Thailand Work Permit

THE TWO-STEP REQUIREMENT A Thai work permit cannot be issued without a valid Non-B visa already in your passport. The process always runs in this order: 1. Non-B visa — applied for at a Thai consulate in your home country before you travel 2. Work permit — applied for in Thailand by your employer after you arrive Working in Thailand without a valid work permit is a criminal offence under the Alien Working Act B.E. 2551. Fines reach 100,000 THB for the foreign national and 800,000 THB for the employer who knowingly permits unpermitted work. THE NON-B VISA (STEP 1) Applied for at the Thai consulate in your country. Your employer provides: a letter of employment, company registration documents, and financial statements. You provide: passport, qualifications, photographs. Processing: 5–7 business days at most consulates. The Non-B grants 90 days of entry permission — long enough to complete the work permit application in Thailand. THE WORK PERMIT APPLICATION (STEP 2) Submitted to the Department of Employment (doe.go.th) by your employer. Required documents from the employer: company registration, shareholder list, financial statements, staffing evidence showing compliance with the 4:1 Thai-to-foreign ratio (or BOI exemption). Required from you: passport, copies, qualifications, medical certificate (issued in Thailand), and — for some roles — a criminal background check from your home country. Standard processing: 5–7 business days at the Bangkok Department of Employment. BOI-promoted companies use the BOI One Stop Service (same-day to 3 days). WHAT THE WORK PERMIT COVERS The permit is specific to: your employer, your job title, and your work location. You cannot work for a different employer using the same permit. Working for an unpermitted employer while holding a current permit is still a violation. ANNUAL RENEWAL CYCLE Both the Non-B extension (at Immigration) and the work permit (at the Department of Employment) must be renewed each year before expiry. Typically done in the same month each year. Visa Centre tracks both expiry dates for clients on annual renewal. CHANGING EMPLOYERS When you change jobs: your current work permit is cancelled on resignation. Your new employer must apply for a new work permit from scratch. Depending on timing, you may need to exit Thailand and re-enter on a new Non-B for the new employer. Planning the transition to avoid a gap in legal work authorisation is important. RESTRICTED OCCUPATIONS Thailand maintains a list of jobs reserved for Thai nationals under the Alien Working Act. Common restricted categories include: Thai-language legal services, registered Thai accounting, driving (with limited exceptions). The full list is at the Department of Employment (doe.go.th). Verify your specific role is not restricted before accepting a Thai employment offer. HOW VISA CENTRE HELPS We coordinate between you and your Thai employer to assemble the correct document sets for both the Non-B application (overseas) and the work permit application (in-country). We advise on the 4:1 ratio requirement, handle renewal tracking, and guide job-change transitions. General guidance only. Requirements verified against official sources as of June 2025 (doe.go.th, immigration.go.th). Not legal advice. No outcome guaranteed. Independent assistance agency; not affiliated with any government body.