Looking for legal way to stay in Thailand after volunteer visa

[Yudie]

Hi, I’m a 25-year-old girl from Sri Lanka. I’m planning to come to Thailand with a volunteer visa.

After that, I want to stay longer and do simple legal work like farming, gardening, or helping in hostels — just enough to survive peacefully.

Is there any legal way to stay and work after volunteering? Can a local person help me get a Non-B visa or work permit?

I’m not looking for big jobs or online work — just a quiet, honest life. Any advice would mean a lot. Thank you!

[save the frogs]

I'm not sure, but there may be some job recruiting agencies for non-thai nationals. 

Do a search online.

They would help you find a job and get a work permit. 

 

[proton]

'like farming, gardening, or helping in hostels — just enough to survive peacefully'

 

Try any of those and you will be deported, there are very few jobs you could do legally

[Tarteso]

There are some NGO in north Chiang Mai, closed to Myanmar border working in Refugees Camps.  Long time ago I meet with Spanish people working there. Take a look in Google. Good luck.

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, Yudie said:

After that, I want to stay longer and do simple legal work like farming, gardening, or helping in hostels — just enough to survive peacefully.

Is there any legal way to stay and work after volunteering? Can a local person help me get a Non-B visa or work permit?

You have not outlined any skill set or qualifications. 

Seems at 25 you plan to do "simple legal work" 

Not possible IMO. 

[HappyExpat57]

Do a Google search:

 

list of jobs foreigners can do in thailand

 

Interestingly, different browsers gave difference results regarding completeness of results, with Chrome giving the most complete.

[Rob Browder]

Some jobs are strictly prohibited from work by foreigners in Thailand - cannot get a work-permit for them - including agriculture.  Foreigners do these jobs here en-masse, but illegally.

 

You could get a job working for a hotel / hostel cleaning rooms, etc.  This is easier for those from neighboring countries using the "L-Visa" system - not sure how much more difficult if from Sri Lanka, but could be possible. 

 

The Thailand rich-elite keep these visas available to prevent having to pay decent wages to the millions of unemployed, poor Thais (similar to policies in the West).

[Briggsy]

It is unlikely without connections that the Ministry of Labour will issue a work permit for any of the "simple" read 'unskilled' jobs you mention.

 

The salary will not reach the 35,000 Baht per month to extend the permission to stay once the initial permission to stay expires. 

 

So, as it stands at the moment, your plan will not work. 

 

Much better plan - marry a Thai man. 

[garzhe]

On 6/3/2025 at 9:15 AM, Yudie said:

 

Hi, I’m a 25-year-old girl from Sri Lanka. I’m planning to come to Thailand with a volunteer visa.

After that, I want to stay longer and do simple legal work like farming, gardening, or helping in hostels — just enough to survive peacefully.

Is there any legal way to stay and work after volunteering? Can a local person help me get a Non-B visa or work permit?

I’m not looking for big jobs or online work — just a quiet, honest life. Any advice would mean a lot. Thank you!

 

[garzhe]

Unless you have skills that a company requires here, there's no chance to get employment with a work permit.  Only way is constant border runs or maybe an Education Visa, which will cost you around 40,000 baht a  year. 

[Watawattana]

I think it'll be tough and highly likely to not be possible, but even so I really hope you find a way and are happy.

[khunPer]

On 6/3/2025 at 4:15 AM, Yudie said:

After that, I want to stay longer and do simple legal work like farming, gardening, or helping in hostels — just enough to survive peacefully.

The work you are looking for seems like work that are protected for only Thais to perform. To work as a foreigner in Thailand, you need qualifications that Thailand needs.

[scorecard]

On 6/3/2025 at 9:36 AM, DrJack54 said:

You have not outlined any skill set or qualifications. 

Seems at 25 you plan to do "simple legal work" 

Not possible IMO. 

 

On 6/3/2025 at 9:36 AM, DrJack54 said:

 

 

Hi Yidie,

 

Are you aware that the Thai law includes a long list of occupations / jobs which are reserves for Thai citizens only.

 

Also to work legally in Thailand you must have a Thai Work Permit. 

 

Search under Thai Work Permit, I think you'll find all the details, including the fact you must be employed with a legal letter of employment by a Thai company to apply for a work permit.

 

The letter of employment must state the type of work. If it's work which is reserved for Thai's only you have no chance of gaining a work permit.  

 

'Simple legal work' can easily be carried out by a Thai person so you would not get a work permit.

 

Working for free isn't accepted for a work permit.