Ministry of Labor improves the way foreigners collect work permits

Summary of the Cabinet meeting on 25 February 2025

The Cabinet considered and approved in principle the Draft Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Application, Work Permit Issuance, and Notification of Employment of Foreign Nationals (No. ..), B.E. …., which has key provisions to amend the Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Application, Work Permit Issuance, and Notification of Employment of Foreign Nationals B.E. 2563. This amendment aims to improve the criteria for receiving work permits for foreign nationals in order to facilitate convenience, reduce procedures, and eliminate unnecessary expenses.

Key Points:

Currently, foreign nationals intending to work in Thailand must obtain a work permit prior to commencing employment. The Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Application, Work Permit Issuance, and Notification of Employment of Foreign Nationals B.E. 2563 has established various channels for work permit applications, such as foreign nationals submitting applications in person or employers submitting applications on behalf of foreign nationals. However, the aforementioned Ministerial Regulation stipulates that once officials have issued a work permit, the foreign national who applied for the work permit must collect the work permit in person at the Department of Employment. This requirement causes inconvenience for foreign nationals in receiving their work permits and increases the burden of contacting government agencies. Furthermore, employers and business operators face problems with increased expenses from their foreign employees’ travel to collect work permits or having to suspend business operations to allow foreign employees to travel to collect work permits, thus hindering continuous business operations.

Therefore, the Ministry of Labour has proposed the Draft Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Application, Work Permit Issuance, and Notification of Employment of Foreign Nationals (No. ..), B.E. …. to amend the aforementioned Ministerial Regulation. This amendment aims to improve the methods for foreign nationals of all categories entering the Kingdom to work to receive their work permits, including foreign nationals working in foreign film productions and music festivals. The key provision is to cancel the requirement for foreign nationals to collect their work permits in person only. The Department of Employment will determine methods for foreign nationals to receive their work permits, such as allowing foreign nationals to authorize others to collect on their behalf, receive them via mail, or online. This is to create flexibility and reduce the limitations of such procedures, as well as to facilitate convenience for foreign nationals and employers, enabling foreign nationals to receive their work permits through more convenient methods.

Detailed Report

Thailand’s Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Applications, Issuance of Work Permits, and Notification of Foreigners’ Work (B.E. 2563) is a regulation enacted by the Ministry of Labour to manage work permits for foreigners. This regulation outlines the procedures for applying, collecting, and notifying work for foreigners in detail. According to the proposal, the new revision seeks to improve the process of collecting work permits to reduce unnecessary procedures and financial burdens.

Details of the Original Regulation

The key features of the original regulation (B.E. 2563) include:

• Foreigners were required to personally visit the Department of Employment to collect their work permits after issuance. This requirement applies to all types of foreigners working in Thailand.
• Application methods included personal submission by the foreigner or submission by the employer on their behalf, but collection had to be done in person by the foreigner.
• Issues arising from this regulation included:
  • Foreigners had to make multiple trips to government offices, increasing travel burdens
  • Employers faced potential business interruptions due to employees taking time off to collect permits
  • Unnecessary costs, such as travel expenses, were incurred

Details of the New Proposal

The new proposal, titled Draft Ministerial Regulation on Work Permit Applications, Issuance of Work Permits, and Notification of Foreigners’ Work (Issue No. ..) B.E. …., includes the following key amendments:

• Elimination of the requirement that foreigners must personally collect their work permits.
• Permission for the Department of Employment to establish more flexible collection methods, such as:
  • Collection by an authorized proxy on behalf of the foreigner;
  • Delivery of the work permit via postal service;
  • Issuance through an online platform.
• This change applies to all types of foreigners working in Thailand
• The goal is to reduce the burden on foreigners and employers, particularly in terms of travel and time costs, while providing more convenient services.

Comparative Analysis

Detailed comparison table of the original regulation and the new proposal:

Aspect	Original Regulation (B.E. 2563)	New Proposal
Method of Obtaining Work Permit	Must be collected in person at the Department of Employment	Multiple methods, including in-person, proxy, postal, or online
Scope of Application	All foreigners working in Thailand, including special categories	All foreigners working in Thailand, including special categories
Impact on Foreigners	Increased travel and time costs	Reduced travel needs, more flexible options, less inconvenience
Impact on Employers	Potential business interruptions due to employees taking time off, increased costs	Reduced interruptions from permit collection, lower costs
Objective	Ensure identity verification through in-person collection	Enhance convenience, reduce unnecessary procedures and costs