Migrant Worker Employer Change: Exit and Entry Notice

Changing employer for migrant worker is to allow an employee who has left their former employer to legally work with a new employer. This requires completing two sides: the former employer notifies termination and the new employer applies for a work permit within the timeframe stipulated by law. If the deadline is missed, the work permit immediately expires, and the right to reside in the Kingdom also ceases.

Exworker handles the entire process — checking if the employee is eligible to change employer, preparing and submitting documents to the Department of Employment office, following up on the case in the e-WorkPermit system until a new work permit booklet or endorsement is obtained. Employers do not need to stop work to wait in line themselves.

Not sure if your case is feasible? Chat with Nong Ex (our AI assistant) now. Available 24/7. Ask about conditions, documents, and processing time. If the case is complex, Nong Ex will forward it to our real team for review.

Most Common Problems Employers Encounter

Former employer refuses to notify termination — leaving the matter pending in the system, preventing new applications from being processed.
Unsure if the employee is eligible to change employer — MOU group and pink card group use different criteria.
System login credentials are with the former agent — preventing the new employer from proceeding.
Application rejected — even a single mismatch in spelling of name/passport number with system data can lead to failure.
Incorrect day count — by the time it's realized, the deadline has passed, requiring repatriation and new MOU import, which is much more expensive.

Who Can Change Employer

1. MOU Migrant Workers (Imported under Memorandum of Understanding between governments)

This group is tied to the employment contract made since importation, according to Section 51 of the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 (2017) (as amended by Issue 2 B.E. 2561 (2018)). If an employee leaves work before the contract expires, they cannot work for another employer, unless

it can be proven to the registrar that the termination of employment was due to the employer's fault, or
damages have been paid to the former employer (damages = costs of importing the migrant worker, calculated proportionally to the time already worked).

Once the conditions are met, the registrar will issue a new work permit or endorse the work permit to indicate the right to change employer.

An often-unknown exception: If the employee has renewed the employment contract and leaves work during the term of the new contract, the above restrictions do not apply.

2. Migrant Workers Registered under Cabinet Resolutions (pink card)

This group is not bound by the conditions of Section 51 but uses criteria set by the Ministry of Labour/Department of Employment in the announcements of the Cabinet resolution round under which the employee was registered. Generally, this is more flexible than the MOU group, but can differ in each round, so it is always necessary to check the actual registration round of the employee.

To be precise, migrant workers registered under Cabinet resolutions use criteria according to the announcement of that specific resolution round, which may differ from the MOU group. Verification should be made with the provincial Department of Employment office in the area. Therefore, we always ask which round the employee was registered under before stating whether a case is feasible or not.

Because each round has its own announcement, and older announcements gradually expire, comparing your case with what a fellow employer did last year risks error. A safer method is to check the employee's own registration documents to see which round they belong to, then confirm the actual criteria with the provincial Department of Employment office (PDOE) in the area or the Department of Employment hotline 1694 before initiating the process.

3. Cases where the employer does not accept employment, or the employee leaves work through no fault of their own (newly imported migrant workers)

According to Section 50, when the licensee for importing migrant workers has delivered the employee to the employer, but the employer does not accept employment, or the employee leaves work (only in cases not due to the employee's fault), the licensee may arrange for the employee to work with another employer within 30 days from the date the employer does not accept employment. The period of work with the new employer must not exceed the term specified in the migrant worker import contract.

Furthermore, Section 50 also stipulates that the employer must notify the licensee for importing migrant workers and the registrar within 7 days when an event under this section occurs (employer does not accept employment / employee refuses to work / employee leaves work for any reason).

4. Cases where the employee refuses to work for the employer

This case uses a different set of rules from item 3; do not generalize — If the employee refuses to work for the employer and it is due to the employer's fault, Section 50 stipulates that Sections 51 and 52 shall apply mutatis mutandis. Simply put, it does not fall under the mechanism of "licensee arranges for work with another employer within 30 days from the date the employer does not accept employment" as in item 3. Instead, it must follow the same path as a normal employer change: proving eligibility under Section 51 (employer's fault or payment of damages to the former employer) and then commencing work with the new employer within the timeframe of 30 days from the date of termination of employment with the former employer, as per Section 52.

