Hiring and permission to work in Thailand

Treat these as separate checks: employment contract and labour rights; immigration status and permission to stay; permission to work or a statutory notification or exemption; prohibited or regulated occupation; employer or activity licence; SSO and payroll tax.

The current DOE e-WorkPermit service identifies transaction routes, including applications under the applicable foreign-worker framework and urgent or necessary work notifications. Select the route from the actual worker, employer, activity and status. Do not assume that a visa, company registration, BOI certificate or job title itself authorises work.

Working hours, leave, holiday, severance, notice, probation and employee classification depend on current Thai labour law and the employment facts. Capital, Thai-employee, fee, document and processing rules are not universal and must not be copied from an old work-permit checklist.

Use the enacted Thai 2020 MOL notification and its four appended lists and conditions to check the actual activity before work begins. The official MOL/DOE 2022 explanation of 27 occupations reserved for Thai nationals and 13 occupations permitted on conditions is orientation only; the Thai notification controls. Do not treat either description as a simplified list that applies without checking the work, conditions, nationality or agreement, employer facts, and any professional or sector licence. Obtain DOE and qualified Thai labour and immigration advice for changes, urgent work, remote work and exemptions.

Occupation sources checked: 20 September 2026. The Department of Employment and Ministry of Labour routes were rechecked as part of the page's substantive review; occupation, activity, employer, immigration status and work authorization remain separate fact-specific questions.

Do not send passports, employment contracts, payroll, health or immigration records through a general enquiry. Independent provider scope, fee and any referral compensation are disclosed before consented transfer.

Review status: Editorially reviewed 20 September 2026 against the current DOE e-WorkPermit transaction routes, Ministry of Labour prohibited-occupation material and SSO entry point. Next scheduled review: 20 December 2026. The worker's exact route and current forms must be confirmed before work begins.

Professional review: Not performed. No visa, work permit, notification, labour compliance or hiring outcome is guaranteed.