
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.
Requirements for Thai Work Permit
Non Immigrant Visa ``B``
Applicants need to have a Non Immigrant Visa B in order to apply for Work Permit
WP3
Some Thai Embassies require WP3 as a requirement to issue Non Immigrant Visa ``B``. WP3 is pre-job approval by Thai Government
Work Permit Application
You need to apply for Work Permit to Labour Department within Thailand, normally issued within 14-21 days of submission.
