To legally work in Thailand, a foreigner must possess a work permit. Work permit is a legal document that states a foreigner’s position, current occupation, or job description and the Thai company he is working with. It also serves as a license to perform a job or an occupation allowed for foreigners inside Thailand.

To secure a work permit in Thailand, a foreigner needs an initial visa, which is a non-immigrant visa. In most cases, it will be Non-Immigrant Type “B” visa unless you are married to Thai and have a spouse visa. Work-Permit cannot be issued to holders of Tourist Visa or other types of visa. The Work Permit can be issued to BOI approved companies or companies with a registered capital of at least 2,000,000 Baht. One foreigner can be hired for every 2,000,000 Baht of capital.

It is important to distinguish between (Non Immigrant) Visa and Work Permit. Visa gives you right to enter and live in Thailand whereas Work Permit gives you the right to work legally in Thailand.

The work permit process in Phuket would take 14-21 business days to accomplish. Work-Permit is issued by the Labour Department, must be obtained before beginning work.

After receiving your work permit, Non Immigrant Visa can be extended for one year.