Thai Visas, Thai Work Permits, and Permanent Residence in the Kingdom of Thailand

As Thailand continues to attract both long term and short term travelers work permits and Permanent Residence becomes more sought after. Below is a brief overview of how the Thai work permit application process works and the method of applying for Thai Permanent Residence.

Discussion of Thai Visas invariably results in discussion of Thai work permits and Permanent Residence. A Thai work permit is a limited employment authorization document. It is limited because it only entitles the bearer to be employed at the location of the employer or for activities related to the underlying business.

For those wishing to submit a Thai work permit application it should be noted that only certain types of visas permit the bearer to submit a work permit application. For instance, a Thai business visa can be used as a foundation for a Thai work permit application. However, a Thai O visa (the categorization “O” denotes “Other” as this is the miscellaneous Thai visa category) is often only employment authorized if the visa was issued due to a kinship relationship with a Thai national. Although, all work permit applications are subject to some discretion and this rule regarding O visa work permit applicants is sometimes unevenly applied, for the most part, it is unwise to seek a Thai work permit on an O visa. Thai Education visas (commonly referred to as ED visas), rarely allow for employment authorization except in the uncommon cases where the employment is to be conducted at the school in which the foreigner is receiving his or her education. Even then, employment authorization approval is difficult to obtain.

For those interested in Thai Permanent Residence the process can be very time consuming. At the time of this writing, there is a four year backlog of Permanent Resident applications and it does not appear likely that this situation will change in the near future. There are currently quotas in place which cap the number of applicants for permanent residence. 100 individuals who are originally from Canada may submit applications for Thai permanent residence. Due to the extreme scrutiny placed upon these applications and the limited number accepted, it may be wise to retain the services of a Thai Immigration expert to assist in preparing and submitting an application. There is a very common belief that Permanent Residence in Thailand allows for automatic work authorization. This is not the case, a permanent resident in Thailand must still obtain a work permit in order to engage in employment activities in the Kingdom.

To learn more about Thai work permits and Permanent Residence please contact Integrity Legal.

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