If your worker’s work permit has expired, they must stop working immediately, and you should quickly check which group they belong to so you can find a way to reapply or renew. Allowing a foreign national to work without a permit is an offence for both the employer and the worker. The good news is that many cases can still be resolved if you act quickly and follow the right procedure for the worker’s group.
This article explains for employers what happens when a permit expires, what to check first, and what options each group of workers has in 2026 (B.E. 2569).
What happens when a work permit expires?
A work permit is the right to work in Thailand. Once it expires, that right ends immediately, even if the worker is still at the same workplace, with the same employer, doing the same job. The consequences are:
- The worker can no longer work legally. If caught while working, they are considered to be working without a permit.
- The employer commits an offence by employing a foreign national without a work permit. Under the Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Foreigners (B.E. 2560) (as amended in B.E. 2561 (2018)), the fine is 10,000–100,000 THB per worker.
- The visa may be affected too. For MOU workers, the visa and permission to stay are tied to employment. If the permit expires and nothing is done, the next visa extension will run into problems.
💡 A work permit and a visa are separate documents. Some workers have an expired permit but a valid visa, or the other way round. Always check both.
Step one: check these 4 things first
Before deciding what to do, gather the following information for each worker:
- Work permit expiry date — how many days ago did it expire?
- Visa or permission-to-stay expiry date — is the worker still in the country legally?
- How the worker entered — via MOU or under a Cabinet Resolution
- Identity document held — passport, Certificate of Identity (CI) or pink card (ID card for non-Thai nationals)
These four points tell you whether the worker can renew within the existing system or needs to start a new process.
Options by worker group
| Worker group | Situation | Common option |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Resolution group — Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam workers whose permits expire on 11 December 2026 (B.E. 2569) | Not yet expired but close to the deadline | Submit the application and pay fees by 11 December 2026; may work until 11 December 2027 (B.E. 2570) |
| MOU, 2 years completed | Permit expired or about to expire | Can renew for another 2 years (no more than 4 years in total); should apply before expiry |
| MOU, 4 years completed | Term completed | Generally must return home and then be brought in again under the MOU system |
| Permit expired long ago | Did not renew in time | Depends on the announcement in force at the time; in some cases the worker must return home and re-enter |
Note: The latest Cabinet Resolution (14 July 2026) sets an application fee of 100 THB and a work permit fee of 900 THB, and requires workers to obtain a passport or substitute document (such as a CI) and apply for a visa within 90 days of receiving the document, but no later than 30 June 2027 (B.E. 2570) → read the full summary in Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2026 summary
Can the worker keep working while waiting for the result?
For the Cabinet Resolution group, once the application has been submitted and fees paid, the application receipt together with the payment receipt can usually be used as proof of the right to work while awaiting approval, subject to the conditions in each round’s announcement.
However, if nothing has been submitted yet and the permit has already expired, the worker should not continue working until there is a document confirming their right to work. Fines are calculated per worker, so if you employ several workers, the total can be very high.
Preventing it from happening again
Most expired-permit problems are not caused by employers neglecting their duties, but by each worker having different expiry dates and multiple documents running on different cycles. Effective prevention methods:
- Keep a single table of expiry dates for every document: work permit, visa, passport/CI, 90-day report (TM.47) and health insurance
- Set reminders at least 60 days in advance for work permits and visas
- Keep copies of every document in one place, both digital and paper
- When a new Cabinet Resolution or announcement is issued, check immediately which workers qualify
📋 Quick summary
- Permit expired = the worker must stop working immediately; the employer faces fines per worker
- Check 4 things: permit expiry, visa expiry, worker group, identity document
- Cabinet Resolution group (Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam): apply by 11 December 2026
- MOU workers who have completed 4 years generally must return home and be brought in again
- Prevent problems with an expiry-date table and advance reminders
Has your worker’s permit expired, or is it about to?
Send photos of the documents via LINE and Best Friend Visa will check their eligibility and options for free.
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Last updated: 17 October 2026 (B.E. 2569) — regulations may change; please check with our staff before proceeding.