Minimum Salary For Work Permit?

[asiasurfer]

I did ask a similar question a while ago, but it’s still unclear to me. So, in order to get a work permit the employer has to pay me at least 50,000 Baht. Is that right? How is it if married to a Thai citizen? What will it change (in terms of minimum salary)?

Forget about wages for teachers. I know there are some special regulations there. I’m just concerned about the ‘regular’ work permit.

Cheers

[Mario2008]

You have to make a distinction bewteen the requirements from immigration and the requirements from the labour office to get a WP. There are no minimum requirements to get a work permit.

If you want however to get an extension of stay based on mariage with a Thai wife you need to show an incoem if at least 40,000 baht. If you want an extension of stay based on work you need to show an income of at least 50,000 baht if you are from a western country. The required incoem depends on your nationality.

While for a teacher, journalist and performer there are no minimum income requirements to get an extension of stay.

[asiasurfer]

You have to make a distinction bewteen the requirements from immigration and the requirements from the labour office to get a WP. There are no minimum requirements to get a work permit.

If you want however to get an extension of stay based on mariage with a Thai wife you need to show an incoem if at least 40,000 baht. If you want an extension of stay based on work you need to show an income of at least 50,000 baht if you are from a western country. The required incoem depends on your nationality.

While for a teacher, journalist and performer there are no minimum income requirements to get an extension of stay.

Thanks for reply Mario.

So let’s assume I enter Thailand on a non-o based on marriage. I still can get a work permit even if the employer pays me only 20,000 Baht. Right?

But after one year when I want to renew my non-o, I must have an income of at least 40,000 Baht. Ok. So, if I earn 20,000 Baht and my wife earns 20,000 Bath as well, I should have no problem at all. Is that assumption correct?

[lopburi3]

No and no. Being married makes no difference in the amount of money you must earn to obtain a work permit and joint income is not allowed for extensions of stay.

[Mario2008]

You could get a WP on your income of 20,000 baht, if the job qualifies for it. But as Lop said, you can't get an extension of stay based on that income. For the extension of stay an income of 40,000 is needed and it has to be your income only.

But if you are a teacher or a journalist you could get an extension of stay based on being a teacher or a journalist.

[asiasurfer]

Thanks a lot Mario and Lopburi. That clarifies the issue a bit more.

[PaddyBKK]

Thanks a lot Mario and Lopburi. That clarifies the issue a bit more.

So....isn't it also possible to get yearly extensions based on marriage (with 400k in the bank for the required period) and have a work permit for a job paying 20k per month ?

PaddyBKK

[Lite Beer]

So....isn't it also possible to get yearly extensions based on marriage (with 400k in the bank for the required period) and have a work permit for a job paying 20k per month ?

PaddyBKK

Yes it is.

[lopburi3]

Not unless the labor office will issue a work permit on that salary. A teacher should not have a problem but most employment I suspect would. Most seem to require a higher salary from my understanding.

[PoorSucker]

My lawyer says that the tax office likes to see taxes on minimum 30.000.

If you only make 20.000 they will probably think you just avoid paying taxes.

[monty]

Yep, 30,000 to 35,000 seems to be the minimum for a work permit application to be accepted.

However as usual, different offices can have different requirements...

[asiasurfer]

So....isn't it also possible to get yearly extensions based on marriage (with 400k in the bank for the required period) and have a work permit for a job paying 20k per month ?

PaddyBKK

Yes it is.

But the 400k rule only applies if you entered Thailand BEFORE a certain date (when the 400k rule was still in force), isn’t it?

[Lite Beer]

But the 400k rule only applies if you entered Thailand BEFORE a certain date (when the 400k rule was still in force), isn’t it?

No. The rules changed on 25th November 2008. 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank OR 40,000 Baht a month income. It must be the Husbands money/income. Not joint.

[PaddyBKK]

Yep, 30,000 to 35,000 seems to be the minimum for a work permit application to be accepted.

However as usual, different offices can have different requirements...

Is it possible to obtain a work permit for part time or contract work ? So that, for example, the nature of work requires that the falang be available to a company for x hours per week or as required by the company according to the demand/project/etc. . The rate per hour could could still equate to 30k (or 300k) per month - but the amount paid would be according to the hours worked - (i.e. zero baht for no hours worked upto the maximum for a full months' work).

Wouldn't this also favour local companies ?

Just a thought..

PaddyBKK