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. Statutory fines apply to both the foreign national and the employer, and a breach can bar future work permits.

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).

The Process Is Digital, But You Still Have To Turn Up

Since 28 July 2026 the Department of Employment's e-Work Permit platform is mandatory for every stage — applications, renewals, amendments and cancellations — with paper submission accepted only where an actual technical failure of the online system can be demonstrated. That part genuinely does sit with your employer. What does not: the permit is still a physical document, a credit-card-sized card carrying an embedded QR code in place of the old blue book, and collecting it involves a short in-person appointment at a Department of Employment service centre where your biometrics are captured. If you have been told your employer handles everything, this is the step that still needs you in the room. See our work permit guide for the full detail.

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. 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. Statutory penalty figures are withheld pending confirmation with Thai counsel — we do not publish figures we cannot source. Reviewed 17 August 2026. Independent assistance agency; not affiliated with any government body.