Thailand: Mandatory Online Work Permit and Foreign Worker Registration System Forthcoming

Update July 21, 2026: The Department of Employment has extended the deadline for the acceptance of manual submissions for work permit applications, including initial applications, renewals, cancellations and amendments, until October 28, 2026. Manual submissions are only permitted where there is a technical issue with the e-Work Permit system and applicants must provide proof of the issue to proceed with manual filing. 

Update April 28, 2026: The Department of Employment has extended the deadline for the acceptance of manual submissions for work permit applications, including initial applications, renewals, cancellations and amendments, until July 28, 2026. Manual submissions are only permitted where there is a technical issue with the e-Work Permit system and applicants must provide proof of the issue to proceed with manual filing. 

Update February 4, 2026: The Department of Employment has extended the deadline for the acceptance of manual submissions for work permit applications, including initial applications, renewals, cancellations and amendments, until April 28, 2026. This applies to all company types and covers applications filed with the Department of Employment in Bangkok, as well as with Provincial or Area Employment Offices outside of Bangkok. 

Update October 31, 2025:  The Department of Employment has introduced temporary measures allowing manual submission of work permit applications in response to ongoing technical issues with Thailand’s new mandatory E-Work Permit system. Until January 28, 2026, employers and foreign employees experiencing system errors may file applications in paper form. Applicants must include a screenshot of the error message and submit their materials to the relevant Provincial or Area Employment Office.  

Update October 17, 2025: The Department of Employment has identified issues and delays with the new e-WorkPermit platform and as an interim measure, will allow the acceptance of manually filed work permit renewal applications for skilled foreign workers and work permit cancellation applications for all foreign workers, until further notice.

When the system is fully implemented, all companies, including those under Board of Investment promotion and all work permit applications — including new applications, renewals, and cancellations — will need to be submitted via the e-Work Permit online platform. Approved applicants will receive an e-Work Permit ID card (Work Permit ID).

October 9, 2025: Starting October 13, 2025, foreign workers in Thailand and their employers will need to use a new online platform called ‘e-Work Permit’ to file foreign worker registrations (a step in the work permit process) and work permit applications. The new system aims to streamline both processes for both employers and foreign employees by reducing paperwork and enabling real-time application tracking with faster approvals. Though the system will be mandatory, it is expected that authorities will continue to accept manual filings in limited cases during the transition period (though this is not certain). During the initial rollout, delays may occur, so employers and applicants should register on the system on October 13 and company directors or authorized persons should verify their identity on the ThaiID mobile app (which is a prerequisite step to using the e-Work Permit system).      

Several details about the system are not yet clear, including how the foreign worker registration and work permit application process steps are changing, how long the government will take to process foreign worker registrations and work permit applications under the system, and how approvals will be issued. We will publish an alert when more information is available.      

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].