On November 10, 2021, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin chaired the meeting to consider the guidelines for importing migrant workers to work with employers in the country under the MoU amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Assistant to the Labour Minister Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, the Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, Secretariat to the Labour Minister Mr. Suthep Chitayawong, the Ministry of Labour’s Spokesperson (on politics), Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, the Department of Employment’s Director-General Pairoj Chotikasathian, and representatives from the Internal Security Operations Command, Immigration Bureau, Department of Disease Control and the Federation of Thai Industries also joined the occasion.
Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported that Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha, and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, instructed the Ministry of Labour to prepare for the importation of foreign workers according to the MoU. The effort aims to resolve the labour shortage following the nation’s opening. The survey results on demand for foreign workers exceeded four hundred thousand positions. Today’s meeting facilitated a discussion between the Ministry of Public Health, the Immigration Bureau, and the Internal Security Operations Command and listened to opinions from the Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries to review and find ways to prevent problems that may arise. From the discussions, all agencies agreed to the management guidelines as proposed by the Ministry of Labour. A proposal will be prepared to be presented to the CCSA on Friday, November 12, 2021. It is expected that in 30 days, employers will be able to immediately import workers, according to the MoU.
“For Thailand, we are now ready in terms of vaccines. In this part, I have prepared four to five hundred thousand doses to vaccinate migrant workers on the last day of quarantine. Foreign workers who have received two doses of the vaccine must be quarantined for seven days. If they have had one dose or have not yet received any vaccine dose, they must self-isolate for 14 days. During the quarantine, they will be tested for COVID-19 by RT – PCR twice. The employer/establishment shall be responsible for expenses, including the quarantine cost, COVID-19 tests, and treatment costs (in the case the foreign worker is infected with COVID-19). The total cost of importing a foreign worker is 9,700 to 26,720 Baht,” said the Labour Minister.
The Department of Employment’s Director-General Pairoj Chotiksetian said that the guidelines for bringing in migrant workers to work with employers in the country according to the MoU amid the COVID-19 pandemic consist of seven steps as follows:
1. The employer or persons granted permission to import foreigners to work with employers in the country must submit an application form at the Department of Employment, the Provincial Employment Office, or the Bangkok Employment Office Areas 1-10, according to where the establishment is located. The application must be submitted together with the required documents and evidence. The employer must be responsible for all expenses related to the quarantine of migrant workers, such as the cost of quarantine facilities, the COVID-19 test fee, medical service fees, and medical expenses in case of contracting COVID-19. Or, they must provide an insurance policy that covers health care expenses and medical care that covers the treatment of COVID-19. Other expenses that may occur during quarantine include emergency illnesses or other diseases. There must be proof of booking, payment of expenses for a quarantine facility designated by the government, or a private quarantine facility authorized by the government. The employer or permitted persons must have a vehicle to transport the workers to a quarantine facility without traveling with other persons and not stopping at any place before arriving at the quarantine facility. Officials will examine the documents, issue a receipt and prepare a letter to submit a request to the responsible agency of the migrant’s country of origin.
2. The country of origin shall recruit, select, enter into a contract, and prepare a list of migrant workers to send to Thai employers.
3. The employer or the permitted persons will receive a name list that has been certified by the migrant workers’ country of origin to apply for a work permit on behalf of the migrant worker, together with documents and evidence specified in the application for permission to work on behalf of foreigners. They must provide documents or evidence of the migrant workers’ vaccination following the criteria prescribed by the vaccine manufacturer. The vaccine must be approved by the World Health Organization or prescribed by the Ministry of Public Health. The vaccination must have been at least 14 days before departure (if any). Employers shall purchase health insurance that covers the costs of health care and medical treatment, which covers the treatment of COVID-19 and arrange for migrant workers working in businesses that require social security to enter the social security system. The Department of Employment will validate the documentary evidence and collect the application fee and work permit fee (2 years) at 1,900 Baht, and a security deposit (in the case of employers bringing migrant workers to work by themselves) at 1,000 Baht per q migrant worker. A receipt will be issued to the employer.
4. The Department of Employment shall prepare a letter to the Thai Embassy in the country of origin, namely Cambodia, Laos, or the Embassy of Myanmar in Thailand, to consider the visa (Non – Immigrant L-A), which has a fee of 2,000 Baht. It will notify the Immigration Office to allow the migrant worker to travel through the immigration checkpoint as provided by the employer. The employer or the permitted persons shall receive a letter from the Department of Employment and deliver it to the migrant worker, informing the date of arrival in Thailand according to the date of receiving the quarantine queue.
5. Once the migrant worker enters the Kingdom, documents must be presented, including evidence provided by the employer and a medical certificate showing that there is no COVID-19 pathogen, tested by RT-PCR method, valid for no more than 72 hours before arrival. There must also be a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 according to the criteria of the Immigration Office to allow foreigners to stay in the Kingdom temporarily for work (Non – Immigrant LA) for two years. The migrant worker shall then be transported to the quarantine facility by a vehicle notified by the employer or the permitted persons. The transportation must follow the specified route without visiting any place before arriving at the quarantine facility. The vehicle must be able to record images for the duration of the journey.
6. Foreigners must be quarantined. There is a COVID-19 test by RT – PCR methods: If the migrant worker has completed the vaccination from the country of origin, they shall quarantine for at least seven days and get tested for COVID-19 twice. If the migrant worker has not been vaccinated or has received vaccinations but does not meet the criteria, they must quarantine for at least 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 twice. The Ministry of Labour will support vaccines to vaccinate migrant workers on the last day of quarantine. For the cost of treatment and insurance policy, the employer must be responsible. When the migrant worker has completed the quarantine period and has not been diagnosed with COVID-19 or cured, the migrant worker will be screened for the six diseases. Then, the employer or the permitted persons will be able to accept the migrant worker to the establishment.
7. Migrant workers will receive training through video conferences at the establishment. After passing the training, the migrant worker will receive a work permit at the employment office where the establishment is located within 15 days of receiving the training. The work permit will start from the day the migrant worker receives a visa to enter the Kingdom.
As for Mr. Suchart Chantranakarat, Vice Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries said today’s meeting was very useful. It is imperative to address the labour shortage as soon as possible, which he believes that establishments are willing to pay, and the government will be responsible for vaccines.
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Division of Public Relations
10 November 2021
