Visa route and employer assessment
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to visa route and employer assessment.
Immigration & Visas
Visas and Work Permits in Thailand
A practical guide for foreign professionals and employers on the separate immigration and work-authorisation steps required for employment in Thailand.
The legal position
A visa, extension of stay and work permit serve different purposes
Immigration status and permission to work are separate. The appropriate route depends on the work, employer and any special programme or exemption.
The Department of Employment administers work permits, while Immigration Bureau approval addresses the right to stay. Approval under one system should not be treated as approval under the other.
Facilitated routes remain purpose-specific
BOI-promoted businesses may use a facilitated route for qualifying foreign personnel. Eligible LTR holders working in Thailand may use the digital work-permit route, while the DTV does not replace employment arrangements for a job with a Thai business.
The assessment involves both the individual and employer
Relevant matters include duties, qualifications, experience, immigration status, restricted occupations and professional licences. The employer may need to demonstrate registration, genuine operations, finances, capital, tax compliance and Thai staffing.
The sequence of approvals should be identified before recruitment or relocation
The employer and applicant should identify the sequence of labour approval, visa application, entry and work-permit issuance. Documents commonly include passport and immigration records, an employment contract, job description, qualifications and employer-side corporate, financial and tax documents.
Immigration and work-permit validity must be tracked separately
Address reporting, employment notifications, re-entry, tax, payroll and social-security duties must be managed. A report does not extend permission to stay, and a change in employer or duties may require a new review.
How SBC Law can assist
Focused support built around the matter and its commercial context.
Our role is tailored to the route, the evidence and the outcome required—not a standardised package applied to every matter.
Work-permit eligibility
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to work-permit eligibility.
Application sequencing
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to application sequencing.
Role changes and continuing compliance
Advice tailored to the legal, documentary and implementation requirements relevant to role changes and continuing compliance.
Discuss your objectives
Advice shaped around the objective and the operating context.
Tell us what you are planning, what has changed and where you need clarity. Our Bangkok team will help identify the relevant legal pathway.