Migrant Worker Registration 2026: Costs and Online Filing

As of August 2569, there is no Cabinet resolution or ministerial announcement opening a new round of registration for undocumented migrant workers. The latest round was based on the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568, which allowed applications to be submitted between December 12–26, 2568, and has since closed. Employers awaiting a new round should monitor announcements from the Department of Employment and check with their provincial employment office or hotline 1694.

This article is not an official announcement and does not state when a new round will open. However, it is written to answer the question employers have most frequently asked us since early 2569: “If the government opens a new registration round, what should I prepare starting today?” The answer is that almost everything can be prepared, and items not prepared in time during the previous round were the reason many migrant workers fell out of the system.

Exworker has managed the December 12–26, 2568 round for clients from the first day of application submission up to the visa endorsement stage. Therefore, we share real-world insights on where the bottlenecks are and what must be done before the announcement date to be on time.

Which group are you in — New Registration or Renewal?

These two matters are based on different resolutions, have different timeframes, and are frequently confused. Read this table first, because if you are on the right side, you have a real deadline that is currently active, not waiting for a new round.

Issue	(A) New Registration / Undocumented Migrant Worker Amnesty	(B) Existing Group Work Permit Renewal
Who can use it	Migrant workers who do not yet have a work permit, have fallen out of the system, overstayed, or did not complete all steps in the previous round	Migrant workers who already have a work permit valid until December 11, 2569
Legal Basis	Cabinet Resolution of November 11, 2568 (previous round)	Cabinet Resolution of July 14, 2569
Application Window	December 12–26, 2568 — Closed	Open, applications can be submitted until December 11, 2569
Current Status	🔴 No new round yet — No Cabinet resolution and no announcement in the Royal Gazette yet	🟢 Announced, effective, renewed work permit valid until December 11, 2570
What to do now	Prepare documents + monitor announcements (read more in this article)	Submit renewal, do not wait → Migrant Worker Work Permit Renewal Guide 2569

⚠️ The most common point of failure is that migrant workers under the November 11, 2568 resolution received a 1-year work permit valid until December 11, 2569. Many therefore think “there is still time,” but the truth is that an application for renewal must be submitted by December 11, 2569 to continue working until December 11, 2570, according to the Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2569. — If the deadline is missed and no application is submitted, they will have to wait for a “new round” which also has no set date. If you are unsure which group your employee belongs to, refer to the Checklist for Migrant Workers under Cabinet Resolution of Nov 11, 2568 or have the Exworker work permit renewal team check for you.

How the 2568 Round Worked — Insights from Our Actual Work

The latest round was based on the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568, regarding “Management of the Work of Undocumented Aliens.” The Ministry of Interior relied on Section 17 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, and the Ministry of Labour relied on Section 14 of the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560. The result was an amnesty allowing them to reside in the Kingdom and work for 1 year.

Important Note: The resolution itself did not specify any calendar dates. The resolution specified “a number of days” counting from the date the ministerial announcement was published in the Royal Gazette. All dates seen in infographics resulted from counting days after the announcement on December 11, 2568. This is why preparing documents in advance is crucial, as the clock starts ticking immediately upon the announcement, not waiting for anyone to be ready.

5-Step Timeline for the 2568 Round (According to the Day-Counting Formula in the Resolution)

Step	Action	Timeline per Resolution
1	Employer (or authorized foreign worker recruitment company) submits work permit application on behalf of the migrant worker + pays application fee	15 days from the day following the date of publication in the Royal Gazette (that round corresponded to December 12–26, 2568)
2	Pay work permit fee, undergo health check, obtain health insurance or register as an insured person, and submit additional supporting documents to the system	60 days immediately following the application submission period
3	Biometric collection (iris/fingerprint scan) at Immigration Division 1 or Provincial Immigration Office	60 days from the first day after the application submission period ends
4	Registrar considers approval and issues work permit	Within 30 days from the first day after the additional document submission period ends
5	Obtain a passport or substitute document, then apply for visa endorsement (VISA)	120 days from the day following the deadline for submitting additional documents

After that, a personal history record and non-Thai national identification card (pink card) must be created or updated with the Department of Provincial Administration or Bangkok Metropolitan Administration within the work permit validity period. The resolution states that this should be done according to normal laws, without specifying a particular timeframe. — See this part of the process at Exworker's pink card service

⚠️ Regarding Dates, Be Cautious: The deadlines for health checks, biometric collection, approval, and visa endorsement in this round were extended by the Cabinet resolution of March 10, 2569. And this group of migrant workers subsequently received an extension according to the Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2569, allowing them to work until December 11, 2570, provided they submit a renewal application by December 11, 2569. Therefore, calendar dates still floating around on old websites and infographics are no longer the actual deadlines. Use the day-counting formula above as a guideline instead, and see the full sequence of extensions at Cabinet Resolution Nov 11, 2568 Timeline

Key Details in the Resolution That Most Infographics Don't Mention

These five points are indeed in the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568, and are very helpful for employers when dealing with practical situations.

