What are the costs of hiring 1 migrant worker per year?

This question cannot be answered with a single figure, as costs depend on nationality, Cabinet resolution group, and the province of employment. What can be answered and is more useful is all items for which funds must be prepared, divided into three groups: fixed figures · case-by-case figures · and costs often overlooked.

Summary in 30 Seconds

• The government fee for the renewal period is 1,000 Baht (application fee 100 + work permit fee 900), plus a visa fee of 500 Baht when the visa renewal is due.
• The largest sum is not for documents, but for wages and legal welfare benefits.
• The most expensive sum per person is fines — employing a person without a work permit incurs a fine of 10,000–100,000 Baht per person, many tens of times more than the annual fees.

Group 1 — Government Fees (Fixed Figures, Verifiable)

Item	Rate
Application fee (work permit renewal)	100 Baht/copy
Work permit fee	900 Baht/copy
Total work permit renewal fee	1,000 Baht
Visa fee (Non-Immigrant L-A)	500 Baht

This set of figures is for the currently open renewal period (for the group whose work permits are valid until December 11, 2569, according to the Cabinet Resolution of July 14, 2569, which extends validity until December 11, 2570). Details of the timeline are at Submit before Dec 11, 2569

Group 2 — Mandatory Items with Case-by-Case Pricing

• Health check-up (prohibited diseases) — Mandatory before renewal. Must be conducted at a government hospital or a private hospital linked to the Department of Employment's data system. Rates vary by hospital (see Migrant Worker Health Check-up Procedure).
• Health insurance — For those outside the social security system or awaiting eligibility. Coverage must be no less than stipulated by the Ministry of Public Health announcement and no less than the work permit duration.
• Social security — Registration as an insured person is a condition for renewal.
• Passport or substitute document (e.g., CI / PJ) — Rates are set by the country of origin and change periodically.
• Wages and welfare benefits according to labor protection laws — Always the largest sum. Minimum wage rates vary by province.

When requesting a quote from anyone, ask for a breakdown of which items are government fees and which are service fees to truly compare providers.

Group 3 — Costs Employers Often Overlook

The following three items do not appear in anyone's quotes, but are real money out of your pocket, and two of the three occur after you have paid for documents.

Repatriation Costs to Country of Origin: Who Pays?

When the work permit expires according to Section 53 or the employment contract is completed according to Section 55, the licensee authorized to bring in migrant workers, or the last employer who provided security according to Section 46 or 52, is responsible for these costs.

Fines — The Most Expensive Sum Per Person

To illustrate: the annual renewal fee is 1,000 Baht. However, employing a migrant worker without a work permit carries a penalty of a fine of 10,000–100,000 Baht per person (Section 102). And failure to notify the registrar within 15 days carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht (Section 103) — A single mistake costs many times more than the entire year's fees. Details with section numbers are at Employer Penalties

Cost of Time and Cost of Losing Personnel Mid-Process

Renewal periods have fixed submission deadlines. Missing a deadline means it cannot be rectified retroactively, and the entire process must be restarted. And if an employee leaves mid-process after you have paid for documents, that money will not be recovered. What can be done is to notify their departure on time to avoid incurring additional fines.

Summary of How to Budget Per Person Per Year

1. Start with government fees with known figures (renewal 1,000 Baht + visa fee when due 500 Baht).
2. Add health check-up and insurance costs as actually quoted in your area.
3. Add wages and legal welfare benefits, which constitute the main sum.
4. Set aside a reserve budget for additional document processes that may be required, such as passport replacement or employer change.
5. Do not budget without accounting for fines — if any plan saves money by "skipping steps," that is not a saving.

First Year vs. Subsequent Years: Costs Differ

If it is a newly imported migrant worker under MOU, the first year will have initial costs that subsequent years do not. This is because the process starts from submitting demand and coordinating with the country of origin — All steps are at 6 Steps to Import MOU Migrant Workers. For subsequent years, only the renewal process according to the table above remains.

If it is a migrant worker already in Thailand and changing to your employment, costs will be related to the transitional document period. See what needs to be done at Changing Employers for Migrant Workers 2569

Common Misconceptions About Costs

• "Employing migrant workers is cheaper because minimum wage doesn't apply" — Not true. Minimum wage and rights under labor protection laws apply equally to employees of all nationalities.
• "Document fees are the main cost" — Not true. The government fee for the renewal period is 1,000 Baht, while annual wages are in the hundreds of thousands. The decision to hire should therefore not be based on document fees.
• "Savings can be made by skipping some steps" — Steps that can be skipped are usually not those with fees, but those with fines.

Checklist Before Budgeting Per Person

1. Do you know which group the employee belongs to (MOU / Cabinet Resolution, which period)? — Different groups have different document cycles.
2. When does each of their documents expire? Record them all in one place.
3. Inquire about health check-up fees from hospitals in your actual area (List of Approved Hospitals for Health Checks).
4. Check the minimum wage for the province of employment.
5. Set aside a reserve budget for unplanned document cycles.
6. If hiring a company to handle the process, request a quote that separates government fees from service fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the government fee to renew a work permit for 1 person?

Total 1,000 Baht — application fee 100 Baht per copy, and work permit fee 900 Baht per copy. The visa fee (Non-Immigrant L-A) of an additional 500 Baht will be incurred when the visa renewal is due.

Why can't a total figure per person be provided?

Because the three largest items — wages, health check-up costs, and insurance — vary by province, hospital, and the employee's social security status. Anyone who provides an immediate total without asking these three questions first has not actually calculated it.

How much more expensive are fines than fees?

Employing a migrant worker without a work permit carries a fine of 10,000–100,000 Baht per person (Section 102). And failure to notify the registrar within 15 days incurs a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht (Section 103). Compared to the annual renewal fee of 1,000 Baht.

If an employee resigns after we've paid for documents, can we reclaim the costs?

Do not deduct from wages yourself and absolutely do not seize their documents. What must be done first is to notify the registrar within the deadline to avoid incurring additional fines. Details are at What to do if unable to change jobs

Is it cheaper to do it yourself or hire a company?

It depends on whether you have sufficient personnel and time. Compare the pros and cons at Importing MOU Migrant Workers from 4 Nationalities: Do it Yourself or Hire a Company

If you wish to compare our service fees, see the page Work Permit Renewal for Migrant Workers

References: Ministry of Labour Announcement for current renewal period · Cabinet Resolution of July 14, 2569 · Immigration Bureau Announcement on Non-Immigrant L-A Visa · Royal Decree on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 and Amendment No. 2 B.E. 2561 · Data as of August 22, 2569