Thailand Work Permit Update: Manual Submissions Now Allowed Until January 2026

Thailand’s Department of Employment has announced an important temporary change. Due to technical issues with the new e-Work Permit system, the government will now accept manual (paper) applications until January 28, 2026. This offers immediate flexibility for employers and foreign workers during this transition period.

Understanding Thailand’s New e-Work Permit System

Thailand first announced its new ‘e-Work Permit’ platform in October 2025. This major digital shift aimed to simplify the often-complex process for foreign employees and their employers. The new rule was initially intended to make it mandatory for everyone to use this online platform for all work permit submissions and foreign worker registrations. The goal was to centralize data and create a more efficient system, cutting down on physical paperwork and processing time in the long run.

Manual Submissions: A Temporary Relief Period

The Department of Employment introduced this temporary measure due to frequent reports of technical glitches and system instability faced by users. This temporary allowance is a practical solution to prevent a large-scale backlog of applications.

Who Benefits from Manual Submissions?

This temporary relief directly helps two critical application types:

• Work Permit Renewals: It allows skilled foreign workers to submit their renewal applications in paper form. This ensures their employment status remains legal without interruption.
• Work Permit Cancellations: All foreign workers who need to cancel their work permits can now do so manually.

Essential Filing Requirements

To use the manual filing option, applicants must strictly follow these rules:

1. Deadline: Employers and foreign employees can file work permit applications in paper form until January 28, 2026.
2. Mandatory Attachment: You must attach a screenshot of the error message received from the e-Work Permit system. This step is crucial. It proves you attempted the online process and encountered a valid technical issue.
3. Submission: Submit the complete paper application and the error screenshot to the relevant provincial or area employment office.

The Future: Fully Digital Work Permit Applications

The government’s primary objective remains the implementation of a fully digital system. Once Thailand resolves all technical issues and the system proves stable, all entities, including companies promoted under the Board of Investment (BOI), must exclusively use the e-Work Permit online platform for all related applications.

This transition will cover all aspects of work permits:

• New Work Permit Applications
• Work Permit Renewals
• Work Permit Cancellations

Once approved through the digital platform, applicants will receive an official e-Work Permit ID card (Work Permit ID), completing the digital transition.

Immediate Impact and Benefits

This temporary measure provides much-needed flexibility. It helps employers and foreign workers bypass immediate technical roadblocks efficiently.

• Avoids Delays: This measure prevents major delays in processing critical renewals and cancellations, maintaining continuity in the workforce.
• Ensures Compliance: Employers can easily ensure their foreign staff remain compliant with Thai labor laws, avoiding penalties that could arise from overdue applications.
• Smooth Transition: It allows the Department of Employment to fix the e-Work Permit platform behind the scenes without disrupting essential employment processes.

Final Thoughts

Thailand’s shift to a fully digital work permit system shows its clear commitment to modernizing administrative services. By offering this manual submission window, the government is prioritizing the stability of its workforce over a quick digital rollout. Once the e-Work Permit platform operates smoothly, it promises to make tracking applications and approvals far more efficient, benefiting both employers and foreign professionals greatly in the long run.