New 200k Fine For No Workpermit

[marinediscoking]

Immigration and Labor Department Team Up to Arrest Foreigners Without Work Permits

Wittaya Yensabai 07.04.2010 22:20

Pattaya Times

The Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Labor Thailand are reinforcing the requirement of work permits for foreigners who wish to conduct business or work in Thailand.

Many foreigners believe that if they set up a company and have their staff appoint them as the Managing Director they do not need to have a work permit. In fact, even if you are an employee in a company or the Managing Director who just tells people what to do, you are still be required to have a work permit.

Thailand's Foreign Workers Administration reported that only 10% or around 140,000 foreign workers renewed their work permits.

Work permits are also required for buying properties if you are the Managing Director of a company. At the moment a work permit is not required for selling properties but it is believed that that rule will be soon be changed.

When signing for most transactions at the Land Office, along with a work permit Managing Directors are also required to have a Business Visa issued by Immigration.

Work permits are not difficult to get if you follow the right procedures and have all of the required documents.

If you have a business visa and are no longer working you have seven days to change your visa at the Immigration Office.If you fail to do this you will be fined and the fines will be backdated to the date you last worked.The fine for working without a work permit is 200,000 baht.

Immigration has been cracking down heavily, especially on bars,restaurants and travel agencies as these are jobs that Thai people can perform.

Getting your work permit approved is often determined on your job description. The work permit will be approved easily if your job requires skills that are not possesed by Thais.

Once you submit the documents for a work permit, you must not let your visa expire. Even if you have a double- or triple-entry visa, you cannot leave again without invalidating your work permit papers. If you do have to go out of country and return on the same visa, you must get a re-entry permit from Immigration. The re-entry permit, like a work permit, is valid until your visa expires.

If you cannot get your work permit approved before your visa expires, you may have to get your visa extended.

The processing of a work permit can require several weeks or even months.

[Spoonman]

Times they are changing I see.

My ex boss was MD of the Thai company he set up,Labour dept told him he did not need a WP, he was based in OZ though.

[gotlost]

Farang = WP

[Soutpeel]

I will bet there are a few "English" teachers reading this and quaking in their boots...

Authorities are cracking down on restaurants, bars and travel agents......maybe language schools next.

One sentance intrigues me "Many foreigners believe that if they set up a company and have their staff appoint them as the Managing Director"...since when do the staff of a company appoint the MD ??....Thai economic's 101 ?....or high quality jouralism from Pattaya Mail once again ?

[PoorSucker]

This is the law and has been enforced her on Koh Samui for many years now.

I paid 60% in taxes in the old country.

I'm proud to say that I pay 1000 baht/month now.

PoorSucker/ (Managing Director with WP)

Edited April 13, 2010 by PoorSucker

[PoorSucker]

From the OP:

When signing for most transactions at the Land Office, along with a work permit Managing Directors are also required to have a Business Visa issued by Immigration.

Not true, can also have a WP based on marriage or extension of stay based on marriage.

The fine for working without a work permit is 200,000 baht.

Not true, This is the normal fine.

The maximum penalty is five years in prison or 100.000 baht, or both.

Edited April 13, 2010 by PoorSucker

[moto77]

"Once you submit the documents for a work permit, you must not let your visa expire. Even if you have a double- or triple-entry visa, you cannot leave again without invalidating your work permit papers. If you do have to go out of country and return on the same visa, you must get a re-entry permit from Immigration. The re-entry permit, like a work permit, is valid until your visa expires."

This means that your work permit expires when you leave the country even if you have a multiple B or O entry visa?

What is the point of having a multiple entry visa then if you have to get re-entry permits anyway?

[bprinceuk]

"Once you submit the documents for a work permit, you must not let your visa expire. Even if you have a double- or triple-entry visa, you cannot leave again without invalidating your work permit papers. If you do have to go out of country and return on the same visa, you must get a re-entry permit from Immigration. The re-entry permit, like a work permit, is valid until your visa expires."

This means that your work permit expires when you leave the country even if you have a multiple B or O entry visa?

What is the point of having a multiple entry visa then if you have to get re-entry permits anyway?

Very usefull information, thank you

Brian

[IMA_FARANG]

Quote:

Not true, can also have a WP based on marriage or extension of stay based on marriage.

Are you sure about that?

I thought you could only get a work permit if actually enployed by a organization in Thaiiland.

Are you sure you're not confusing an extension of a multi-entry visa granted because of marriage to a Thai with a work permit?

Not questioning you, but I just always thought you coulsd only get a work permit if you actually had a company sponsor you for a work permit because you were actually working for them in Thailand..

As far as I knew, an extension of visa for being married to a Thai and wishing tro live in Thailand for that reason and a work permit are two different things.

Am I wrong?

Edited April 13, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[Soutpeel]

Quote:

Not true, can also have a WP based on marriage or extension of stay based on marriage.

Are you sure about that?

I thought you could only get a work permit if actually enployed by a organization in Thaiiland.

Are you sure you're not confusing an extension of a multi-entry visa granted because of marriage to a Thai with a work permit?

Not questioning you, but I just always thought you coulsd only get a work permit if you actually had a company sponsor you for a work permit because you were actually working for them in Thailand..

As far as I knew, an extension of visa for being married to a Thai and wishing tro live in Thailand for that reason and a work permit are two different things.

Am I wrong?

"IMA".....you are correct....this post is badly written.....you actually need to be employed/will be employed by a Thai entity, only being married to a Thai national does not give you the right to apply for a WP.

With this post is referring to.....there are two avenues as regards acceptable visa's to piggy back a WP on to, 1 is the non-imm B and the second is a Non-imm O (married to a Thai), either of these can be used to get a WP.

[TerryLH]

I think he means that it's possible to get a WP with a Non O visa or extension. You must still meet Labor/WP requirements.

"Even if you have a double- or triple-entry visa, you cannot leave again without invalidating your work permit papers. If you do have to go out of country and return on the same visa, you must get a re-entry permit from Immigration. The re-entry permit, like a work permit, is valid until your visa expires."

I don't think it works like that.

"If you cannot get your work permit approved before your visa expires, you may have to get your visa extended."

And if the WP has been approved, and your visa is expiring, you may not need to extend or get a new one?

[moto77]

"Even if you have a double- or triple-entry visa, you cannot leave again without invalidating your work permit papers. If you do have to go out of country and return on the same visa, you must get a re-entry permit from Immigration. The re-entry permit, like a work permit, is valid until your visa expires."

Does anyone know about this FOR SURE?

[lopburi3]

It is total nonsense. You use a re-entry permit to keep a current permitted to stay alive, not for visa entry and it is only valid until your current permitted to stay expiration date (not visa date).

Work permits are no longer tied to visas so you can have a one year work permit and make normal exit/return trips of 90 day stay. Before that it only required re-validation anyhow.

[moto77]

It is total nonsense. You use a re-entry permit to keep a current permitted to stay alive, not for visa entry and it is only valid until your current permitted to stay expiration date (not visa date).

Work permits are no longer tied to visas so you can have a one year work permit and make normal exit/return trips of 90 day stay. Before that it only required re-validation anyhow.

Awesome, thanks. I can't even imagine Thailand (which is not generally long-term resident friendly) putting together an onerous system like that!