Working in Bangkok: work permits, jobs and the list Thais keep for themselves
Short answer: you can't just turn up and start working. In Thailand the job, the visa and the work permit come as a set, and the employer does much of the heavy lifting.
The short version
- To work for a Thai employer you normally need a Non-Immigrant B visa first, then a work permit for that specific job. The permit is applied for through the employer, increasingly online [1].
- Employers generally need 2 million baht in paid-up capital and four Thai employees for each foreigner they sponsor. BOI-promoted companies can have these rules eased [1].
- Forty occupations are restricted for foreigners: 27 are off limits completely and 13 are allowed only under conditions [2].
- Highly skilled people can skip some of this with the Long-Term Resident visa, which comes with a digital work permit and a 17% flat income tax rate [3].
- Employees pay 5% of salary into Thai social security, capped on a wage ceiling of 17,500 baht a month from 2026 [4]. There's no social security agreement with Australia [5].
Why "work" is defined so broadly
In Australia, a working holiday maker can pick up casual shifts and nobody blinks. Thailand treats work very differently. The law looks at the activity, not the pay. Helping a mate run a bar, teaching a few private English classes or doing paid work for a Thai client while on a tourist entry can all count as working without a permit.
The penalties are real. For foreign workers working without a permit or outside its terms, fines run from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, with possible deportation [2]. Employers face 10,000 to 100,000 baht per worker, and repeat offenders risk jail and a three-year ban on hiring foreigners [2]. Smartraveller also reminds Australians that local laws apply to them, and a deportation on your record can make coming back very hard [6].
Remote work for an Australian employer is a grey area that the Destination Thailand Visa was designed for. It's covered in our long-stay visa guide. This guide is about working for Thai employers or in Thailand itself.
How the Non-B visa and work permit fit together
The usual sequence looks like this:
- Get the job offer. The Thai company is your sponsor. Without it, nothing else moves.
- Apply for a Non-Immigrant B visa. From Australia this is done through Thailand's e-Visa portal, with the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra or the Consulate-General in Sydney depending on your state [7]. Allow at least 10 business days, longer in busy periods [7].
- Enter Thailand on the Non-B. Your initial stay is usually 90 days.
- Your employer lodges the work permit. Applications, renewals and changes can be filed through the E-WorkPermit system, and processing is typically three to seven working days once the file is complete [1].
- Extend your stay. With the permit in hand, the company supports an extension of stay at immigration, usually for a year at a time.
- Keep up the admin. 90-day reports, re-entry permits before trips, and a fresh permit if you change employer or role.
The permit is tied to the employer and the job description. Change companies and you start again. Lose the job and your permission to stay is likely to be cut short, so ask your employer what happens to your visa if you resign or are let go.
What the employer must have
Thailand protects local jobs through rules on the employer, not just on you [1]:
| Requirement | General rule | Common exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Paid-up registered capital | At least 2 million baht per foreign employee | Eased or waived for some BOI-promoted companies |
| Thai staff ratio | At least four Thai employees per foreign work permit | Eased for some BOI, regional and representative offices |
| Visa first | Non-Immigrant B before the permit | LTR holders apply for a digital work permit instead [3] |
| Social security | Register the employee and pay contributions | None for ordinary employees |
That's why small Thai businesses often can't hire you, however keen they are. A four-person café can't sponsor a foreign barista.
The reserved list: jobs foreigners can't do
Thailand's Ministry of Labour lists 40 occupations restricted for foreigners [2].
Prohibited outright (27) includes Thai massage, hairdressing and beauty salon work, wood carving, gem cutting, street vending, legal services, secretarial work and tour guiding. Driving is also restricted, apart from flying international aircraft [2].
Allowed under conditions (13):
- Accountant, engineer and architect, but only under Thai law and relevant international agreements [2].
- Eight skilled or semi-skilled trades, including construction, carpentry and agriculture, only when you're employed by an employer [2].
- Sculptor and retail salesperson, which require employer approval and entry under government-to-government labour agreements [2].
For Australians the practical upshot:
- Lawyers can't practise Thai law as a foreigner. Many work in-house or as foreign legal consultants, which is a different role, so get the job description right.