• Work can continue immediately for 75 days after application submission — The receipt for the work permit application on behalf of the migrant worker, along with the fee receipt, serves as proof of permission to continue working for another 75 days. Therefore, employers do not need to cease employment while waiting.
• Target groups are divided into 3 sub-groups — (1.1) Those with a passport and entry stamp, but whose permission has expired by operation of law, e.g., left a previous employer and could not find a new one in time, or did not complete all steps under a previous Cabinet resolution. · (1.2) Those who have overstayed their permission or are working for an employer without authorization. · (1.3) Those who entered illegally, which applies only to Lao and Myanmar nationals. — This point is often missed because people tend to think all nationalities in the resolution can fall into all sub-groups.
• Dependents who are children under 18 years old — Can reside based on their parents' rights; a personal history record and health insurance must be obtained for the same duration as the parents' permission. And if they later turn 18 and wish to work, they are allowed to stay for another 60 days to apply for a work permit.
• For fishing vessel employees — The application receipt along with the fee receipt can be used as a substitute for a work permit to apply for a Seafarer's Book (Seabook) immediately, without waiting for the actual work permit.
• Work permits can be collected by proxy — Migrant workers can authorize another person to collect the work permit on their behalf, avoiding the need to stop work for the entire site to accompany them for collection.

Another point that general infographics often summarize is the health insurance duration, which is not the same for everyone. According to the resolution, if a migrant worker is in the social security system but has not yet accrued benefit rights, they must obtain health insurance with coverage for no less than 6 months. But if they are not in the social security system, the coverage must be for no less than the requested work permit duration, which is 1 year. — Buying the wrong type means having to buy a new one, not just paying extra.

Government Fees for the 2568 Round

According to the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568, government fees are 100 Baht per application submission and 900 Baht per work permit. Additionally, there are health check fees and health insurance fees according to the rates of healthcare facilities listed by the Department of Employment, which are separate from the aforementioned fees. The rates for the next round (if any) will be in accordance with that round's resolution and announcements.

What You Can Prepare Starting Today

This is the core of the article. The experience from the December 12–26, 2568 round clearly shows that the application window is very short. Those who started gathering documents only after the announcement were too late, while those who prepared in advance took only a few days for actual submission.

For Employers — Can Be Done Now, No Need to Wait for Announcement

• Check that the certificate of corporate registration has not exceeded the validity period accepted by the government. If it's old, obtain a new copy in advance (for individuals, use national ID card and business operation evidence).
• Create a list of undocumented employees, indicating which sub-group each person likely falls into (1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3) and whether they have a passport. — This list was the most time-consuming item during the actual opening round.
• Prepare a power of attorney for a proxy if you intend to have a foreign worker recruitment company in Thailand handle the process. — The resolution clearly states that the applicant is either the employer or an authorized proxy.
• Create and test a user account in the Department of Employment's electronic system in advance to ensure access and correct establishment information.
• Plan for cash for fees and health check costs per person. — In the previous round, payments had to be made in a short period for the entire set.
• Check the social security status of each employee, as this determines whether 6-month or 1-year health insurance needs to be purchased.

For Migrant Workers — Can Be Done Now As Well

• Gather all existing passports or substitute documents and keep copies. For those who do not yet have a passport, start processing identity documents in advance, as the passport issuance and visa endorsement steps were the most common points of failure in the previous round. — See CI document service for Myanmar migrant workers
• Check if they are 18 years old yet, as the resolution specifies that the qualification requires being at least 18 years old.
• Prepare photographs and a medical certificate according to the format specified by the authorities for that round.
• Check if there is an existing personal history record or non-Thai national identification card. If so, keep a copy; it helps speed up background checks.

📌 Note on Document List: The list of documents and application forms are as specified by the Department of Employment for each round. The latest list should be checked from the Department of Employment's e-WorkPermit system or the provincial employment office before preparing documents. Practical details often discussed, such as the application form number (Bor Tor 50), 3x4 cm photo size, digital work permit application, and employer-side document list, originated from the announcements and guidelines of the 2568 round and were not in the Cabinet resolution itself, so they may change in the next round. The same applies to the condition “age 18 as of December 11, 2568,” which was a reference date for the previous round, not a permanent criterion.

