To be able to Work in Thailand or Open a Business, you will need to get a Work Permit. In Order to get a Work Permit, You will need to Go through a Process In which the Thai Immigration and the Ministry of Labor (Employment Department) are Involved. In This Article we will go through the Process in Details so you can have a Clear Idea where to Start from and what you need to Prepare in a Step by Step Guide.
Who Can Apply for the Thailand Work Permit?
All People from All Nationalities are Eligible to Apply for the Thailand Work Permit as long as he/she can meet the requirements needed and the documents requested.
Applying for Thailand Work Permit Step by Step:
Step 1: Apply for Non B 90 Days Business Visa:
The First Step to get the Work Permit in Thailand, is to apply and get the 90 Days Business Visa approved. To do that, There is a list of Documents required that need to be submitted and Prepared by the Applicant and the Employer.
Most of the documents required have to be prepared by the Employer, and the Documents needed from the Applicant are very Simple and Easy to Prepare.
Below we will only Highlight the Documents that need to be prepared from the applicant Side and not the Ones needed from the Employer:
- Passport Copy
- Personal Photos
- TM30 Form (You need to arrange this Form with the Owner of the Apartment/Condominium where you are Staying)
- Letter of Experience from the Previous Employers.
- Education Certificate(s) (they need to be translated in case they are not written in English Language.
The Above are the Documents required from the Applicant, and the rest of the requirements have to be arranged by the Employer.
Where to Submit the Business Visa Documents?
The Documents have to be Submitted in the Immigration Office.
How long Does it Take to get the Business Visa Approved?
It takes around 7 Days from the Date of Documents Submission to receive the Non B 90 Days Visa.
Important remark: to be Able to apply for the Non B 90 Days Visa, you need to have at least 15 Days Left from your Current Visa for Staying in Thailand.
Step 2: Apply for the Work Permit
After receiving your Business Visa for 90 Days, You will be able to apply for your Work Permit at the Ministry of Labor, Department of Employment. You can Visit the Nearest Office to you to apply. The Same Documents requested to get the Business Visa are the Ones Needed to apply for the Work Permit (Some additional Forms maybe Required to fill up and you can get them at the Labor Office).
Important Remark: Regarding the Personal Photos, you need to be wearing a Shirt or a Suit. (Personal Photos with T Shirts will not be accepted)
How Long does it take to get the Work Permit Approved?
It takes from 3 to 7 Days to get the Work Permit Approved by the Ministry of Labor from the Day of Documents Submission.
Step 3: Extend to 1 Year Visa
After receiving your work Permit, You can Proceed to the Immigration Office again to Extend your 90 days Visa to become One Year. Before Going to the Immigration, You will need to go to the Police Station for Fingerprint Check, and take the Document and Submit it at the Immigration Office.
It takes around 15 days for your Visa to be ready after Submitting the Documents.
Remark: Applying for the work Permit and Business Visa can be considered as one of the Hardest Processes for Immigration and Visas. The Hard Part is from the Employer Side as the requirements needed include Financial Documents, Taxation, and Previous year Documents related to Social Security..etc.
