Promotion is inevitable. If you’re a hard worker, and you got a boss who’s got a keen eye for performance, then you’ll definitely get promoted in the long run. All is well when it comes to jobs in your own country — when you’re working overseas like in the Kingdom of Thailand, then promotion can come with a little bit of a caveat.
All of this hinges on your work permit. As mentioned in an earlier blog, expatriates are required to secure a work permit from the Immigration Bureau in order to legally work in Thailand. Again, we’d like to stress that going the right path to working in Thailand is of utmost importance. Don’t try to shortcut the legal process and getting the wrong paperwork just because it is easier to do so.
You don’t want to be faced with deportation and blacklisting.
The Limits of a Work Permit
In any case, the work permit will give you the legal permission you need in order to work in Thailand and not be bothered by immigration authorities. However, the work permit has limitations imposed on you, the foreign worker. These include:
•Limiting you to the job listed in the work permit. Working in Thailand with a valid work permit means that you can only do one job at one workplace at any given time. You could not pursue sidelines or part-time jobs because those jobs are not listed in your original working permit.
•Change residences at will. Your work permit only allows you to stay at the residence that you’ve specified in your application. As much as possible, avoid changing residences frequently as you might be questioned by the immigration authorities.
So, seeing all those limitations, you could see how promotion can be a little bit tricky in Thailand. Promotion changes your job description, but Thai laws indicate that you can only work at the job that is specified on your foreign worker’s permit.
Before you think that you’re caught in a legal conundrum here, Thailand’s government has, of course, anticipated such a situation for foreign employees working in its jurisdiction. Thus, the law allows for changes to the work permit to reflect such changes with the expat’s working parameters.
In other words, if you find yourself promoted in your job, it’s high time to brush back on the process of applying for a work permit. You’ll need to go through the same procedure again in order to update your work visa with the appropriate information. The requirements are also the same, so be sure to seek the help of your office’s human resource department to facilitate the updates to your permit.
Promotion is but the only way to go for the industrious worker, whether they are local Thais or foreign expatriates. Just be sure to follow the law on this one, and you could enjoy the fruits of your hard work without worrying about legal repercussions.
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