The Real Cost Of Work Permit And Visa Renewal Every Year

[Sabum]

Hey, I did a search and I am worried people are mixing up the costs of work permits and visa renewals since it seems they are the same price and I just wanted some clarity.

How much is the 1 year work permit renewal and how much is the 1 year visa renewal, is it really only 5k each? I am paying an insane amount, don't mind being robbed a little by a lawyer but there's got to be a limit....

[Mario2008]

renewal of a work permit is 3,100 (one year extension)

extension of stay from immigration 1,900

[Sabum]

Right 5k for the work permit renewal

I also need the true cost of 1 year visa renewal if anyone knows off hand

Thanks

EDIT: Wait... you mean 5k total for BOTH? Oh my god.....

Edited March 20, 2009 by Sabum

[Soutpeel]

Right 5k for the work permit renewal

I also need the true cost of 1 year visa renewal if anyone knows off hand

Thanks

EDIT: Wait... you mean 5k total for BOTH? Oh my god.....

Well frankly if you are paying a lawyer to do this...there will be "professional" fees involved as well...lets face it..they are not going to do it for nothing...how much are you paying now ??

[Mario2008]

Right 5k for the work permit renewal

I also need the true cost of 1 year visa renewal if anyone knows off hand

Thanks

EDIT: Wait... you mean 5k total for BOTH? Oh my god.....

Correct, the total cost for WP plus extension of stay is 5,000 a year. Any other costs will be your lawyers fee.

[Sabum]

No no, Im fully prepared to pay the lawyer fees, I just would like him to limit his thievery, I won't tell you how much I am paying as all your heads would explode upon looking at the figure.

[PoorSucker]

Depends on where you live.

One year extension of stay is 5000 baht on Samui. (1900 fee + 3100 tea money to immigrations)

Are you employed or have a own business.

If you have your own business, there's other taxes to be paid if you have an Alien (you) employed.

Edited March 20, 2009 by PoorSucker

[Sabum]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

[Lite Beer]

Depends on where you live.

One year extension of stay is 5000 baht on Samui. (1900 fee + 3100 tea money to immigrations)

Nothing Changes.

This is my first ever post on 23.10.2006. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Annual-Renew...926#entry952926

[Mario2008]

You can easily do it yourself, no need to have a lawyer do it for you.

[PoorSucker]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

Ok. That's your income tax per month.

Has nothing to do with costs for WP and extension of stay.

The WP cost and extension of stay is a yearly cost.

You can check your tax cost here: The Revenue Department

Edited March 20, 2009 by PoorSucker

[Sabum]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

Ok. That's your income tax per month.

Has nothing to do with costs for WP and extension of stay.

The WP cost and extension of stay is a yearly cost.

You can check your tax cost here: The Revenue Department

You're saying I have to also pay some extra tax when renewing my work permit and visa when working for a company? I'm aware about the yearly cost of the wp and visa... hence the whole point of the thread, but now you are giving me new information I've never heard of, a yearly tax payment when renewing wp and visa?

[jingjingna]

Somebody has already quoted costs above: Work permit 3,100 Baht and Visa Renewal 1,900. Forget the bit about tax as your company should be taking care of that side of things anyway.

[Sabum]

Ya that's what I thought. Thanks, just wish I wasn't paying 7 times that amount.

[mjperry]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

If by health coverage thingy you mean the Thai social fund, then that figure you quoted is too much, the monthly limit for the social fund is 750 Baht based on it being 5% of salary up to a maximum salary of 15,000 Baht? And also the minimum monthly salary for a one year extension is 50,000 i believe?

Edited March 21, 2009 by mjperry

[Lite Beer]

And also the minimum monthly salary for a one year extension is 50,000 i believe?

It depends on Nationality. For Canadians it is 50,000 Baht.

[monkfish]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

If by health coverage thingy you mean the Thai social fund, then that figure you quoted is too much, the monthly limit for the social fund is 750 Baht based on it being 5% of salary up to a maximum salary of 15,000 Baht? And also the minimum monthly salary for a one year extension is 50,000 i believe?

Just to note that the company has to pay 50% of the social fee i.e. employer 50% company 50%.

[monkfish]

Ya that's what I thought. Thanks, just wish I wasn't paying 7 times that amount.

A lot depends on the Labour Dept.

Can't remember the figures exactly but when I renewed my WP this year they initially wanted about 18000 Bt but I managed to get them down to about 4000Bt.

