Companies with Board of Investment (BOI) promotion status receive streamlined visa and work permit benefits for their foreign staff. Eligible employees and investors can access the BOI One Stop Service at ChamChuri Square — same-day or next-day visa and work permit processing, bypassing the standard multi-week timeline. Visa Centre assists BOI-promoted companies and their foreign employees with BOI visa and work permit applications.
The Thailand Board of Investment promotes certain industries (digital technology, automotive, biotech, aerospace, food processing, smart electronics, and others) by granting tax incentives and immigration benefits to companies operating in those sectors.
For immigration purposes, BOI promotion gives the company and its eligible foreign staff access to:
One Stop Service (Oss)
The BOI One Stop Centre at ChamChuri Square, Bangkok (and in some BOI zones such as the Eastern Economic Corridor) processes both the Non-B visa extension and the work permit at one counter on the same visit — typically within 1–3 working days. This compares to 5–14 days at the standard Immigration office + Department of Employment queue.
For senior roles (Smart E, Smart T categories), same-day processing is often possible.
The 4:1 Ratio Exemption
Standard Thai work permit rules require 4 Thai employees per 1 foreign work permit. BOI-promoted companies can request an exemption to this ratio, allowing smaller BOI companies to employ proportionally more foreign staff than the standard limit permits.
NEW SINCE OCTOBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026 — A MINIMUM SALARY, AND FOR SOME MANUFACTURERS A NEW RATIO
BOI Notification Por. 8/2568 added conditions on top of the 4:1 exemption above — not instead of it. It is now in force for every BOI-promoted company regardless of certificate date: phased in from 1 October 2025 for certificates issued on or after 5 June 2025, and from 1 January 2026 for certificates issued before that date. Both dates have passed.
Minimum monthly salary for foreign staff: executives THB 150,000; managers, engineers, IT specialists, and researchers THB 75,000 (THB 50,000 with a relevant degree); operational, IBPO, or TISO roles with a degree THB 35,000. Positions authorised for a stay of 6 months or less are exempt from this requirement. Income is verified via P.N.D.1 / P.N.D.1 Kor tax filings alongside the employment contract.
A separate new ratio applies to larger manufacturers only: manufacturing companies with more than 100 total employees must maintain at least 70% Thai staff. Manufacturing companies under 100 employees, and all BOI-promoted service companies, are not subject to this ratio.
Boi Smart Visa Pathway
Foreign technical experts (Smart T) and investors (Smart I) at BOI-promoted companies may qualify for the Smart Visa — a 4-year multiple-entry visa with bundled work authorisation. This replaces the need for a separate Non-B visa + work permit renewal each year. See the Smart Visa service page for full eligibility thresholds.
Boi Non-B + Work Permit (Standard)
For staff who do not meet Smart Visa thresholds, the standard Non-B + work permit route still benefits from the OSS fast track. Documents are the same as a standard work permit application — the BOI company number and promotion certificate are added to the package to unlock the OSS counter.
Process For Boi Companies
1. Company provides a BOI letter and promotion certificate to the employee and to Visa Centre.
2. We prepare the employee's Non-B extension documents + work permit renewal package.
3. Submit at the OSS counter, ChamChuri Square.
4. Collect the endorsed work permit and immigration stamp — typically same day or within 3 business days.
How Visa Centre Helps
We coordinate the annual Non-B + work permit renewal cycle for BOI companies with multiple foreign employees, track expiry dates, and handle OSS submissions. For Smart Visa applications within BOI-promoted companies, we prepare the BOI endorsement + BOI One Stop Service application package.
General guidance only. BOI promotion criteria, OSS procedures, and Smart Visa thresholds verified against BOI guidance as of August 2026 (boi.go.th). Independent assistance agency; not affiliated with any government body.