My accounting firm just called me to inform that the minimum salary required for work permit has been increased to 56,000 (for Europeans) with immediate effect. They apparently got the info from immigration in Bangkok.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Tompa,

Immigration has nothing to do with work permits. Immigration handles ENTRY PERMITS.

There no salary requirememts for work permits. You put down whatever salary you want in the application - and that is what they approve. Once work permit is issued, in order to renew that work permit, you need to show receipts for personal income taxes paid each month on that approved salary.

Per my staff checking with Bangkok Immigration on 4 May 2006, they have no plan to change required salaries for extended entry permits, which have been in effect since July 10, 2004:

Japanese, American, Canadian, 60,000 baht;

Europeans and Australians, 50,000 baht;

Koreans, Taiwanese, Hong Kong Chinese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, British National Overseas passport holders, 45,000 baht;

Indians, Middle Easterners, mainland Chinese, Indonesians, Filipinos, 35,000 baht:

Laos, Burmese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and all Africans, 25,000 baht.

You have either a competency, or an integrity problem with your accountant.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok