Visa — Work Permits

Questions in this cluster (7)

1. Q1305. What must a Thai company show to employ one foreign national?

   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.

2. Q1306. Does a work permit transfer when I change employers?

   No. A Thai work permit is tied to a specific employer, position and work location, so a new application is required. The outgoing employer must notify the authorities of the termination within the statutory period, and the new application should be filed before the current visa expires. A gap can invalidate the permission to stay and force a fresh visa application from outside Thailand.

3. Q1307. Which occupations are closed to foreigners in Thailand?

   The Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Aliens and its notifications reserve certain occupations for Thai nationals, including hand weaving, wood carving, traditional handicraft work and tour guiding, while others are conditionally open to specific nationalities under MoU arrangements. The list is updated periodically, so review the current notification at doe.go.th before drafting a job description or employment contract.

4. Q1351. What is the difference between a Non-B visa and a Work Permit in Thailand?

   They are separate documents issued by different authorities, and you need both: (1) The Non-Immigrant B visa is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Thai embassies/consulates) or converted in-country at Immigration — it is permission to enter and stay in Thailand for the purpose of work. (2) The Work Permit is issued by the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour — it is permission to actually work, and it specifies the employer, position, and workplace. Holding a Non-B visa alone does not allow you to work; the Work Permit must be obtained before starting. Conversely, a Work Permit is only valid while your visa and stay permit remain valid — if the visa lapses, the Work Permit ends with it. Cautions: renewals of both must be planned together because each side's documents support the other, and 90-day reporting is a separate ongoing obligation. This is general guidance; requirements and fees change — always verify with the district office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Immigration, or the Department of Employment before proceeding.

5. Q1352. How does a foreigner get a Work Permit in Thailand?

   A foreigner working in Thailand needs a Work Permit from the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour. The general process: (1) hold an appropriate visa first — usually a Non-Immigrant B (or another qualifying type such as LTR/SMART); (2) the Thai employer prepares corporate documents such as the company affidavit, shareholder list, tax filings, and evidence of the need to hire; (3) the applicant prepares personal documents such as passport, education credentials, a medical certificate, and photos; (4) file at the employment office where the workplace is located, or via the online system as prescribed. Cautions: the permit is tied to the stated employer, position, and workplace — working outside that scope is a legal offence; the company must meet capital and Thai-employee ratio requirements; BOI-promoted companies use a dedicated channel with their own criteria. This is general guidance; requirements and fees change — always verify with the district office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Immigration, or the Department of Employment before proceeding.

6. Q1353. What happens when you change employers — what about the Work Permit?

   A Work Permit is tied to the original employer, so changing employers requires action on both sides: (1) cancel the existing permit with the Department of Employment — the former employer must report the end of employment; (2) apply for a new permit under the new employer, with the new company's corporate documents. On the visa side: a Non-B stay based on the former employer's sponsorship usually ends when employment ends, so the new company must issue supporting documents for the change or a new visa application before the current stay expires. Cautions: a gap during the transition can break the continuity of your stay, so sequence the cancellation and new application carefully, and keep an employment certificate from the former employer as evidence of experience. For BOI companies, employer changes follow a dedicated process through the BOI system. This is general guidance; requirements and fees change — always verify with the district office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Immigration, or the Department of Employment before proceeding.

7. Q1354. What are the penalties for working in Thailand without a Work Permit?

   Working without a Work Permit is an offence under the Foreigners' Working Management Act, and both the worker and the employer face legal consequences: the worker may be fined, have their stay permit revoked, be deported, and face future entry restrictions; the employer may be fined per foreign worker hired without a permit. Additional points: (1) the legal definition of 'work' is broad, covering duties performed with or without pay, so some business-meeting activities can fall within scope; (2) tourist visas and visa exemptions do not authorise work; (3) certain activities, such as short-term conference attendance, may have their own lawful channels — check with the Department of Employment first; (4) LTR/SMART holders have their own permit mechanisms. Recommendation: always put the correct paperwork in place before starting work. This is general guidance; requirements and fees change — always verify with the district office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Immigration, or the Department of Employment before proceeding.

Keywords (20)

Every keyword links to the page that answers it — a destination page, a visa category for that destination, or the related service page.

• ทุนจดทะเบียน 2 ล้านต่อคนต่างด้าว
• ลูกจ้างไทย 4 คนต่อต่างชาติ 1 คน
• เงินเดือนขั้นต่ำ work permit ญี่ปุ่น
• เงินเดือนขั้นต่ำ work permit ยุโรป
• อาชีพสงวนสำหรับคนไทย
• ใบอนุญาตทำงานเล่มน้ำเงิน
• Digital work permit BOI
• One Stop Service Center จามจุรี
• เปลี่ยนนายจ้าง work permit
• ต่ออายุใบอนุญาตทำงาน
• โทษทำงานไม่มีใบอนุญาต
• แจ้งเลิกจ้างคนต่างด้าว
• work permit ครูต่างชาติ
• work permit ช่างเทคนิคต่างชาติ
• แปลปริญญาบัตรขอ work permit
• ใบรับรองประสบการณ์ทำงานแปลรับรอง
• work permit BOI vs ทั่วไป
• ขอ work permit ต่างจังหวัด
• work permit ร้านอาหารต่างชาติ
• work permit บริษัทตัวแทน