- Accountants, engineers and architects should check whether their licence and the relevant agreements allow them to sign off on work, or only advise.
- Divemasters and guides need extra care. Tour guiding is reserved for Thais [2], so leading groups yourself is off the table without the right role.
Where Australians actually work in Bangkok
There's no official count of Australians by sector, so treat this as the lay of the land rather than statistics:
- Teaching. International schools hire qualified teachers, usually on contracts with housing and flights. English-language schools hire too, but pay is far lower and you'll usually need a degree and teaching credentials accepted in Thailand.
- Regional headquarters. Banks, consultancies, insurers, logistics and tech firms run Southeast Asian teams from Sathorn, Silom and Sukhumvit.
- Mining, energy and engineering. Australian expertise travels well, though many roles are project-based and outside Bangkok.
- Hospitality and tourism management. Senior hotel and resort roles, not front-line jobs that Thais can fill.
- Not-for-profits and international bodies. Bangkok hosts many regional offices of UN agencies and NGOs, which often have their own visa arrangements.
The Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Thailand) is a good way to meet Australian employers and keep up with workplace rule changes.
Salaries and the Australian comparison
Local packages rarely match Australian salaries in dollar terms. The trade-off is the cost of living and, at senior level, housing, school fees and health insurance. Compare the whole package, not the base pay. Ask who pays Thai tax, whether health insurance covers you outside Thailand, and how many flights home are included.
The LTR route for highly skilled people
If you're senior or specialised, the Board of Investment's Long-Term Resident visa can be the better path. The Highly-Skilled Professional category asks for [3]:
- personal income averaging at least US$80,000 a year over the past two years, or US$40,000 to US$80,000 with a master's degree or higher in science and technology
- a contract with a Thai or foreign company in a targeted industry, or recognised expertise
- health insurance of at least US$50,000, Thai social security cover, or US$100,000 in a Thai bank account for 12 months.
The perks: a 10-year visa in two five-year blocks, a digital work permit that takes three to five working days and costs 3,000 baht a year, yearly reporting instead of every 90 days, no re-entry permits and a 17% personal income tax rate [3]. Work-from-Thailand Professionals under the LTR aren't eligible for a work permit [3].
Tax, social security and the Australian side
Thai social security
Employees and employers each contribute 5% of salary. The monthly wage ceiling rose from 15,000 to 17,500 baht in 2026, so the employee's contribution tops out at 875 baht a month. It's set to rise again to 20,000 baht in 2029 and 23,000 baht in 2032 [4]. In return you get access to the Social Security Office's medical scheme at a registered hospital, plus other benefits. Most expats keep private insurance as well.
No social security agreement
Australia has social security agreements with 32 countries, including India, Japan and Korea in Asia. Thailand isn't one of them [5]. Your Thai contributions won't count towards the Age Pension, and Australian residence won't count towards Thai benefits. Ask your employer whether it will keep paying into your Australian super. Many won't unless you're on an Australian contract.
Tax
Thailand taxes residents, meaning anyone in the country for more than 180 days in a calendar year, on Thai income and on foreign income brought into Thailand [8]. Thai rates rise in steps to 35% [8]. Your Thai salary is Thai-source income, so the employer withholds tax. On the Australian side, check whether you've become a non-resident for tax, and remember HECS-HELP repayments can continue overseas.
Before you sign a Thai contract
- Confirm the employer will sponsor both the Non-B and the work permit, and pay the fees.
- Check the job title isn't on the restricted list, or that a condition covers it.
- Ask what happens to your visa if the contract ends early.
- Get housing, health cover, flights and tax treatment in writing.
- Don't start work until the permit is issued.
Ask who's hiring and what packages look like in Cooee Thailand, our Facebook group for Australians in Thailand.
Sources
- Hiring foreign employees in Thailand: work permit rules – ASEAN Briefing, July 2026
- 40 occupations in Thailand restricted, foreigner hiring prohibited – Khaosod English
- Long-Term Resident Visa – Thailand Board of Investment
- Thailand social security contribution changes for 2026 – AustCham Thailand
- International social security agreements – Department of Social Services
- Thailand travel advice – Smartraveller (DFAT)
- Thai e-Visa – Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra
- Personal income tax – Thailand Revenue Department