E-Work Permit is Introduced in Thailand泰國推出電子工作許可證

Recently, Thailand’s Ministry of Labort has introduced e-work permit system, replacing the traditional “blue book” work permit, and changes the procedure how foreign professionals navigate employment in Thailand. It is a digital platform that allows foreigners to apply for a work permit anywhere and anytime via an online channel.

泰國勞工部近日推出電子工作許可證系統，取代傳統的“藍皮書”工作許可證，改變外國專業人士在泰國就業的流程。這是一個數位平台，允許外國人隨時隨地透過線上管道申請工作許可證。

The E-Work Permit is introduced under the Ministerial Regulation on Application for and Issuance of Work Permits and Notification of Employment of Foreign Workers (No. 2), with a secure, credit card-sized ID equipped with barcodes and QR codes. This digital permit details the employee’s job role, employer, work location, and nationality, ensuring compliance with Thai labor laws under the Foreigners’ Working Management Decree B.E. 2560 (2017) and 2561 (2018).

電子工作許可證是根據《關於申請和簽發工作許可證以及通知外國工人就業的部長條例(第 2 號)》推出，此為一種安全、信用卡大小的身份證件，配有條碼和二維碼。這張數位許可證詳細說明員工的工作角色、雇主、工作地點和國籍，確保遵守佛曆2560年 (2017)及佛曆2561年 2018)《外國人工作管理法令》規定的泰國勞動法

The new system provides a one-stop service, significantly reducing processing time and eliminating the need to submit multiple applications. Applicants can complete the application form at https://ewp.doe.go.th/, verify digital documents, and schedule an appointment online at one of over 40 Foreign Work Permit Service Centers nationwide. Biometric data is collected and work permit cards are issued is these service centers. The whole process takes around 12 minutes, including biometric data collection and card issuance, which is a great improvement from previous approximately time.

新系統提供一站式服務，顯著縮短處理時間，無需提交多份申請。申請人可在 https://ewp.doe.go.th/填寫申請表，驗證電子文件，並在全國 40 多個外國工作許可證服務中心線上預約。這些服務中心負責採集生物特徵資料並發放工作許可證。整個流程包括採集生物特徵數據和發放工作許可證大約需要12分鐘，比之前的大約時間有很大的改進。

There are another change for applying work permit. As of 9 August 2025, foreign workers are no longer required to collect their work permit in person from the Department of Employment. Under the Ministerial Regulation on the Application for Work Permit, Issuance of Work Permit, and Notification of Employment of Foreigners (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025), work permits may now be collected by an authorized representative, such as an employer’s staff member, sent by post, or through other methods.

申請工作許可證可還有另一個變更。自2025年8月9日起，外籍勞工不再需要親自到泰國勞動部就業部領取工作許可證。根據佛曆2568年(2025)《關於外國人工作許可證申請、簽發和就業通知的部長條例(第2號)》，工作許可證現在可以透過授權代表、例如雇主的工作人員領取，也可以透過郵寄或其他方式領取。

The new system is expected to firstly apply to laborers from select areas starting from 1 September 2025. This is to ensure the system operates smoothly before being expanded to other categories of work permits, such as those for professionals and executives.

新系統預計將從2025年9月1日起首先適用於來自特定區域的勞工。這是為了確保系統平穩運行，然後再擴展到其他類別的工作許可證，例如專業人士和高階主管的工作許可證。

Persons required to obtain an Electronic Work Permit, or E-Work Permit, include foreign nationals intending to work in Thailand, whether as teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, or corporate executives. They must hold an E-Work Permit together with a Non-Immigrant B Visa, Non-Immigrant O Visa, or a specialized visa such as the LTR Visa or the Smart Visa. Certain occupations, such as manual labor or those reserved for Thai nationals, are prohibited for foreigners under the Foreigners’ Working Management Decree. Failure to comply with the law carries severe penalties, including fines of up to THB 100,000, imprisonment, or deportation. For foreign nationals, obtaining and complying with the conditions of the E-Work Permit is a legal requirement for working in Thailand.

需要獲得電子工作許可證的人包括打算在泰國工作的外國人，無論是教師、工程師、企業家或企業高級主管。他們必須持有電子工作許可證以及非移民 B 簽證、非移民 O 簽證或 LTR 簽證或智慧簽證等特殊簽證。根據《外國人工作管理法令》，某些職業禁止外國人進行，例如體力勞動或僅限泰國公民從事的職業。違反法律將面臨嚴厲處罰，包括最高10萬泰銖的罰款、監禁或驅逐出境。對於外國公民而言，獲得並遵守電子工作許可證的條件是其在泰國工作的法定要求。