Can anyone tell me if there is any chance of my Indonesian girlfriend getting a work permit - for some ordinary basic job type job - so that she can come and live with me here, in Chiang Mai.

I have a non-immigrant typeO visa - will change to a retirement visa next renewal.

She is a ladyboy, but I hope that this is not relevant.

Edited August 22, 200916 yr by fridgemagnet

For an application for a work permit, the applicant’s gender and sexual orientation are irrelevant.

There is this list of jobs in which foreigners are not allowed to engage in Thailand:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/redirect.php...ish%2Flaw2.html

For the permitted jobs, the general rule is that a foreigner can be employed if no Thai national can be found with the required qualifications. How strictly this rule is applied is at the discretion of the employment office where the application is made.

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Maestro

Another factor is that in order to get an extension of stay at immigration she would have to have a minimum salary of 35K baht per month. She could still get a multiple entry B visa if she gets a work permit though even with a lower salary.

You don't have to wait for your O visa to expire to a apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement. You can apply during the last 30 days of any 90 day entry you get from your visa.

I could employ her as a maid, or care companion ( as I am 61 and have an incurable wossername).

The list of prohibited jobs harps on about 'service' jobs - does anyone know if the above suggestions would be allowed, or not?

In order to hire her yourself you would have to form a company. Work permits are only given to people working for companies.

She will not get a work permit as a maid. Care companion is a maybe if she has specific qualifications for the job.

Then how do all of the burmese folks get WP to be maids?

I also though that a foreign national can sponsor a WP for a maid and no company would be needed for this?

For the 3 bordering countries there is a special clause for their work permits.

AFAIK there is no way to get a work permit for your maid unless you have deplomatic status,