Thailand reduces visa, stay fees for workers from SE Asia
Thailand's Ministry of Labour has issued a ministerial order setting new fees for inspections and work permits for foreign workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Workers process durian at a fruit products company in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand'sMinistry of Lab♉our has issued a ministerial order setting new fees forinsꦓpections and work permits for foreign workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Accordingly, the visa fee was reduced from2,000 baht (55.56 USD) to 500 baht and the fee for applying for a temporary stay, from 1,900 baht to 500 baht. The order will take effect for four yearsstarting from 10 November 2023. It is applied to foreign workers from the fourcountries who enter Thailand to work based on an employment contract orMemorandum of Understanding (MOU) in connection with the recruitment of workers. This measure aims to ensure that foreignworkers are legally employed and contribute to the country’s economy byaddressing problems related to illegal immigration and labour market stability. The ministry emphasised thatthe regulation is in line with the government’s approach to regulating theemployment of foreign workers to strengthen the country’s competitiveness andsupport economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Reducing fees is a meansto ease the financial burden on both workers and employers. According to the information of Thailand’sOffice of Foreign Labour Administration Department, in September Thailand hada total of 2,593,439 foreign workers and there are still approximately 1million workers in the process of submitting work permit applications accordingto the cabinet resolution on October 3, 2023./.
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Workers process durian at a fruit products company in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua) 
