Pink Card Renewal 2026: File by 11 Dec or Lose the Right

Information as of 8 September 2569 — Migrant workers in the Cabinet Resolution group of 11 November 2568 are permitted to work until 11 December 2569 and must file a renewal application by that same day in order to keep working until 11 December 2570, under the Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2569.

The "pink card" people talk about is really two documents

"Pink card" is used so loosely that many people think it is a single document. In practice there are two, issued by different agencies and running on different clocks.

• The work permit — issued by the Department of Employment. This is the document that states how long the person may work, and this is the one with the 11 December 2569 deadline.
• The identification card for a person without Thai nationality — issued by the Department of Provincial Administration or the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. This is the pink plastic card people recognise; it confirms identity and is tied to the civil registration record.

The Cabinet Resolution states that creating or updating the registration record and the card itself follows the ordinary legal process, without setting a specific time frame. The hard deadline applies to filing the work permit renewal, not to the card.

This confusion is dangerous because some employers look at the expiry date printed on the card and assume there is still time, when the urgent task is filing the work permit renewal.

The deadline to remember: 11 December 2569

11 December 2569 is both the expiry date and the last day to file — the same day. You cannot let it expire and catch up afterwards.

• When you can file — the e-WorkPermit system has been accepting applications since 8 September 2569 and closes on 11 December 2569 at 16.30. Filing is through eworkpermit.doe.go.th only.
• Filed on time — within 11 December 2569 → work may continue until 11 December 2570.
• Filed and awaiting the visa — the worker may stay in the Kingdom until 30 June 2570 while waiting, and the visa is then granted through 11 December 2570.
• Not filed — the right ends on 11 December 2569. There is no retroactive renewal.

The group covered is Lao, Myanmar and Vietnamese workers permitted to work until 11 December 2569, including those who could not complete a passport by 31 July 2569 and those whose visa was issued but whose passport expires before that date.

What an employer faces if the deadline passes

Under the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment, the penalties on the two sides are not the same, and they are often quoted the wrong way round.

• Employer taking on a migrant worker in breach of Section 9 — a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 Baht per migrant worker.
• Repeat offence — imprisonment of up to 1 year, or a fine of 50,000 to 200,000 Baht per worker, or both, and a 3-year ban on employing migrant workers from the date the court judgment becomes final.
• Worker working without a permit — a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 Baht, no imprisonment, and deportation from the Kingdom.

Beyond the fine, dropping out of the system means starting the import process over again, which costs significantly more time and money than renewing.

Employer checklist right now

• Go through every worker's expiry date and check whether they fall in the 11 December 2569 group. Read the work permit, not just the face of the card.
• Check the passport — it must not expire before the renewal is filed. If it is close to expiring, the new book has to be done first.
• Book the health check and health insurance — the Department of Employment circular dated 13 August 2569 allows the permit or document stating permission to work until 11 December 2569 to be used as proof to go for the check straight away.
• Get the employer-side documents ready before the rush period.
• Do not wait for the last week — the online system and agency queues always get heavier as the deadline approaches.

Frequently asked questions

The pink card has already expired — can it still be renewed?

If you mean the work permit expiring on 11 December 2569, the filing has to be done within that day. There is no retroactive renewal once the deadline has passed. Cases already past the deadline must be discussed with the local Provincial Employment Office individually.

After renewing the work permit, does a new card have to be made?

The registration record and the card have to be updated to match the newly granted period. The resolution states that this follows the ordinary legal process; it does not set a specific time frame the way it does for filing the renewal.

The renewal is filed but the visa has not been issued yet — can the worker work?

Under the Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2569, those who have filed may stay in the Kingdom until 30 June 2570 while waiting, and the visa is then issued to cover the period through 11 December 2570.

Are Cambodian workers in this group?

The Cabinet Resolution of 14 July 2569 names Lao, Myanmar and Vietnamese nationalities. For other nationalities, or groups that entered through a different channel, the conditions and deadlines may not be the same and should be checked with the local Provincial Employment Office.

If you would like our team to check each worker's status and handle the process for you, see the full steps and documents at Pink Card Service for Migrant Workers

Leniency measures for migrant workers have a limited life and are amended from time to time. Please confirm the current schedule with your local Provincial Employment Office or the Department of Employment hotline 1694 before taking any action.