How? Told them I was a poor Ferlang and could not afford to pay, loss of face on my side en all that they were very simpathetec.

If you are using a Lawyer they will assume you are Rich!

[Duangta]

The immigration in Phangnga wants 17.000 THB for a one year extension of non Imm B as "Tea money". And I emphasize this is without lawyer fee.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Non-Imm-Exte...Ph-t246912.html

[AndyCanfield]

I own my own company and I had a work permit for a while. The other answers to your question on "true cost" limit themselves to government fees. In my case the other costs were significant.

You have to employ at least four Thai people, at minimum wage, and pay social security for them. You have to pay yourself a minimum wage which depends on your nationality; for Americans It was sixty thousand baht but I think it is now only fifty thousand. No big deal, except that you have to pay taxes on that salary, even though you are paying yourself. And you may need to pay an accountant to fill out forms every month.

I figured out that, all in all, having a work permit cost me about thirty thousand baht per month in government-imposed costs.

[ronaldjp]

Lets be clear. I pay a guy, not a lawyer, to do it and I suppose its worth it as it saves allot of time and he does all the paperwork

and time consuming waiting etc... The fee has been the same for 5 years, and the only thing that has increased are the government charges correctly quoted above.

1. As an employee of a company you pay income tax monthly at the appropriate rate and, as a foreign employee, on the basis of a minimum salary of THB50,000 per month. Nothing untoward or unusual about having to pay tax!

2. Monthly you pay the Social Security tax of 5% maximum THB750, usually deducted from your salary. Your employer matches that.

3. The immigration charges for a yearly renewal are as mentioned above, the Dept of Labour charges also mentioned above.

4. The guy who does the leg work THB 16,000 plus VAT for the service. You COULD do this yourself or find someone cheaper. I wish i had the time to do it myself.

Thats it. When I consider that the UK and others ie EU Shengen are charging an absurd amount for just tourist visas, I think we can be happy that the government charges are what they are. As to the guy who does the leg work nobody says you have to employ a lawyer .

Good luck!

[single53parent]

I was many years a volunteer teacher in Thailand, and have to teaching in a governmentschool without any

allowance or bonus from government or school. I have only ONE DEMAND, and this is a workpermit.

So that I have receive many years as a volunteer teacher (yearly extension) and have to pay for this,

and by myself every year...Bht 3,000.= + Bht 100.= total... Bht 3,100.=

This year I am 60-years old, and I cannot receive a new extension of my workpermit.

Some people of the government don't give me the blue-workpermit-book back,

I want take this as a souvenir and reminder.

Now I have only the copy of this blue book in my computer as memorial,

and now I have teaching some days as a volunteer teacher without a workpermit.

[Soutpeel]

No I just work for a company, I pay the minimum tax every month, 6000 baht for Canadians (based on a 60k monthly salary, as if I make that much) and then the 1750 baht for my health coverage thingy they introduced last year. So almost 8000 baht a month.

Ok. That's your income tax per month.

Has nothing to do with costs for WP and extension of stay.

The WP cost and extension of stay is a yearly cost.

You can check your tax cost here: The Revenue Department

You're saying I have to also pay some extra tax when renewing my work permit and visa when working for a company? I'm aware about the yearly cost of the wp and visa... hence the whole point of the thread, but now you are giving me new information I've never heard of, a yearly tax payment when renewing wp and visa?

Yes you are suppose to be paying tax as well.. ...its not an extra amount...to get your extenstion of stay based on employment, you have to prove you have been paying the minimum tax on the amount based on your nationality

[Viper]

In my circumstances last year i payed 15'000 baht for a Non-Imm B multi entry visa. My visa ran out 16th March so Im now back in UK and will apply for another similar visa. I called a company the other day and they told me for 25'000 baht they will issue me with a Non-Imm B visa which is valid for 1 year without having to make any border crossings. Additional to that they tell me after 3 consecutive years using this visa I will be illegible for a 10 year semi retirement visa. I personally believe its expensive but what else can we do?

[lopburi3]

In my circumstances last year i payed 15'000 baht for a Non-Imm B multi entry visa. My visa ran out 16th March so Im now back in UK and will apply for another similar visa. I called a company the other day and they told me for 25'000 baht they will issue me with a Non-Imm B visa which is valid for 1 year without having to make any border crossings. Additional to that they tell me after 3 consecutive years using this visa I will be illegible for a 10 year semi retirement visa. I personally believe its expensive but what else can we do?

