Uncancelled Work Permit

[deneb1009]

help. i am 4 months into my 2-year contract and i already want to leave my company but my boss would not cancel my work permit. what happens if i don't come back to work?

[Mario2008]

You will be in breach of contract, unless you have a justifiable ground to terminate the contract.

If your boss doesn't want to cancel your work permit, you have to cancel it yourself at the labour office. Also if you are on an extension of stay from immirgation based on employement, your permission to stay ends the day your job ends. You will need to go to immigration also to have your permission to stay canceled and you will have to leave the country or get a 7 day extension.

[deneb1009]

You will be in breach of contract, unless you have a justifiable ground to terminate the contract.

If your boss doesn't want to cancel your work permit, you have to cancel it yourself at the labour office. Also if you are on an extension of stay from immirgation based on employement, your permission to stay ends the day your job ends. You will need to go to immigration also to have your permission to stay canceled and you will have to leave the country or get a 7 day extension.

thank you very much for your quick reply. there are too many rules inside the office,all of which i cannot enumerate to maintain anonymity. but it is not a healthy workplace to be staying at. what are the things i can procure at the immigration office to have the cancellation of my work permit granted?

[Mario2008]

For the work permit cancellation you have to go to the labour office. I would write a letter to your employer stating the date you will terminate your employment and take a copy of that to the labour office. Ask for a letter from your employer for the labour office and immigration to confirm you will no longer be working for them per such and so date.

Next you repeat the process at immigration if you are on an extension of stay that is.

[deneb1009]

For the work permit cancellation you have to go to the labour office. I would write a letter to your employer stating the date you will terminate your employment and take a copy of that to the labour office. Ask for a letter from your employer for the labour office and immigration to confirm you will no longer be working for them per such and so date.

Next you repeat the process at immigration if you are on an extension of stay that is.

So I guess this is deadend for me. My boss made it clear that he's not cancelling my work permit, thus, any request from me to produce a letter to the labour office will not be granted. Thanks anyway for the useful insights. Have a good day.

[Mario2008]

In such cases the copy from the letter to your employer stating you resign might be enough for labour to cancel it.

[deneb1009]

In such cases the copy from the letter to your employer stating you resign might be enough for labour to cancel it.

My employer keeps my "blue book" with him. Thank God, he returned my passport yesterday(passports of expats are all kept by the boss; he gave me back my passport but he said he will not cancel my work permit). I have submitted a resignation effective end of this month. When should I proceed to the Labour office for cancellation? Thanks, Mario, for helping. Really appreciate it.

[Mario2008]

Last day of employment.

What your boss does is illegal. The work permit is yours, not his. Keeping the passport of employers might even be a criminal offense. You can report it to the labour office or your embassy.

[deneb1009]

Last day of employment.

What your boss does is illegal. The work permit is yours, not his. Keeping the passport of employers might even be a criminal offense. You can report it to the labour office or your embassy.

I'm actually not comfortable reporting that stuff to the labour office. He admitted to me yesterday that he had to make under the table payments just to get me my work permit (I don't know why he needed that because for my part, I have been working in Thailand for 7 years without problems with my visa "F" before) which means he is making "friends" at that office. I'm afraid I might get into trouble with my future employments if I do that. I already sought help from my embassy with regard to my passport before (when he was still holding it) to no avail.

[Colabamumbai]

For the work permit cancellation you have to go to the labour office. I would write a letter to your employer stating the date you will terminate your employment and take a copy of that to the labour office. Ask for a letter from your employer for the labour office and immigration to confirm you will no longer be working for them per such and so date.

Next you repeat the process at immigration if you are on an extension of stay that is.

So I guess this is deadend for me. My boss made it clear that he's not cancelling my work permit, thus, any request from me to produce a letter to the labour office will not be granted. Thanks anyway for the useful insights. Have a good day.

The labor office in Korat did not request any letter to or from my employer, I told them I had stopped working and they cancelled it and gave it back to me. No letter required.

[Spoonman]

If he refuses to cancel your work permit your are still legally employed there, enjoy the free paychecks !!!

