If you are planning to work in Phuket then you should definitely read this Phuket work permit section of our Phuket guide. There is often a lot of confusion in regards to the Phuket work permit situation for people who are taking up their first job in Phuket.

Once you have been offered a job by company in Phuket then the first thing that you will need to do is to go to a Thai embassy abroad and apply for a Non Immigrant Visa B. You are not able to get this visa in Thailand so it is a must that you go to a Thai embassy. You will require various documents from your employer including documents such as an invitation letter and an employment contract.

Once you get your Thai Non Immigrant Visa B you can travel down to Phuket and apply for a work permit at the Phuket labor office. The Phuket work permit is normally applied for on your behalf by the human resources department of the company. The process for getting a Phuket work permit normally takes 6 to 10 weeks. Officially you are not allowed to work until you have been granted your Phuket work permit however the Phuket labor office will normally let this slide as long as your work permit is under application.

Please note that most Phuket work permits are only granted for as long as your Thai Non Immigrant Visa B is valid. Most people have a multiple entry 1 Year Non Immigrant Visa B which means that you are required to do a border run every three months. This therefore means that your Phuket work permit is valid each time for only three months and therefore needs to get renewed each time after you return from your border run.

There are obviously rather strong restrictions when it comes to who can get a Phuket work permit and who can’t. There are many types of jobs in Phuket for which foreigners can’t get a work permit. Some of protected jobs include tour guides, bartenders and various financial professions. Another important part of whether an applicant will be granted a Phuket work permit is the actual situation of the company for which the applicant will be working for. There are certain requirements which include a certain foreigner to Thai staff ratio, amount of registered capital and the annual turnover.

It is also worth noting that not all business owners can automatically get a work permit. Nearly all the foreigners who own a Phuket bar are unable to get a Phuket work permit due to the type of business. It is therefore very wise to seek legal advice if you are interested in starting a business in Phuket and would actually like to work and obtain a Phuket work permit.

Once your Phuket work permit has been applied for and approved then you will need to go to the Phuket labor office in person and pick up the document. Please note that you will have to have a short meeting with the head of the Phuket labor office and you MUST look representable otherwise they could still deny you your Phuket work permit.

Please find below the contact information for the Phuket labor office which deals with all Phuket work permit related issues.

Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office

188 Soi 1, Sakdidet Road
Phuket City, 83000, Phuket
Telephone Number: 076 – 211995
Email: phuket@labour.go.th

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