Work Permits in Thailand: A Guide for Foreign Business Owners
Quick answer
To work legally as a foreign business owner in Thailand you need two separate authorisations: a Non-Immigrant B visa (from Immigration, allowing you to stay) and a work permit (from the Ministry of Labour, allowing you to work). A Thai-registered company must sponsor both. For a standard company that means THB 2 million of paid-up capital and four Thai employees per foreigner — halved if you are married to a Thai national. Owning the company alone does not let you work in it.
1Two documents, two authorities
The single most common mistake is treating "the visa" and "the work permit" as one thing. They are separate, issued by different agencies under different laws:
The Non-Immigrant B visa is issued by the Immigration Bureau under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979). It lets you enter and stay for business/work.
The work permit is issued by the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour under the Working of Aliens Act B.E. 2551 (2008). It authorises you to work.
Critical: don't work before the permit is in hand
Your Non-B visa lets you enter Thailand, but you may not legally work until the physical work permit is issued. Starting work — even setting up, meeting clients or "just helping out" — before then can lead to fines, arrest and deportation. In most cases you also cannot convert a tourist visa or visa-exemption entry into work status from inside Thailand.
2What counts as "work"
Thai law defines work extremely broadly — it is exerting physical energy or using knowledge, whether or not for pay. That means the definition can reach far beyond a salaried job.
In practice, as a business owner, activities such as signing company documents, directing staff, negotiating with clients, or performing hands-on tasks in your own business all require a permit. Even unpaid or volunteer activity has been treated as work by the authorities. If you actively run or contribute to a business in Thailand, assume you need a permit.
3Your company as sponsor: the core requirements
You cannot hold a work permit in a vacuum — a legally registered Thai employer must sponsor it, and that is usually your own company. For a standard Thai limited company (non-BOI), the employer must meet all of the following:
Be registered with the Department of Business Development (DBD) with a valid Tax ID.
Hold THB 2,000,000 of fully paid-up registered capital per foreign work permit.
Employ four Thai staff per foreigner, registered with Social Security.
Have a real, inspectable office — not a virtual address.
Be registered for VAT and Social Security and be filing its returns.
Most foreign entrepreneurs use a Thai limited company with 51% Thai / 49% foreign ownership. Nominee shareholders — Thais holding shares on your behalf without genuine investment — are illegal and heavily scrutinised. Structure it properly from day one.
4The capital requirement in detail
The headline figure is THB 2 million of paid-up capital for each foreign work permit. A few important nuances:
Married to a Thai national? The requirement is halved to THB 1 million.
Foreign-majority company (with a Foreign Business Licence)? The figure rises to THB 3 million per restricted activity.
Multiple foreigners? Add another THB 2 million for each additional permit (e.g. THB 4 million for two foreign staff).
The capital must be genuinely paid up — deposited into the company account — and it remains the company's money to use for the business. It is working capital, not a government fee.
Alternatives to the capital rule
A company can also qualify by having paid at least THB 5 million in corporate income tax over three years (one foreigner per THB 5 million), or by export revenue, or by employing 50 Thai staff per foreigner. For most new business owners, however, the THB 2 million route is the practical one.
5The 4-to-1 Thai employee ratio
Alongside capital, Immigration expects four Thai employees on the payroll for every foreign work permit when you apply for your one-year visa extension. If you are married to a Thai, this drops to two. A representative office follows a "one Thai per foreigner" rule instead.
The Thai staff must be genuine employees doing real work and paid a lawful salary.
They must be registered with the Social Security Office (SSO), with contributions made.
The requirement bites at visa-extension time, not necessarily at company registration — but plan for it from the start.
A typical company can sponsor up to around ten foreigners, scaling capital and Thai headcount accordingly.
6Minimum salary by nationality
When you renew your Non-B visa for a year, Immigration checks that you earn at least a minimum monthly salary set by your nationality (which also keeps you in a taxable bracket). The standard thresholds are approximately:
THB 50,000 — Western Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan.
THB 45,000 — South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong.
THB 35,000 — most other Asian countries, Eastern Europe, Russia, South Africa, Central & South America, Mexico.
THB 25,000 — most African countries, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam.
As the owner-director, you generally pay yourself at least this salary and declare the corresponding personal income tax.
7The process, step by step
Register your Thai company at the DBD with the correct structure and capital, then open a corporate bank account.
Register for VAT and Social Security and hire your Thai employees.
Apply for WP.3 / WP.32 — the pre-approval from the Department of Employment, filed while you are still outside Thailand.
Apply for the Non-Immigrant B visa at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad, using the company documents and pre-approval.
Enter Thailand on the Non-B and, within 15 days, submit your work-permit application to the Department of Employment.
Collect your work permit book, then apply at Immigration for a one-year extension of stay.
Stay compliant — 90-day reporting, annual renewals, tax filing and a re-entry permit before you travel.
8Documents you'll need
Personal: passport with Non-B visa, photos, a medical certificate from a Thai hospital or licensed clinic (confirming you're free of the conditions barred under the Alien Employment Act), and your degree or professional qualifications.
Company: registration certificate and affidavit (Tor.Dor.20), shareholder list (Bor.Or.Jor.5), VAT certificate (Por.Por.20), latest financial statements, and your employment contract.
Pre-approval: the WP.3 form issued by the Ministry of Labour.
9Validity, fees and ongoing compliance
A work permit is typically issued for up to one year (sometimes less for brand-new companies) and renewed annually alongside your visa extension. Indicative government fees are around THB 3,000 for one year, THB 4,500 for 18 months and THB 6,000 for two years, plus roughly THB 1,900 for the yearly extension of stay.
Staying legal is an ongoing job, not a one-off. Keep on top of 90-day address reporting, annual work-permit and visa renewals, personal income tax and social security, and always obtain a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand so your extension isn't cancelled.
10Faster and easier routes
The standard company route isn't the only path. Depending on your profile, these can drastically reduce the capital and staffing burden:
BOI promotion — for targeted industries; relaxed or waived capital and Thai-ratio rules, plus fast One-Stop-Service processing. Note that new BOI minimum-salary thresholds took effect in 2026.
SMART Visa — for qualifying investors, executives, experts and startup founders; grants the right to work without a separate work permit, no 4:1 ratio and no 90-day reporting, for up to four years.
LTR Visa — a 10-year visa with a digital work permit, exemption from the 4:1 ratio and, for highly-skilled professionals, a flat 17% personal income tax rate.
US–Thai Treaty of Amity — lets US citizens own a company up to 100% in most sectors (you still need a work permit).
Married to a Thai — halves both the capital (THB 1M) and staffing (2 Thai employees) requirements.
11Prohibited jobs and penalties
Some occupations are reserved for Thai nationals under the Alien Employment Act — historically including certain manual trades, farming, and some service roles. Check the reserved-occupations list before assuming a role is open to you.
The cost of getting it wrong
Working without a valid permit exposes you to fines, possible imprisonment and deportation, and employers face penalties of up to THB 100,000 per violation. Repeated breaches can jeopardise future visas and lead to blacklisting. The paperwork is far cheaper than the penalty — do it properly.