Work Legally in Thailand With a Thai Work Permit

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Employment in Thailand doesn't only present economic benefits although most expats out there agree that Thailand isn't the best place to earn money. The main draw for the influx of foreigners who would like to work in Thailand is more of the exciting lifestyle and countless adventures which the country affords to the working expat in the duration of his stay. Indeed, where else in the world can you have a vacation while earning money at the same time if not in the amazing Land of Smiles, Thailand.

Apart from a Thai Business Visa or a Non B visa, a foreigner needs a work permit to be able to work legally in the Kingdom. It is the job of your employer to arrange this for you however there are also times wherein you would need to take care of this concern by yourself as your hiring company in Thailand may not have the staff to do this in your behalf. This means the company will just have to furnish you the necessary Thai Company documents and you are left to organize your work permit on your own.

Normally, if you will be applying a NON B visa from the Thai consulate or Thai embassy in your home country for the purpose of employment in Thailand, the embassy officer may require the initial work permit application called WP3 as a requirement for the visa application. This will be taken care of your employer as most of the documents required are Thai company-related papers. Once you get to Thailand with the Non B visa, you would need to accomplish the other required documents such as the medical certificate and the photos. Along with your passport, this will be brought and submitted to the Ministry of Labor. The Ministry of Labor normally takes 7-10 business days to issue the work permit. The validity of the WP usually depends on the validity of the Non B visa. Say, you were able to obtain a 90-day non B visa in your home country; you would be mostly likely given a work permit with 90-day validity when consummating your WP application in Thailand. Extensions of the Non B visa and work permit takes place when they reach their validity within Thailand as long as all required documents are present.

The following are the common documents required for the Thailand work permit application. This is especially true for those who will be working for normal Thai companies. It includes the following:

· Form WP2

· Recent photo (3pcs); 5 x 6 cms in size

· Employment agreement

· Copy of company registration certificate, including company objectives.

· Copy of company shareholders' list

· Copy of VAT registration; Phor Phor.01

· Company Organization chart

· Copy of front page of passport and visa.

· Education certificate and resume of previous employment.

· Medical certificate

· Map of place of business.

· Photos of Office inside and outside, with outside showing the company name and address

Once all these documents have been collected, you may proceed to submit your work permit application at the Ministry of Labor for processing. The application fee has since increased to 600 Baht from the original 100 Baht. The government fees usually depend on the length of the work permit validity that you are applying for.

As some of the documents which you will be dealing are in Thai and the fact that you are not familiar with the process, it would be good to seek assistance from a Thailand legal service to guide you through the work permit application. This way, your dream of being able to work legally in Thailand will be surely taken care of.

Siam Legal International is a Thailand law firm located in Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Samui. Persons interested in applying for a Thailand Work Permit should seek the assistance of a Thailand Lawyer.

George M. Londob works as a Business Correspondent for Siam Legal International, Thailand's largest legal service network with offices in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Samui. The firm has international locations in London and Los Angeles. Siam Legal is a full-service law firm that provides a wide range of legal and visa services. Reach Siam Legal at +(66) 2-253-8100, or info@siam-legal.com.

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