Thailand Opens 15-Day Registration for Undocumented Migrant Workers
BANGKOK — Thailand will launch a 15-day registration period from October 15 to 29, 2025, aimed at bringing an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 undocumented migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam into the formal employment system. The program allows registered workers to stay and work legally in the country for up to one year.
The initiative follows a Cabinet resolution on August 19, 2025, and was announced by Labour Minister Treenuch Thienthong on October 6. The move is intended to address labor shortages, enhance public safety, and strengthen Thailand’s international reputation regarding humanitarian standards and human rights.
The program specifically targets workers already employed in Thailand without legal status, including those whose work permits have expired or who missed renewal deadlines. “When employers legally register workers, it contributes to stability in both the labor market and public security, as well as public health,” Minister Treenuch said. The Department of Employment estimates that around 338,000 workers remain unregistered, but officials expect up to 700,000 to participate based on prior campaigns.
Registration Procedure
Employers must submit applications online on behalf of migrant workers during the 15-day period. Upon submission, workers receive temporary work authorization until December 28, 2025. Health checks, health insurance registration, and biometric data collection are also required at Immigration Bureau offices, with Cambodian nationals reporting every 60 days. Once all steps are completed, the Department of Employment will issue one-year work permits valid until October 14, 2026. Workers must also update personal documentation or ID cards for stateless persons with the Department of Provincial Administration. Special permission ends immediately if a worker leaves Thailand without a valid passport, travel document, or visa.
The e-WorkPermit system will launch nationwide on October 13, 2025, providing a 24-hour online platform for submitting applications, checking status, and receiving permits without direct contact with officials. Minister Treenuch emphasized that the service supports the government’s goal of digitalizing public services to make foreign labor management more convenient, transparent, and auditable.
For inquiries, workers and employers can contact provincial employment offices, Bangkok Employment Offices (Areas 1-10), or the Ministry of Labour hotline at 1506, press 2.