Thailand To Welcome Over 56,000 Skilled Foreign Workers with Streamlined Visas

[webfact]

 

 

 

The Thai government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is vigorously working to enhance its workforce by attracting skilled foreign professionals. As of 4th June, Chaiwut Watanakun, the Prime Minister's spokesman, announced that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has spearheaded efforts to improve Thailand's competitiveness in the global economy.

 

This includes refining visa and work permit procedures, which have already resulted in approvals for over 56,000 skilled foreign workers in targeted industries.

 

Chaiwut elaborated that the Board of Investment (BOI), in coordination with the Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Labour, has consistently prioritised the facilitation of services for skilled foreign professionals, investors, and others looking to work and reside in Thailand.

 

A significant step in this direction is the One Start One Stop Investment Center (OSOS) on the 18th floor of the Chamchuri Square building, which offers a comprehensive range of services in one location, eliminating the need to visit multiple agencies. Complementing this initiative is the SINGLE WINDOW Visa and Work Permit System, an online service designed to streamline visa and work permit processes.

 

 

According to BOI data, Thailand is now home to over 56,000 foreign workers whose visas and work permits have been approved. This includes over 50,000 managers and experts involved in investment promotion projects and approximately 4,000 individuals holding Long-Term Resident Visas (LTR Visas). The majority of these skilled professionals come from the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Japan, and France.

 

Additionally, Smart Visas, which cater to specific professions and startup groups, account for around 2,170 individuals, primarily from the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.

 

This robust initiative is seen as a crucial step in maintaining and boosting Thailand's standing in the global market, making it an attractive destination for high-calibre foreign talent.

 

TOP Picture courtesy: Matichon

 

-- 2024-06-04

 

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[JoePai]

The BOI must share the same offices as the TAT fortune tellers  

[brianthainess]

I'd like to hear what skills the Russians can bring.

[MarkBR]

Reform of education system is critical.  Maybe foreign teachers should be considered experts in subjects necessary to helping Thailand's education system.  Just a thought for consideration.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is vigorously working to enhance its workforce by attracting skilled foreign professionals

Something the education ministry should be doing.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, MarkBR said:

Reform of education system is critical.  Maybe foreign teachers should be considered experts in subjects necessary to helping Thailand's education system.  Just a thought for consideration.

Thailands decades long system of school indoctrination and under educating the masses is now biting them in the arse... the rest of the world has moved ahead with high technology and Thailand is stuck 50 years in the past, with a feudal elite system and a broken government.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I'd like to hear what skills the Russians can bring.

Thailand has enough corruption...

[JimHuaHin]

Shortly after I retired here nearly 11 years ago, I was approached by 3 regional educational institutions (including 2 universities) offering me employment opportunities either teaching or doing research.  I explained to the representatives that I was in Thailand on a "retirement" visa, and thus could not legally work in Thailand.   However, if the institutions submitted the required documentation to "immigration" so that I could obtain a "work" visa, which I could later change back to a "retirement" visa, then I could be happy to work for them.   In each case, after 4-6 weeks, I was advised that the "massive red tape" requirement was not worth the effort.  If I was not in my very late 50s, it may have been a slightly different story, from the educational institutions' perspective.

[MarkBR]

50 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Shortly after I retired here nearly 11 years ago, I was approached by 3 regional educational institutions (including 2 universities) offering me employment opportunities either teaching or doing research.  I explained to the representatives that I was in Thailand on a "retirement" visa, and thus could not legally work in Thailand.   However, if the institutions submitted the required documentation to "immigration" so that I could obtain a "work" visa, which I could later change back to a "retirement" visa, then I could be happy to work for them.   In each case, after 4-6 weeks, I was advised that the "massive red tape" requirement was not worth the effort.  If I was not in my very late 50s, it may have been a slightly different story, from the educational institutions' perspective.

Thailand is losing out on a lot of expertise among the farang who have retired.

[redwood1]

2 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Thailand is losing out on a lot of expertise among the farang who have retired.

 

Expat Retirees get about as much respect as Soi Dogs in Thailand....

[cowellandrew]

3 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I'd like to hear what skills the Russians can bring.

I dont think its Tank driving by the amount of luck they are having!

[Paul Henry]

More Thai dreaming!

[connda]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

This includes over 50,000 managers

Managers?  Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!  Skilled?    50K out of 56K are managers!  That's hilarious. 

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, redwood1 said:

 

Expat Retirees get about as much respect as Soi Dogs in Thailand....

You must talk to a lot of soi dogs instead of real people.

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Shortly after I retired here nearly 11 years ago, I was approached by 3 regional educational institutions (including 2 universities) offering me employment opportunities either teaching or doing research.  I explained to the representatives that I was in Thailand on a "retirement" visa, and thus could not legally work in Thailand.   However, if the institutions submitted the required documentation to "immigration" so that I could obtain a "work" visa, which I could later change back to a "retirement" visa, then I could be happy to work for them.   In each case, after 4-6 weeks, I was advised that the "massive red tape" requirement was not worth the effort.  If I was not in my very late 50s, it may have been a slightly different story, from the educational institutions' perspective.

They probably wanted you to teach for nothing. 

How did they know your qualifications, or was it just because you are a farang?

 

 

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, MarkBR said:

Reform of education system is critical.  Maybe foreign teachers should be considered experts in subjects necessary to helping Thailand's education system.  Just a thought for consideration.

There is a hierarchical social ladder conflict here; teachers are high up the ladder whereas farang are not on it. Thai teachers certainly don't want foreigners who have better qualifications than them! 

I agree the system sucks, I was a teacher here for over 25 years.

[ikke1959]

As i look around in my place there are almost no foreign teachers anymore, compared with a few years ago. If there are indeed so many skilled foreigners here I am wondering what and where they work. It seems a TAT number to me more than a reality

[watchcat]

14 hours ago, redwood1 said:

 

Expat Retirees get about as much respect as Soi Dogs in Thailand....

 

Much less they are well down the ladder.

[cncltd1973]

scrap the Thai language fast and convert to English. Thai is a dying language that is useless beyond its borders and nearly useless for critical or technical dialogue. if Thailand wants to leapfrog the sick man status and become current in asia, that is...

Edited June 5 by cncltd1973

[Dogmatix]

Get them in with all kinds of extravagant promises from the BOI and then, change the tax laws on them without providing any details as it is all left to the discretion of of individual revenue officers.  That's the way to do it.