Thailand’s 40 restricted jobs foreigners cannot freely take up
Thailand’s foreign labour law restricts 40 job categories for foreign workers, with some fully prohibited and others allowed only under specific conditions.
- Thailand has a list of 40 occupations that are legally restricted for foreign workers, divided into four categories with different levels of prohibition.
- Of these, 27 jobs are completely banned for foreigners under any circumstances, including general labor, driving, retail sales, and traditional Thai massage.
- The remaining restricted jobs may be permitted, but only under specific conditions such as being covered by an international agreement or a government-to-government labor memorandum of understanding (MOU).
- The regulations are designed to protect the domestic labor market for Thai citizens, and violations can result in fines, imprisonment, or the revocation of work permits.
As debate over foreign workers and employment in Thailand continues to draw public attention, labour-related agencies are highlighting the list of occupations legally restricted for non-Thai nationals.
The rules fall under Thailand’s foreign labour framework, including the Foreigners’ Working Management Emergency Decree BE 2560 (2017) and its 2018 amendment. The law sets out work that foreign nationals are either fully prohibited from doing or may carry out only under specific conditions.
The restricted occupations are divided into four lists covering 40 work categories. The framework is intended to protect Thai workers, regulate the domestic labour market and help employers avoid unintentional breaches of the law.
27 jobs fully prohibited for foreign workers
The first list covers 27 occupations that foreign nationals are not allowed to take up under any circumstances.
These include general labour, basic service work, basic skilled trades, driving, and certain types of retail and sales work. They also include personal services such as hairdressing, beauty services and traditional Thai massage.
These occupations are considered fully reserved for Thai nationals and are strictly off-limits to foreign workers.
Three professions allowed only under international agreements
The second list covers professions that foreign nationals may perform only if they are nationals of countries with relevant agreements or cooperation arrangements with Thailand, or if they qualify under applicable international frameworks.
These include certain specialised professions that require legal agreements between governments or must comply with Thailand’s international obligations.
Eight skilled or semi-skilled jobs allowed with conditions
The third list covers skilled or semi-skilled jobs that foreign nationals may perform only under specific conditions.
Foreign workers in this group must have an employer and comply with the requirements set by law. These may include specialised craft work, semi-skilled work and certain industrial jobs requiring specific labour skills.
Two jobs allowed only under MOU conditions
The fourth list covers jobs that foreign workers may perform only if they enter Thailand legally through the memorandum of understanding, or MOU, system or under government-to-government labour agreements.
Workers in this group must have a clearly identified employer and must be properly authorised under the relevant labour and immigration rules.
Employers urged to check rules before hiring
The designation of occupations reserved for Thai nationals is an important measure to protect the domestic labour market while ensuring that foreign labour is managed in an orderly and lawful way.
Relevant agencies have urged employers and workers to check the details carefully before any hiring takes place to avoid violations of labour law.
Those who breach foreign labour laws, whether workers or business operators, may face penalties including fines, imprisonment or the revocation of work permits. Such violations can have both short- and long-term consequences.
40 occupations prohibited for foreign nationals or allowed only under specific conditions
- General labour: labourers / manual work
- Agriculture: rice farming, crop farming and gardening
- Livestock: general animal husbandry
- Forestry: forestry work
- Fisheries: traditional fisheries
- Construction: bricklaying and plastering
- Construction: carpentry
- Construction: wood carving
- Skilled trades: blacksmithing / metalwork
- Skilled trades: masonry / sculpting
- Skilled trades: glasswork
- Industry: certain types of factory work
- Textiles: hand-weaving
- Textiles: dyeing fabric
- Retail: shop sales staff
- Retail: street vending
- Retail: fresh market trading
- Services: waiters / service staff
- Services: certain types of cashier work
- Services: food serving
- Transport: driving motor vehicles
- Transport: driving passenger vehicles
- Transport: driving lorries
- Transport: taxi or hired-vehicle driving
- Personal services: hairdressing
- Personal services: beauty services
- Personal services: traditional Thai massage
- Tourism: tour guiding
- Accounting: certain types of bookkeeping
- Auditing: certain types of auditing work
- Law: certain types of legal practice
- Administration: certain types of secretarial work
- Brokerage: representatives / agents
- Real estate: land brokerage
- Finance: certain types of insurance agent work
- Arts and crafts: diamond cutting
- Arts and crafts: gemstone polishing
- Culture: traditional folk arts
- Food: production of certain traditional local foods
- General work: other regulated work designated by the state through official announcements
