A Thai visa and a work permit are separate permissions. A visa or extension controls your right to enter and stay; work authorisation controls what work you may do. Before starting paid or unpaid duties, confirm that the occupation is open to foreign workers, that the employer and application route qualify, and that the required approval has been issued.
The correct route depends on the worker’s immigration status, nationality, employer, duties and any investment-promotion privileges. Use the checks below to prepare, then confirm the live requirements with the Department of Employment or the authority responsible for your route.
Who normally needs work authorisation
Foreign nationals generally need permission before working in Thailand and must stay within the work they are authorised to perform. A job title alone is not decisive: actual duties, employer and work location matter. Being a shareholder, company director, volunteer or unpaid worker does not automatically remove the need to check the rules.
Do not begin because an application has been submitted or because you hold a Non-Immigrant B visa. Wait until the applicable work permission is effective, unless an official exemption or notification route clearly applies to your circumstances.
Check the occupation before accepting the role
The Ministry of Labour maintains lists of occupations that foreign nationals may not perform or may perform only under stated conditions. Compare the real duties with the current official list, not an informal job-title summary.
- Describe the day-to-day duties, employer and work locations accurately.
- Check whether the occupation is prohibited or conditionally permitted.
- Identify any separate Thai professional licence or sector approval.
- Make sure the proposed duties match what will be requested in the application.
Choose the correct route
Standard skilled-employment route
The Department of Employment’s e-WorkPermit service lists the Section 59 application for a foreign national temporarily permitted to stay in Thailand under Non-Immigrant status and applying to perform skilled or knowledge-based work. The current form is BT.25. The worker and employer must supply the evidence required for their case.
Employer application while the worker is abroad
The official service also provides a Section 60 route under which an employer may apply on behalf of a foreign national who is outside Thailand. This is not the final permission to start work: the applicant must also complete the relevant immigration and work-permit stages.
BOI, Smart Visa and LTR routes
BOI-promoted employers and eligible experts use the designated BOI and Department of Employment process. Smart Visa holders may be exempt from a conventional work permit only for endorsed activities and employers, while eligible LTR visa holders use the Digital Work Permit route. Treat each programme’s conditions as route-specific.
Urgent or ad-hoc work
Qualifying necessary, urgent or ad-hoc work that can be completed within 15 days uses a notification procedure. It is not a general short-assignment exemption. Make the required notification before the work starts and confirm that the activity meets the official definition.
Prepare the worker’s documents
The current checklist may require different evidence by route, but common worker-side documents include:
- passport identity and relevant visa or permission-to-stay pages;
- a recent photograph in the required format;
- education, training or previous-employment evidence relevant to the role;
- a professional licence or certification for a regulated occupation;
- a medical certificate when required by the current checklist;
- existing permit details for a renewal or change application.
Names, passport numbers, employer details, duties and dates should be consistent across every form and attachment. Foreign-language documents may need a Thai translation and certification under the official checklist.
Prepare the employer’s evidence
The employer normally leads the company-side preparation. Depending on its legal form and route, evidence can include current company registration, authorised signatories, shareholder information, VAT and tax records, employment certification, workplace information and sector licences. BOI-promoted companies should follow the current BOI expert-position and qualification workflow rather than mixing it with an ordinary application checklist.
Do not rely on a single capital, revenue or Thai-employee ratio quoted without context. Thresholds and exemptions can depend on the employer, route and applicant.
Follow the application process
- Define the employment. Confirm the legal employer, actual duties, locations and intended start date.
- Check restrictions. Review prohibited occupations and professional licensing requirements.
- Select the route. Identify the standard, overseas-employer, BOI, Smart Visa, LTR or urgent-work process.
- Align immigration status. Confirm the visa or permission to stay required for that route.
- Prepare evidence. Assemble the current worker and employer checklist without mismatched names or dates.
- Submit through the official channel. Use e-WorkPermit, the responsible employment office or the designated special-route system.
- Respond to corrections. Track the application and provide any requested evidence promptly.
- Check the issued permission. Verify the employer, permitted work, location or scope and validity period before starting.
Costs and timing
Application and permit fees are separate and depend on the route and validity period. The current e-WorkPermit user guide for a Section 59 BT.25 application shows a 100-baht application fee; confirm the final permit fee displayed or quoted by the responsible office before payment. Processing estimates apply only after a complete application, so allow time for document corrections and the related immigration steps.
After approval
- Work only within the authorised employer and scope.
- Check the official process before changing employer, duties or other material details.
- Track the visa or stay expiry and the work-permission expiry separately.
- Start renewal preparation early, especially where employer tax or workforce records are required.
- Complete any required start, change or termination notifications.
- Keep copies of the application, receipts, approval and supporting evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a business visa as permission to work.
- Starting while an application is still pending.
- Using a prohibited-occupation list from an unofficial or outdated article.
- Describing a broad job title instead of the actual duties.
- Submitting inconsistent passport, employer or date information.
- Assuming a short visit, unpaid activity or directorship is automatically exempt.
- Failing to deal with changes before performing work outside the approved scope.
Verify the current requirements
Start with the Department of Employment e-WorkPermit service, the Department’s English translation of the foreign-work administration decree and the official notification on prohibited occupations. For qualifying programmes, use the official Smart Visa, LTR Visa or BOI guidance. Requirements can change, so recheck the relevant official route before committing to a start date.