If you are about to hire a new migrant worker and they do not yet have a work permit, do not solely wait for an amnesty round, as there are legal channels open at all times. — Read Hiring New Migrant Workers 2569: What Employers Need to Do and Importing Migrant Workers under the MOU System

No new registration round open yet. Do not pay anyone to reserve a right.

🔴 Every time there is news that the government is "about to open a new round," people immediately start collecting money for queue reservations. And every year, we encounter cases of employers who have already paid and then ask us later. Let us be clear:

There are news reports that the Ministry of Labour is considering guidelines for opening a new registration round, but there is no Cabinet resolution yet and no announcement in the Royal Gazette. Therefore, no submission date has been set, and no payment should be made to anyone to reserve a queue.

• There is no "right reservation" system in advance — The previous round only started accepting applications on the announced date. Anyone who says paying first gets a queue first is not consistent with government procedures.
• Government fees are paid at the agency, and a receipt must be obtained — A receipt is not just a piece of paper; it is evidence, along with the application receipt, that allows work to continue for 75 days. If there is no receipt, it means there is no evidence of deferment.
• Verify before every payment — Call the Department of Employment hotline 1694 or the Ministry of Labour hotline 1506, or inquire at the provincial employment office in your area. Official announcements will always be on the Department of Employment website and in the Royal Gazette.
• If using a representative, check their license — Those authorized to submit on behalf of an employer, according to the resolution, are the employer themselves or a company bringing migrant workers to work in the country that has been granted power of attorney. Always ask to see their license and make a written power of attorney.

How to submit through the e-WorkPermit system

Recent registration rounds are submitted through the Department of Employment's electronic system at eworkpermit.doe.go.th. Employers must register a user account before submitting an application. The steps to prepare are as follows:

1. Complete employer account registration in the system before the round opens — This step can be done at any time, without waiting for an announcement, and is the step where most people get stuck when the submission window is short.
2. Prepare employer information to match official registration records — The legal entity name, registration number, and business location must match the certificate; otherwise, the system will not accept or will reject the application.
3. Prepare individual employee information and documents — Identity documents, photos, and job position details for all employees must be complete before starting the submission.
4. Submit the application in the system, then pay the fees through the channels specified by the system within the deadline of that round.
5. Undergo health check-up and obtain health insurance according to the round's conditions — This is separate from the fees and often has its own deadline.
6. Track status and receive the booklet/endorsement of the work permit — Some steps still require contacting the provincial employment office in the area. The online system reduces travel but does not replace all steps.

The screens and sequence in the system may change according to the announcements of each round. Before actual submission, adhere to the latest manual and announcements from the Department of Employment, or primarily inquire at the provincial employment office in your area.

Itemized Expenses

The figures below are government fees for the latest announced round, excluding service fees from agent companies.

Item	Rate	Remarks
Application Submission Fee	100 Baht/application	According to Ministry of Labour announcement
Work Permit Fee	900 Baht/application	Combined with application submission fee, totaling 1,000 Baht, as per Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2569
Non-Immigrant L-A Visa Endorsement Fee	500 Baht	Only for cases requiring visa endorsement
Health Check-up and Health Insurance Fee	According to hospital rates	Separate from other fees. Use the list of medical facilities announced by the Department of Employment.

The cost of not complying is much higher — Failure to notify the registrar under Section 13 incurs a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht (Section 103). As for employing migrant workers without a work permit, the fine is 10,000–100,000 Baht per person (Section 102).

What to do if you miss the round

If you have missed a round, the most forbidden thing to do is to let the employee continue working as usual, because the employer bears the full risk. What you can do is:

• First, check what status the employee still has — Is the work permit not yet expired, or is it still within the timeframe allowed by law for action? This is different from having already lost the right.
• See if normal channels outside the deferment round are applicable — such as import under MOU or the employer change channel for migrant workers who still have valid status, which are open all year round and do not require waiting for a Cabinet resolution round.
• Do not pay anyone to "reserve a right" for the next round — As there is no resolution or announcement yet, no one can actually submit for you.
• Prepare documents in advance for the next round — The experience from the 12–26 Dec 2568 round shows that the submission window was very short. Those who started gathering documents only after the announcement were the ones who missed out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has the new migrant worker registration round for 2569 opened yet?

