Are you a foreign professional planning to work in Thailand under a BOI-promoted company? One of the most important questions you need to ask is:
“What minimum salary do I need to qualify for a BOI Visa in Thailand?”
Here’s the reality: salary issues are one of the main reasons BOI Visa applications get delayed, require additional documentation, or are rejected outright.
In this guide, RLC breaks down everything you need to know, step by step, based on the latest official BOI announcements for 2025.
What is a BOI Visa?
A BOI Visa is a special work authorization for companies that have received investment promotion from Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI). It allows these companies to legally bring in foreign executives, specialists, and employees to work in Thailand.
Here’s what many people get wrong: BOI doesn’t just look at your job title. They evaluate your position + actual duties + experience + salary as a complete package.
Your salary isn’t just a number — it‘s part of proving that
“This position is legitimate and necessary“.
What Are the Minimum BOI Visa Salary Requirements?
The answer is: It depends on your position level.
BOI sets different minimum salaries based on job characteristics to ensure they align with the actual expertise and necessity of each role.
BOI Visa Salary Requirements by Position
Here’s a clear breakdown based on BOI Announcement 2025:
|
Position Level |
Minimum Monthly Salary |
|
Executive |
150,000 THB |
|
Management |
75,000 THB |
|
Management (Bachelor’s degree or higher) |
50,000 THB |
|
Operational Level |
50,000 THB |
|
Engineer / IT Specialist |
75,000 THB |
|
Engineer / IT (relevant degree) |
50,000 THB |
|
IBPO / BPO – Operator |
35,000 THB |
Information referenced from the official BOI announcement.
BOI Visa Salary Requirements for Executive Positions
For executive-level roles such as Director, General Manager, or Executive Director, the minimum salary requirement is 150,000 THB per month.
However, some top-tier positions like CEO or Managing Director may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the company’s organizational structure.
BOI Visa Salary Requirements for Manager Positions
Most Management or Specialist positions require 75,000 THB per month. But if you hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field, BOI allows a reduced minimum of 50,000 THB per month.
This is where many companies get confused and unintentionally set salaries “lower than required“.
BOI Visa Salary Requirements for Engineers and IT Specialists
Engineer and IT Specialist positions are given high priority by BOI.
- General specialists → 75,000 THB per month
- Specialists with relevant degrees → 50,000 THB per month
Important: BOI reviews your actual job responsibilities in detail —not just the “Engineer” title alone.
What Happens When Your Salary Doesn't Meet BOI Requirements?
This is one of the most common issues, especially for companies applying for BOI Visa for the first time. Often, it’s not intentional — it stems from misunderstanding the salary criteria.
When your salary falls below BOI’s requirements, here’s what typically happens:
1. You’ll Be Asked to Revise Your Employment Contract
BOI primarily checks salary against your employment contract. If the figure is below the minimum threshold, they’ll ask you to revise the contract and resubmit.
While this might seem minor, in practice it means you’ll need to:
- Revise documents
- Get new internal approvals
- Delay your foreign employee’s start date
2. You’ll Need to Adjust Either Position or Salary
In some cases, BOI determines that your salary “doesn’t match the position level.”
For example:
- Job title: Manager
- Salary: Operational level
When this happens, you’ll need to choose one of two options:
- Increase the salary to match the position
- Adjust the position title to match the salary and actual duties
Either way requires time to rework all documentation.
3. The Process Gets Delayed by Several Weeks
4. In Some Cases, Applications Are Rejected Outright
When documents need revision, the entire process doesn’t just pause —parts of it have to restart.
The consequences include:
- Foreign employee’s start date gets pushed back
- Company projects or operations may be delayed
- HR and management spend extra time following up
If BOI finds that your position structure, duties, and salary don’t make business sense, such as:
- The position isn’t necessary for the business
- Job duties are unclear
- Salary doesn’t match the responsibilities
This can lead to application denial, forcing you to completely restructure and replan.
Why Won't BOI Approve My Application Even Though My Salary Meets Requirements?
This is a frequently asked question, and here’s the answer: “Because BOI doesn’t only look at salary”.
BOI evaluates whether:
- This position is genuinely necessary for the business
- Job duties align with the position level
- The organizational structure makes sense
Therefore, even if your salary meets the minimum, if “the overall picture doesn’t align,” approval can still be denied.
Applying for BOI Visa for the First Time: Where Should You Start?
The best advice is to verify everything before signing the employment contract.
Making corrections later takes significantly more time than getting it right from the beginning.
This is why many companies choose to work with specialists from the start — to handle position structuring, salary alignment, and all documentation properly.
What If Your BOI Visa Application Gets Rejected?
The best way to avoid these issues is to verify position + salary + documentation alignment before signing the employment contract.
Do thorough research. Many companies choose to work with specialists from the beginning to avoid multiple rounds of revisions and save time in the long run.
How RLC Can Help with Your BOI Visa
RLC provides comprehensive BOI Visa and Work Permit services from start to finish—not just document submission.
What you get:
✓ Clear guidance before application
✓ Reduced risk of additional document requests
✓ Time savings for HR and management
If you’re planning to work in Thailand or hire foreign talent, getting the salary requirements right from the beginning makes everything much smoother.
