BANGKOK, Thailand – The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) has announced updates to the Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa program, approved by the Cabinet, to attract a broader range of foreign experts, investors, and executives. The adjustments seek to boost the country’s talent pool and enhance its competitiveness by making the program more accessible and inclusive for global professionals.
The updated LTR program includes expanded target sectors for the Highly Skilled Professionals category. In addition to science, technology, and target industries, the program now includes fields such as development and sustainability, disaster and risk management, and integrated innovation. Educators in vocational and higher education across all disciplines are also eligible, supporting knowledge transfer to Thai students and professionals. The removal of the five-year minimum work experience requirement for Highly Skilled Professionals and Work-from-Thailand Professionals categories further increases accessibility for applicants in emerging industries.
For Work-from-Thailand Professionals, the corporate revenue requirement for overseas employers has been lowered from 150 million to 50 million US dollars over the past three years. Employees of wholly owned subsidiaries of multinational corporations can now apply using the financial statements of the parent company. These updates are set to attract more digital and technology specialists critical for economic growth.
Other changes include the removal of the minimum annual income requirement for applicants under the Wealthy Global Citizens category, shifting the focus to cumulative wealth and investments in Thailand. Dependents’ rights have also been expanded, allowing LTR visa holders to include parents and legal dependents without restrictions, making the program more appealing to families.
Since its launch in September 2022, over 6,000 LTR visas have been granted, with Europe leading in applications at 2,500, followed by the United States, Japan, China, and India. (NNT)