Because the conditions differ in this way, before initiating the process, it is necessary to clearly specify which case yours falls under. As for the details of what constitutes "employer's fault," it is at the discretion of the registrar according to the Department of Employment's guidelines. Therefore, it is advisable to inquire with the provincial Department of Employment office on a case-by-case basis or send your case details to Nong Ex for initial classification.

Steps and Timeline

There are two numbers to remember: 30 days and 15 days — According to Section 52 of the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 (2017) (as amended by Issue 2 B.E. 2561 (2018)), migrant workers eligible to change employer must commence work with the new employer within 30 days from the date of termination of employment with the former employer. The 15 days is the timeframe for notifying the registrar, which applies to both the employer and the employee.

The most common point of miscalculation: 30 days counted from the actual date of termination of employment, not from the date the former employer notifies termination in the system. If the former employer delays the notification for 10 days, the employee's remaining time is reduced by 10 days without anyone informing them.

Some groups or Cabinet resolution rounds may have specific temporary extension measures with limited periods of enforcement. It is recommended to check the latest status with the provincial Department of Employment office in the area or the Department of Employment hotline 1694 before proceeding.

Step	Who does it	Legal timeframe
Employee leaves work	—	Start date for counting
Notify registrar that employee has left work (with reason)	Former employer	Within 15 days from the date of leaving work
Check eligibility / Request work permit endorsement	Employee + New employer	Can be done concurrently immediately
Commence work with new employer	Employee	Within 30 days from the date of termination of employment with the former employer (Section 52)
Notify registrar of employer, workplace, and nature of work	Employee (work permit holder)	Within 15 days from the date of commencing work, and must notify every time the employer changes (Section 64/2)
Provide security deposit (only for types of work requiring it)	New employer	Within 15 days from the date of employment (Section 52, paragraph one)

Penalty for not notifying within 15 days: An employer who fails to notify as per Section 13 is subject to a penalty of a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht (Section 103). The employee who fails to notify as per Section 64/2 is also subject to a penalty of a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht (Section 119/1). These are separate duties; notifying only one side is insufficient.

What Happens If the Deadline Is Missed

Section 53 clearly stipulates that if an employee is not eligible to change employer under Section 51, or is eligible but fails to commence work with another employer within the timeframe specified in Section 52, the work permit shall terminate from the date of leaving work or the date the deadline passes, as the case may be. Furthermore, the right to reside in the Kingdom shall also be deemed terminated according to immigration law — In practice, this means repatriation and new importation, which is several times more expensive than changing employer.

How to Notify Migrant Worker Employment Online via e-WorkPermit

"Notifying employment" is when an employer informs the registrar of hiring a migrant worker, which the law requires to be notified within 15 days from the date of employment, according to Section 13 of the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment (Issue 2) B.E. 2561 (2018). Failure to notify within the specified period carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht according to Section 103. When leaving work, notification must also be made within 15 days, specifying the reason for leaving.

In addition to the employer's side, the migrant worker themselves also has a duty to notify the registrar of the employer's name, workplace, and main nature of work within 15 days from the date of commencing work, and must notify every time the employer changes, according to Section 64/2. Failure to notify carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht according to Section 119/1 — This is a separate duty from the employer's notification; one cannot be done in place of the other.

Where to Submit Online

The Department of Employment has launched the e-WorkPermit system at eworkpermit.doe.go.th for submitting matters related to migrant worker work permits electronically. Employers must register a user account before they can submit applications in the system.

