Is it possible for a foreigner to change employers in Thailand?

       Foreigners working in Thailand may want or need to change their job for various reasons: there may be force majeure, or the work they do is not what they thought it would be and they want to change jobs or change employers. The cases discussed here apply to foreign workers who are brought into Thailand by a labor contractor. According to the Foreigners' Working Management Emergency Decree (No. 2), 2018, Section 50 states that if a person who has been granted permission to bring foreigners to work brings foreigners to the employer, notification must be made to the registrar within 15 days from the date the foreigners have been handed over to the employer. There are two cases in which the worker might want or need to change jobs.

1. The employer does not accept the foreigner, or the foreigner is dismissed for any reason whatsoever: If it's not the employee's fault and the foreigner is willing to work with other employers, the person granted permission to bring foreigners to work may assign the foreigner to work with another employer within 30 days from the date the employer refuses to accept them. 

2. In a case where the foreigner refuses to work with the employer: If it is the employer's fault, the registrar will issue a new work permit or endorse a work permit to give the foreigner the right to change employers, and they must work with a new employer within 30 days from the date of termination of work with the previous employer. 

       But if it is not the employer's fault and if the employee leaves the job before the end of the employment contract, they may not work with another employer.

       The foreign employees must work with the new employer within the required time. After the expiration of this period, the permission for that foreigner to stay in the Kingdom is terminated according to the law on immigration and the person granted permission to bring the foreigner to work must send that foreigner back to the country of origin within 7 days from the end of the period of work with the new employer, together with notifying the registrar within 7 days from the date of sending the foreign worker back, as well.

Source :Foreign Workers Administration Ofhce
Tel : +66 63 663 6663