Special Regulation for BOI Promoted Companies

 Special Regulation for BOI Promoted Companies

Companies promoted by the Board of Investment enjoy certain privileges. Among others, BOI promoted companies are exempted from minimum capital requirements and Thai to Non-Thai employee ratios. The process for obtaining a Work Permit for companies promoted under the authority of the Board of Investment differs from the normal procedures. In both cases, the future employee needs to enter Thailand on a Non-Immigrant type B Business Visa.                                                                                                                          

The issuance of Work Permits under the authority of the BOI follows two distinct steps:

Work Permit Application

1. Position Approval

The Thai company needs to submit an application for employing foreign experts and technicians to the Foreign Experts Service Division. It is necessary that the employer is a promoted company under the Investment Promotion Act (i.e. a BOI promoted company). Such an application must contain a description of the company’s objectives and an explanation why it is necessary to employ Non-Thai nationals in a specific position, the overall personal plan of the company including the overall number of foreign experts and technicians required as well as the planned period of employment. 

The following documents need to be submitted to the Foreign Experts Service Division: 

- Request form for employing Non-Thai national experts and technicians (F FR NI 01).                                          - Company organizational chart: showing the overall responsibilities of the different positions and highlighting   the positons for which approval is requested (or has already been granted)                                                             - Employment details form (F FR NI 02)Investment promotion certificate.                                                         - Job titles in English,Job descriptions, Job requirements.                                                                           - Planned period and duration of employment.                                                                                               - Foreign Business License (if not available, a clarification letter is needed).                                                         - Company registration documents .                                                                                                                            - List of shareholders (Bor Or Jor 5)                                                                                                                            - Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Statement (if not available, a clarification letter is needed)

All documents must be signed by an authorized director with a company seal affixed. Once the application for the position has been submitted, the application will either be approved or disapproved. In both cased, a written notification to the company will be issued. If the position has been approved, the company might proceed to the employee appointment.

2. Employee Appointment

As a second step, the BOI promoted company needs to file an application at the Foreign Experts Service Division requesting to bring a foreign expert or technician to work for the approved position. It is important to note that the foreign expert’s or technician’s curriculum vitae needs to match the job requirements for which the position approval has been granted.

For an employee appointment application the following documents are required:

 - Company application letter containing                                                                                                            - Intention to fill a specified positon (reference must be made to the approved position)                                          - Personal details of the individual who is supposed to fill the position                                                                - Bio data form (F FR NI 03) containingEducational certificates                                                                - Educational history                                                                                                                                              - Fields of education related to the position for which the application is filed                                                      - Employment history                                                                                                                                - Employment record                                                                                                                                                - Passport copyPassport sized (3×4 cm) photo of the applicant                                                                - Personal details page                                                                                                                                                  - Entry stamp and departure card                                                                                                                                  - Non-Immigrant type B Business Visa (for non-permanent residents only)                                                              - Residence permit and alien book (for permanent residents only)                                                                      - Approval letter for position requested in step one

Once again, all documents must be signed by an authorized director with a company seal affixed. The assignment than will be considered by the Foreign Expert Services Division and either approved or disapproved. In any case, a letter of notification will be issued to the company. If the application has been approved, a written notification will be issued to the Immigration Bureau and the Department of Employment. The company might than contact both the Immigration Bureau and the Department of Employment within 30 days for obtaining a Work Permit and a visa extension for the employee.