What to Know Before Submitting Yourself

Notifying employment does not mean the employer has been changed. — If an employee leaves work before the contract expires, they must first meet the conditions of Section 51, which means proving to the registrar that the departure was due to the employer's fault or that damages have been paid to the former employer.
Count 30 days carefully. — Must commence work with the new employer within 30 days from the date of termination of employment with the former employer (Section 52). If the deadline is missed, the work permit expires, and the right to reside in the Kingdom also ceases (Section 53).
Some steps still require visiting the Department of Employment office, such as receiving the work permit booklet/endorsement and submitting some original documents. The online system helps reduce travel rounds but does not replace everything.
Some types of work require a security deposit to the Director-General within 15 days from the date of employment (Section 52, latter part).
Conditions and submission rounds change frequently according to Cabinet resolutions and Department of Employment announcements. Before each submission, always check the latest announcement with the provincial Department of Employment office in the area.

If you don't want to risk missing the 15-day or 30-day timeframe, Exworker handles eligibility checks, document preparation, and system submissions for both termination notification and employment notification.

Required Documents

Termination Notification Side (Former Employer)

Form for notifying the registrar of migrant worker termination, specifying the reason for leaving work.
Copy of ID card/corporate registration certificate of the former employer.
Copy of work permit and passport of the employee.
Certificate of termination of employment or termination notice (if issued by the former employer).
Evidence of the reason for leaving work, such as a termination letter, resignation letter, or documents in case of business closure/employer's death.

Common case: Former employer does not issue a termination notice. The Department of Employment previously clarified that employees can submit an employer change application at PDOE/PWO 1–10 without waiting for a termination notice from the former employer. However, the former employer still has a legal duty to notify termination — Practices may vary by area; check with the PDOE where the employee works.

Employment Notification Side (New Employer)

Copy of ID card and house registration of the employer / Company registration certificate and copy of director's ID (for legal entities).
Map and photos of the establishment.
New signed employment contract.
Passport or substitute documents (CI/TD/PJ) of the employee, which are still valid.
Original work permit, or evidence of endorsement for the right to change employer.
Non-Thai national identification card (pink card), if available.
Employee's photograph according to government-specified size.
Evidence of security deposit (only for businesses required by law).

Documents may vary by area and the group under which the employee was registered. You can send photos of your existing documents to Nong Ex for a preliminary check, free of charge.

Costs

Costs are divided into 2 separate parts. Do not combine them and compare prices, as this will lead to an incorrect comparison.

1. Government Fees

This portion is paid directly to government agencies. The rate is the same whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you. Generally, it includes application fees, work permit fees, and other expenses that may arise in some cases, such as health check-up fees or new card issuance fees.

Fee rates are in accordance with ministerial regulations and government announcements, which can be adjusted according to the announcement cycles. Some items also vary by migrant worker group and the area of submission. Therefore, we do not list specific figures on this page. Please check the actual rates with the Provincial Employment Office (PEO) in the area of submission or the Department of Employment hotline 1694 — or let Ex help summarize the items you need to pay for your case first.

2. Exworker Service Fees

Our service fees are drawn from the company's actual service list and are not fixed in the content. The figures you see on this page are therefore always current prices.

Before starting work, we always clearly itemize which portion is government fees and which is our service fees. There are no additional charges along the way. Request a quote via Ex immediately.

Can You Do It Yourself? Compared to Having Us Do It

Issue	Employer Does It Themselves	Have Exworker Do It
Can it be done?	Yes, the law does not mandate the use of a representative.	Yes, and we can act on your behalf for almost every step.
Suitable for	Straightforward cases, previous employer cooperates, complete documents.	Cases where the previous employer does not report termination, system is locked, password is with the previous agent, or nearing the deadline.
Time the employer must spend	Go to the employment office themselves, may need to go multiple times if documents are missing.	Send documents via chat, our team will process the case.
Risk of rejection	High if never submitted before; information in the system must match exactly.	Documents are checked before every submission, reducing rejections.
Costs	Government fees only	Government fees + service fees
What we cannot guarantee	Approval is at the registrar's discretion. We cannot expedite government queues and do not accept cases that require circumventing the law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a migrant worker change employers directly? Is the previous employer's consent required?

