Work Permit FAQ

Do you need to increase the period of the job to enable foreigners to stay longer in Thailand?

A request for a position extension must be made at least 15 days before the previous permit expires and no later than 90 days after it expires. Depending on the form of operating condition, the approval period can be extended for one or two years after it expires. Depending on the form of operation, the period will be extended by 1 or 2 years from the date submitted in the application. A position duration of at least 15 days is needed when submitting an application through the e-Expert system to ensure that it has adequate time to process through the following steps:

1. A request for form 11.1 will take 5 working days to complete Request Form 11.1 to extend the position’s length.

2. A request for form 11.2 will take three working days to process Request Form 11.2 for extending the length of a foreigner’s stay and any accompanying persons (if there is any).

What is the standard procedure for foreigners wishing to work in Thailand?

To work in Thailand, you must first secure a Thai non-immigrant visa, a prerequisite for obtaining a work permission. Once you have this visa, you can initiate the application process for your work permit. Be prepared with all necessary documents, including personal and employer details.

Upon approval, which might take anywhere between 7 days to 2 months, you will receive a blue-colored book bearing your photo, personal, and work permit details. It’s mandatory to personally appear before the Labour Department personnel with your passport to sign the Thai work permit book and get your passport stamped, signifying the grant of your work permit.

With the work permit in place, you can approach any Thai immigration office to obtain a stay extension based on employment. The fee for this service is 19xx THB paid in cash. In addition to your work permit, the immigration officials may request for a phone number and a Thailand address. Normally, the granted extension would be a year from your date of entry into Thailand and runs congruent with your employment term.

If you plan to travel out of Thailand and return while your work permit is still valid, make sure to secure a Thai re-entry permit to preserve your visa. This permit can be obtained either at a Thai Immigration Office or an International Airport. You’ll incur charges of 1, xxx Baht for a single re-entry or 3,8xx Baht for multiple entries.

Keeping your work permit current requires its renewal at Thailand’s Ministry of Labour. The renewal fee is 1,9xx THB and your employer’s support is necessary. Be sure to have all your initial application documents, duly stamped and signed. Failing to renew your work permit would mean leaving Thailand and re-applying for a new Thai non-immigrant visa.

When should my work permit be renewed?

The validity period of the work authorisation document is typically one or two years. You may apply for a renewal at any time up to four months before your current work permit expires. By looking at the front of the book document, you will quickly determine when your employment authorization document (EAD) will expire.