To work in Thailand, a foreigner must first obtain a non-immigrant visa (a stamp in their passport), then apply for a work permit. There are two types of work permits: one is the Non-Immigrant B Business visa, and the other is the Non-Immigrant C Tourist visa.
To get a work permit, the applicant must provide their passport with copies of every page and their non-immigrant visa. They also need a departure card and their university or college degree with transcripts.
Employers must provide documents as well including copies of their company’s registration with the Board of Investment and their employment contracts. These documents should be signed and dated by the employer and submitted to the Ministry of Labor.
Employees must have a valid passport and a non-immigrant visa that allows them to work in Thailand for up to 12 months. They also must have three passport-sized photos taken within the last six months and medical certificates from the past 30 days.
Depending on the type of job, an employee may be required to pay income tax. This is in addition to the wages they receive, which will have to meet the minimum wage in Thailand.
If an employee is working for a Thai company, the employer must have at least two million baht in fully paid-up registered capital and they must employ no more than 50 Thai nationals. They must have paid income tax to the Revenue Department in the past 3 years of at least 5,000,000 baht and must have a registered address in Thailand.
Once an employer has these requirements, they can begin the process of obtaining a work permit for their employees. The process is typically very straightforward and will take a total of seven business days, but may be longer in some cases.
The Thai government has set up a one-stop service center for fast processing of work permits and visas. This center can be found at the Ministry of Labor in Din Daeng, Bangkok.
A person can apply for a work permit at the same time as applying for their non-immigrant visa in their home country, but the application must be done in their home country before they can travel to Thailand. This can take some time and may be difficult if you are traveling to Thailand for a short period of time.
If you are a teacher, your school or employer can help you with this process. They can provide the necessary documents for you to present in person.
Firstly, they will need to obtain a Non-Immigrant B Business visa for their teacher. This visa can be obtained through the Thai Embassy in your home country or in some other country where you are located. The cost of this visa is 2,000 THB, but it can vary.
Next, the school or employer will have to contact the Teachers Council of Thailand (TCT) to request a teacher’s license waiver for regular schools or a full five-year teacher’s license for language and university demonstration schools.