As of August 2569, there is no Cabinet resolution or ministerial announcement opening a new registration round for undocumented migrant workers. The latest round was based on the Cabinet Resolution of 11 November 2568, which allowed applications to be submitted between 12–26 December 2568 and has already closed.

I saw news that the Minister of Labour will open a new round. Can I believe it?

There are news reports that the Ministry of Labour is considering guidelines for opening a new registration round, but there is no Cabinet resolution yet and no announcement in the Royal Gazette. Therefore, no submission date has been set, and no payment should be made to anyone to reserve a queue. This should be considered a policy signal to prepare documents in advance, not an actual opening date for applications.

If a new round opens, how many days will there be to submit?

Previous rounds set timeframes as a number of days from the date of announcement in the Royal Gazette, such as 15 days for application submission, 60 days for biometric collection, and 120 days for visa endorsement. The timeframe for the next round (if any) will be according to the Cabinet resolution and announcement for that specific round, which may not be the same. Therefore, documents should be prepared in advance, and announcements should be primarily followed.

My employee received a work permit from the 11 Nov 2568 round. Do they need to wait for a new round?

No need to wait. This group is already covered by the renewal channel, which is open according to the Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2569. An application for renewal must be submitted by 11 December 2569 to continue working until 11 December 2570. Details are in the Work Permit Renewal Guide 2569.

Which nationalities of migrant workers are eligible for the "undocumented entry" group?

In the round based on the Cabinet Resolution of 11 November 2568, the sub-group for those who entered Thailand illegally (Group 1.3) covered only Lao and Myanmar nationalities. Other sub-groups had their own conditions. Exworker's service scope is for Lao and Myanmar migrant workers. If a new round is announced, the nationality and target group conditions will be according to that round's resolution.

After submitting the application, can the employee work while waiting for the work permit?

In the 2568 round, yes. The resolution stipulated that the migrant worker work permit application receipt, along with the fee payment receipt, serves as evidence of deferment allowing work to continue for another 75 days. In the case of fishing vessel employees, it could also be used to apply for a Seaman's Book (Seabook). Whether the next round will grant the same rights depends on that round's resolution.

What about children of migrant workers who accompany them?

In the 2568 round, children under 18 years old could stay under their parents' rights, provided a personal history record was created and health insurance was obtained for the same duration as the parents' permit. If they later turned 18 and wished to work, they could stay for another 60 days to apply for a work permit.

Let Exworker take care of it for you

We do not know when the new round will open, and we will not tell you which month it will open, because there is no Cabinet resolution and no announcement yet. What we can do is monitor for announcements on your behalf and notify you immediately when there is official news, along with informing you which conditions your employee meets.

• Receive notifications when the round opens — Add LINE @exworker and type “New Round”. Our team will record it and notify you immediately when a Cabinet resolution or announcement is issued.
• Let us help you check if you truly need to wait — Many employees whom employers think "must wait for a new round" are actually eligible for the existing renewal channel or can use the employer change channel immediately. See Employer Change Service.
• Prepare documents in advance with us — When an announcement is made, the submission window is very short. Those who have their documents prepared are the ones who can submit in time.
• Call our team at 098-648-6488

Exworker Co., Ltd. is a company that brings migrant workers to work in the country, providing services for Lao and Myanmar migrant workers to employers nationwide, and has processed the deferment round according to the Cabinet Resolution of 11 November 2568 for clients throughout the entire round, from application submission to visa endorsement.

References

• Summary of the Cabinet Meeting News, 11 November 2568, Item 10: "Management of the Work of Undocumented Migrant Workers" — Source of target groups, day-count timeframes, fees, 75-day deferment, and health insurance conditions.
• Cabinet Resolution, 10 March 2569 — Extension of deadlines for health check-ups, biometric collection, approval, and visa endorsement procedures for the 2568 round.
• Cabinet Resolution, 14 July 2569 — Extension of work period until 11 December 2570, requiring submission by 11 December 2569.
• Emergency Decree on the Management of Migrant Workers' Employment B.E. 2560, Section 14, and Immigration Act B.E. 2522, Section 17 — Legal basis for deferment rounds.
• News and announcements from the Office of Foreign Worker Administration, Department of Employment (doe.go.th), and the e-WorkPermit system — List of operational-level documents and application forms.
• Department of Employment Hotline 1694 · Ministry of Labour Hotline 1506

Last updated: 24 August 2569 · Regulations change frequently. Always confirm with local authorities before proceeding.