One year B visa with no border runs and a 10 year semi-retirement visa? Sounds like someone is selling snake oil to me. Visas are issued by governments - not by companies.

[monkfish]

In my circumstances last year i payed 15'000 baht for a Non-Imm B multi entry visa. My visa ran out 16th March so Im now back in UK and will apply for another similar visa. I called a company the other day and they told me for 25'000 baht they will issue me with a Non-Imm B visa which is valid for 1 year without having to make any border crossings. Additional to that they tell me after 3 consecutive years using this visa I will be illegible for a 10 year semi retirement visa. I personally believe its expensive but what else can we do?

Which company you working with? I would also be interested in this Visa

[Arkady]

The last time I renewed my work permit for one year (Jan 2009) the cost at the Labour Ministry was B5,000. There is a two year renewal now for B10,000, under last year’s new Working of Aliens Act, involving filling out one more form that asks details of company’s revenues and assets. I was rejected for a two year extension on the grounds that projected company revenue was too little but the officer couldn’t say what the minimum was. It is, “up to the puu yai”, according to him. According my home made tax table, monthly personal income tax on B3.083 on B50,000, B5,083 on B60,000 and B7,083 on B70,000.

I used a law firm that advises a lot in English to get a new work permit a couple of years ago, as my old one had lapsed as I had not been working for a bit. They advertised a fee of B9,500 for a work permit but tacked on a lot of hidden charges which doubled the fee in addition to the Labour Ministry’s fee. I think there was a lawyer fee of about B6,000 in addition to the B9,500 advertised fee and some out of pocket expenses. It turned out that they had no clue what documents were required and took 2 or 3 weeks holding on to my passport and other docs and ignoring my phone calls to come back with the response that the docs were not complete because they had ignored my own suggested list of docs. Then they ran into the Christmas and New Year holiday season when I was also away and had to get my passport back from the silly b*ggers. The final indignity was that I had to go to the ministry in person to pick a new work permit and their messenger made me wait for over an hour for him to bring me the receipt and he had no idea which building to bring it to. The whole thing took 5 or 6 weeks and could have easily been done in one week.

I no longer use law firms for this simple task. The forms are all bilingual and downloadable from the ministry’s website these days and are quite simple to fill in. The website also makes quite clear in English what documents are required. For renewals there is no need to go in person. You can have a messenger do it all in a couple of days and save the money and hassle involved in dealing with the incompetent staff many law firms hire.

BTW there is no such thing as a 10 year semi-retired visa or any other 10 year visa.

[Viper]

In my circumstances last year i payed 15'000 baht for a Non-Imm B multi entry visa. My visa ran out 16th March so Im now back in UK and will apply for another similar visa. I called a company the other day and they told me for 25'000 baht they will issue me with a Non-Imm B visa which is valid for 1 year without having to make any border crossings. Additional to that they tell me after 3 consecutive years using this visa I will be illegible for a 10 year semi retirement visa. I personally believe its expensive but what else can we do?

One year B visa with no border runs and a 10 year semi-retirement visa? Sounds like someone is selling snake oil to me. Visas are issued by governments - not by companies.

Yes of course but i get my visa through a company who deal with all the paperwork required, and then my passport is sent to the Thai embassy for final processing

[lopburi3]

There are no such visas to issue. You appear to be talking about a scam.

[monkie13]

In my circumstances last year i payed 15'000 baht for a Non-Imm B multi entry visa. My visa ran out 16th March so Im now back in UK and will apply for another similar visa. I called a company the other day and they told me for 25'000 baht they will issue me with a Non-Imm B visa which is valid for 1 year without having to make any border crossings. Additional to that they tell me after 3 consecutive years using this visa I will be illegible for a 10 year semi retirement visa. I personally believe its expensive but what else can we do?

One year B visa with no border runs and a 10 year semi-retirement visa? Sounds like someone is selling snake oil to me. Visas are issued by governments - not by companies.

Yes of course but i get my visa through a company who deal with all the paperwork required, and then my passport is sent to the Thai embassy for final processing

for 15 k i want to have a workpermit, but i think it will not that easy. you say they will take care of all the paperwork. but if you do franchisers work you cannot get a permit that easy.

if they do it that easy, without asking what you do or want to do please let me know