It depends on the group. If it's an MOU migrant worker who leaves work before the contract expires, according to Section 51, it must be proven to the registrar that it was the employer's fault, or compensation must be paid to the previous employer before a new work permit or endorsement of rights can be obtained. For the pink card group, the criteria of the Cabinet resolution round under which they were registered apply, which is more flexible. However, the previous employer's "non-consent" does not mean that the application cannot be submitted. The Department of Employment has clarified that an application to change employers can be submitted at the employment office without waiting for a termination notice.

What if there is no termination notice from the previous employer?

The application can still be submitted. Prepare other evidence showing actual termination of employment, such as a resignation letter, last payslip, or documents in case the previous employer closed down. Then submit the application at the Provincial Employment Office (PEO) or Bangkok Employment Office Area 1–10 in the area of work. The previous employer still has a legal duty to notify the registrar within 15 days from the date the employee leaves work.

Can I change employers immediately after the contract expires?

The restriction under Section 51 refers to "leaving work before the contract expires." Therefore, if the contract has been completed, this condition is not an obstacle. The law also states that the provisions of the first paragraph do not apply to foreign nationals whose employment contracts have been renewed and who leave work during the term of the new contract. However, they must still start work with the new employer within the timeframe stipulated by law. You can send contract details and the end date for our team to check first.

Can a migrant worker change employers online?

The Department of Employment has an electronic work permit system (e-WorkPermit) that can be used to submit and track application status. However, in practice, many steps still require submitting original documents or the employee appearing in person at the employment office, and the available channels may differ depending on the migrant worker group and area. Always check with the responsible PEO first. Do not believe that "online submission alone is sufficient" until confirmed by an official.

What if the system shows a duplicate or rejected application?

The most common reason is that the previous employer or agent submitted an application that is still pending and has not been withdrawn, causing the system to prioritize the latest rights holder. The old application must be cleared first. Another reason is that the system access code is still with the previous employer/agent, preventing the new employer from proceeding. In this case, a request for new system access rights must be submitted. You can send a screenshot of the status displayed to our team; we encounter such cases frequently.

What happens if a new employer is not found by the deadline?

According to Section 53, the work permit will expire from the date of leaving work or the expiration date, as the case may be. And the permission to stay in the Kingdom shall be deemed terminated under the immigration law as well. The result is that the employee must return to their home country, and if they wish to return to work, they must restart the new import process, which takes significantly more time and expense. Therefore, the process should be started from the first day it is known that the employee will leave.

How many days does it take if Exworker handles it?

The actual duration depends on the completeness of documents, the cooperation of the previous employer, and the queue at the employment office in that area. We cannot promise a fixed number of days because we cannot expedite government queues. However, what we can do is check all documents thoroughly from the first round to prevent rejections and inform you of the status at every step. You can send case information for an initial timeframe assessment.

Let Us Help With Your Case

Start here: Ask Ex, Exworker's AI Assistant — Just tell us which group the employee belongs to (MOU or pink card), when they left work, and what documents you have. Ex will assess whether this case can be done, what is needed, and how much time is left. Ask anytime, 24 hours a day, free of charge.

If you want to speak with a real person, message us on LINE @exworker or call our team at the number and operating hours shown in the company information box on this page, which also includes our license number. You can verify this before making a decision.

Last updated: 20 August 2026 · The legal information on this page refers to the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 and its amendment (No. 2) B.E. 2561, published in the Government Gazette, Volume 135, Part 19 Kor, dated 27 March 2561 · The criteria for Cabinet resolution groups may change according to announcement cycles. It is advisable to check with the local employment office or the Department of Employment hotline 1694 before proceeding · This content is general information for decision-making purposes and is not specific legal advice for individual cases.

References

Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment (No. 2) B.E. 2561 — Government Gazette, Volume 135, Part 19 Kor, dated 27 March 2561 (Section 25 repeals and rewrites Sections 50, 51, 52, and 53 entirely)
Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 Sections 13, 50, 51, 52, 53, 64/2, 103, and 119/1
Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour — Hotline 1694