[Fookhaht]

In such cases the copy from the letter to your employer stating you resign might be enough for labour to cancel it.

My employer keeps my "blue book" with him. Thank God, he returned my passport yesterday(passports of expats are all kept by the boss; he gave me back my passport but he said he will not cancel my work permit). I have submitted a resignation effective end of this month. When should I proceed to the Labour office for cancellation? Thanks, Mario, for helping. Really appreciate it.

Just a caveat to any prospective employee reading this thread:

Any working situation where an employer keeps your passport (let alone work permit) is enough of a red-light to go looking for work elsewhere. It's no more than an underhanded power play to put you at a disadvantage if serious issues come up at the workplace. It's regularly practiced in many third-world countries where workers have no rights. It has no place in a developing country such as Thailand. Shame on your current employer, and once you're comfortably working in a new job, report the scoundrel.

[deneb1009]

For the work permit cancellation you have to go to the labour office. I would write a letter to your employer stating the date you will terminate your employment and take a copy of that to the labour office. Ask for a letter from your employer for the labour office and immigration to confirm you will no longer be working for them per such and so date.

Next you repeat the process at immigration if you are on an extension of stay that is.

So I guess this is deadend for me. My boss made it clear that he's not cancelling my work permit, thus, any request from me to produce a letter to the labour office will not be granted. Thanks anyway for the useful insights. Have a good day.

The labor office in Korat did not request any letter to or from my employer, I told them I had stopped working and they cancelled it and gave it back to me. No letter required.

You mean, you handed your "blue book" to the officer and they cancelled it, right? But I don't have my blue book with me.

[Colabamumbai]

For the work permit cancellation you have to go to the labour office. I would write a letter to your employer stating the date you will terminate your employment and take a copy of that to the labour office. Ask for a letter from your employer for the labour office and immigration to confirm you will no longer be working for them per such and so date.

Next you repeat the process at immigration if you are on an extension of stay that is.

So I guess this is deadend for me. My boss made it clear that he's not cancelling my work permit, thus, any request from me to produce a letter to the labour office will not be granted. Thanks anyway for the useful insights. Have a good day.

The labor office in Korat did not request any letter to or from my employer, I told them I had stopped working and they cancelled it and gave it back to me. No letter required.

You mean, you handed your "blue book" to the officer and they cancelled it, right? But I don't have my blue book with me.

Yes, I never gave it to my employer, I kept it at all times after reading some stories here about employers locking up peoples Work Permits. My employer never asked me for it.

[deneb1009]

Yes, I never gave it to my employer, I kept it at all times after reading some stories here about employers locking up peoples Work Permits. My employer never asked me for it.

Nah, never got the chance to get a hold of my blue book 'cause I was just a "tag along" when I applied for it, our BOI officer took charge of it and surrendered the booklet to our boss after completion. It's standard in our office as she told me.

[TAWP]

If he refuses to cancel it and therefor are retaining your employment you can sue him for not paying you your salary...the Labor Court will help you there, just say you worked and he isn't paying.

[TacoBoy]

Nothing says you have to stay and work. But you will have to leave Thailand and re-enter on a new non working visa.

I would not worry about cancelling the work permit since your company has refused.

If you hav a hard copy of that or in wrighting, keep it for legality sakes.

Just exit Thailand and go to a Thai Embassy and get a Tourist Visa.

[Colabamumbai]

In such cases the copy from the letter to your employer stating you resign might be enough for labour to cancel it.

My employer keeps my "blue book" with him. Thank God, he returned my passport yesterday(passports of expats are all kept by the boss; he gave me back my passport but he said he will not cancel my work permit). I have submitted a resignation effective end of this month. When should I proceed to the Labour office for cancellation? Thanks, Mario, for helping. Really appreciate it.

Learn from this lesson young man you never give your passport to anyone to hold for you.......Your embassy or passport office will tell you that......Even when I check into a hotel, I give them a copy of the front page if they want to see my passport or tell me that they have to photocopy the front page. I tell them they don't here is the copy and be lucky that I don't ask you the .10cents I paid to make the copy..... End of story.