How much capital must my company show?

A sponsoring Thai company generally needs registered or paid-up capital of 2,000,000 baht per foreign employee, or 1,000,000 baht if the employee is legally married to a Thai national. Foreign branch offices are held to 3,000,000 baht per foreign employee. Companies with BOI promotion are exempt from these minimums.

How many Thai employees do I need to hire?

The standard ratio is four full-time Thai employees for each foreign work permit holder. It drops to two Thai employees if the foreigner is legally married to a Thai national. Each Thai employee must be properly registered for social security, not paid off the books.

Is a visa the same as a work permit?

No. They are separate authorisations from different ministries. The Non-Immigrant B visa (and extensions) is issued by the Immigration Bureau, while the work permit is issued by the Ministry of Labour. You typically need the correct visa status before you can complete the work permit, and companies often apply for both in parallel.

Can I start working before the permit is approved?

No. Working before the work permit is issued is illegal, even if an application is in progress. The e-WorkPermit system issues a digital work permit (D-WorkPermit) once approved, which you can show on your phone.

How long does a Thai work permit take?

For a well-prepared application, expect roughly one to two weeks from submission to a digital work permit, assuming the company documents are in order and the visa position is correct. First-time applications take longer because the employer's eligibility documents must be prepared first.

Thai Work Permit Requirements

Any foreigner who works in Thailand needs a work permit. It does not matter whether you are an employee, a consultant or the owner of the company. Only genuinely non-working activities, such as attending meetings, negotiating contracts or inspecting premises, fall outside the definition of work.

A common confusion is the difference between a visa and a work permit. They are two separate authorisations from two different ministries. The visa (usually a Non-Immigrant B) comes from the Immigration Bureau and controls your entry and stay. The work permit comes from the Ministry of Labour and controls your right to work. You need both, and for most employer-sponsored cases they are prepared in parallel.

Company requirements

Capital per foreign employee: ฿2,000,000 (฿1,000,000 if legally married to a Thai national)
Foreign branch office: ฿3,000,000 per foreign employee
Thai employee ratio: 4 Thai employees per foreigner (2 if married to a Thai national)
Social security: Each Thai employee must be registered with Social Security Office
Visa status: Valid Non-Immigrant B (or equivalent) before the permit completes

Companies with BOI promotion follow a separate, lighter regime and are not subject to the standard capital minimums or the four-Thai-employee ratio. See our guide to BOI Thailand benefits.

Documents you will need

Company affidavit (company registration details, capital, directors, shareholders).
VAT registration certificate (Por Por 01) and the company's tax ID.
List of registered Thai employees with social security payment records.
Certified copies of the applicant's passport, visa and entry stamp.
Photos, a job description and the location plan of the workplace.
Degrees, licences or references relevant to the position, where the job role requires them.

The exact document set depends on the role and on whether your company has sponsored permits before. We keep a current checklist for each case type.

How the process runs

Confirm the company meets the capital and Thai employee requirements, and register employees for social security where needed.
Secure the correct visa position (Non-Immigrant B, or convert status in Thailand where eligible).
File the work permit application through the Ministry of Labour's e-WorkPermit system, with the employer's supporting documents.
Receive the approval and the digital work permit (D-WorkPermit), issued as an electronic document you keep on your phone.
Keep the permit current: renew before expiry, report job or workplace changes, and update the permit when your address or role changes.

Official procedures and current forms are published by the Ministry of Labour at mol.go.th and the Department of Employment at doe.go.th. Visa rules are published by the Immigration Bureau at immigration.go.th. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Common mistakes to avoid

Working before the permit is issued. Even an owner-manager who starts operating before approval is working illegally, and enforcement in Pattaya does target this. Plan the start date around the approval, not the other way round.

Counting the wrong employees towards the ratio. The Thai employees must be genuinely employed and social-security registered. Part-time or family members who are not properly registered do not count.

Ignoring the annual cycle. Work permits renew annually, 90-day reports continue separately, and changes to your job title, workplace or salary need to be reflected. Our accounting service can handle the social security side so the ratio and records stay clean at renewal time, and our work permit service manages each renewal for you.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Foreigners need a work permit to work in Thailand, including freelancers, consultants and owners who actively work in their own company. Brief business visits such as meetings, negotiations or inspections do not count as work, but any hands-on or paid activity does.