & fine mitigation
FAQ
- Who needs a Thai work permit?
- Every foreigner performing work in Thailand — paid or unpaid, employee or director — requires a work permit under the Foreigners' Working Management Emergency Decree B.E. 2560. Digital work permit issued under LTR/BOI is exempt from the physical booklet.
- Employer requirements?
- Fees depend on the documents, destination and urgency. Send your documents for a written quote after review — no prices are published. Any government or embassy fees are set by the authority; verify them directly before filing.
- Can I change employer mid-year?
- Yes but the old work permit must be cancelled first, Non-B visa held onto within 7 days, and new WP filed within the visa validity. We handle same-day cancellation + new-employer filing at MOL to avoid immigration gaps.
- Rates?
- Fees depend on the documents, destination and urgency. Send your documents for a written quote after review — no prices are published. Any government or embassy fees are set by the authority; verify them directly before filing.
Contact: 083-2494999 · LINE @NYC168 · contact@nyclegal.co.th
Two permissions, two authorities, one timeline
A foreigner working in Thailand needs both an immigration status that allows employment and a work permit under the Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Aliens. The visa side is handled by the Immigration Bureau under the Royal Thai Police; the work permit is issued by the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour. They are separate files with separate officers, and a defect in one does not pause the other. This is why files fail on sequencing rather than on eligibility.
The usual order is a Non-Immigrant B visa obtained abroad or converted in Thailand, then the work permit application, then the one-year extension of stay tied to the employment. Beginning work before the permit is issued is an offence for both the worker and the employer, and it is checked during later extensions because the start date on the employment documents is compared with the permit issue date.
Employer-side thresholds that decide feasibility
| Employer profile | Filing channel | Points that decide the outcome |
|---|---|---|
| General Thai limited company | DOE Chatuchak or provincial labour office | Registered capital and Thai-employee ratio requirements are checked per foreign position |
| BOI-promoted company | One Stop Service Center (OSOS) | Position must sit within the approved BOI headcount; processing is materially faster |
| IEAT estate tenant | IEAT one-stop channel | Estate authority confirms the tenancy before the labour file proceeds |
| Representative or branch office | DOE with head-office evidence | Remitted funds and head-office authority documents are examined |
| Treaty of Amity (US nationals) | DOE after Amity certification | Amity status covers ownership, not the labour ratio; both still apply |
Occupations closed to foreigners
Thailand maintains a list of occupations reserved for Thai nationals, periodically revised by ministerial notification. Reserved work historically includes manual and craft trades, hairdressing, tour guiding, and clerical work of a routine kind. Some occupations are permitted subject to conditions rather than absolutely closed. Because the list is amended by notification rather than by statute, we check the current instrument each time rather than relying on a cached summary — an outdated list is the fastest way to promise a permit that cannot be issued.
Documents assembled on each side
- Employer: DBD company affidavit and shareholder list, VAT registration, latest financial statement, PND.1 payroll filings and SSO contribution list
- Employer: office photographs, map, and lease evidence where the officer requires site verification
- Employee: passport with valid Non-B status, TM.6 or entry record, 90-day report where applicable
- Employee: degree certificate and transcript, professional licences where the role is regulated
- Employee: employment contract, job description and organisational chart showing the position
- Medical certificate in the prescribed form, issued within the window the office accepts
Common mistakes and how we avoid them
More questions we are asked
- Can I hold one permit and work for two companies?
- The permit names the employer and the workplace. Additional employers or locations must be added to the permit before that work begins.
- Is a degree mandatory?
- Not by statute for every role, but officers weigh qualifications against the position. Experience evidence can substitute in practice for some technical roles.
- What if I resign?
- The permit ceases to authorise work for that employer and must be returned; the associated extension of stay is normally shortened, so the next filing is time-critical.
- Does a BOI position skip the Thai-employee ratio?
- BOI approval sets the foreign headcount for the promoted activity, which is what governs; the general ratio applies to non-promoted employers.
- Can my spouse work on a dependent visa?
- Not without her or his own work permit and a status that allows employment; a dependent Non-O alone does not authorise work.
- How long does the whole process take?
- Commonly one to three weeks at DOE for a complete file, and a matter of hours at OSOS for BOI positions, excluding time to gather employer documents.
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Official sources — visa & work permit
The information on this page follows the official sources below. Always check the latest version before you file.
- Immigration Bureau — visas, 90-day reporting, TM.30— Immigration Bureau
- Thai e-Visa Official Portal— MFA Thailand
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)— Immigration Bureau
- Department of Employment — work permits for foreigners— Department of Employment
- Board of Investment (BOI) / LTR Visa— Thailand Board of Investment
- Department of Consular Affairs — document legalisation— Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the Thai-to-foreign staff ratio for a work permit?
- The general rule is four Thai employees per foreign work permit, together with 2 million baht of paid-up registered capital per foreigner, reduced to 1 million baht and two Thai employees where the foreigner is married to a Thai national. BOI-promoted companies, representative offices and regional offices operate under different, generally lighter, requirements.
- Can I start working while the work permit is being processed?
- No — working before the permit is issued is an offence under the Foreigners' Working Management Emergency Decree, with fines of 5,000 to 50,000 baht for the worker and up to 100,000 baht per worker for the employer, plus possible deportation and a two-year ban on re-employment. Preparatory activities such as signing your own employment contract are not treated as work, but performing duties is.
- How long does a work permit take to issue?
- At the Department of Employment a complete application is typically issued within about seven to ten working days, and applications processed through the BOI One Stop Service Center can be completed far faster, sometimes within a day or two. The visa side runs in parallel: a Non-B visa or change of status must be in place before the permit is collected.
- What happens to my work permit if I change employer?
- The permit is tied to the employer, position and workplace, so a change requires a new application by the new employer and cancellation by the old one; you cannot simply transfer the booklet. After cancellation your permission to stay is normally shortened, so the new filing must be coordinated to avoid falling out of status.