Sri Lanka to Thailand Labour Recruitment — Partner with a Licensed Thai Agency
Sri Lanka to Thailand Labour Recruitment
Thailand has approved a government-to-government framework to bring Sri Lankan workers into the country legally, with an initial target of 10,000 workers. We are a licensed Thai recruitment company and we are now opening conversations with licensed agencies in source countries.
What the agreement covers
On 8 September 2026 the Thai Cabinet approved two instruments with the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: a Memorandum of Understanding on labour cooperation and an Agreement on the employment of workers. The Thai Government stated that several sectors still face labour shortages and that employers and industry groups had formally requested additional supply, with Sri Lanka among the first target countries.
| Item | What the agreement provides |
|---|---|
| Contract length | Two years, renewable for a further two years once the worker completes the contract |
| Repatriation cost | Borne in full by the Thai employer |
| Before departure | The worker signs the employment contract with the employer before entering Thailand |
| Pre-departure requirements | Medical examination, criminal record check, health insurance, work permit, and pre-employment orientation |
| Legal protection | Equal protection under Thai labour law on a non-discrimination basis, the same as domestic workers |
| Government oversight | State supervision from origin to destination, designed to reduce illegal employment, trafficking, and excessive recruitment fees |
Not yet announced — please read before contacting us
As of the date on this page, the Thai Department of Employment has not yet published the occupations and business sectors open to Sri Lankan workers, the date the channel actually opens, the employer application procedure and forms, or the official fees. No placement can begin until that secondary legislation is issued. Any party telling you otherwise, or asking a worker or an agency for money on the basis that recruitment is already open, is not acting on published Thai regulation.
Six open questions any serious partner must answer
On 16 September 2569 (2026), Adisorn Kerdmongkol, coordinator of the Migrant Working Group (MWG), set out six practical gaps in the Sri Lanka channel in a Thai press interview. We publish them here because they are the questions Thai employers will put to us, and the ones we will put to any agency we work with. They are the opinion of a civil society network, not a government announcement.
- Higher landed cost. Travel distance from Sri Lanka raises the cost per worker compared with neighbouring countries. Both sides must agree in writing which party carries which cost, including return travel at the end of the contract, which the MOU places on the Thai employer.
- Cultural adaptation. Food, religious practice and shop-floor norms differ. Preparation is needed on the Thai side as well — supervisors and accommodation — not only on the worker side.
- Pre-departure preparation is not yet defined. Curriculum, duration, venue and who pays are all still open.
- Thai labour law knowledge and interpreters are limited. There is no established pool of interpreters for Sri Lankan languages in Thai workplaces. Whoever places the worker has to answer who speaks to them when something goes wrong on site, and during which hours.
- Eligible sectors are not yet published. Until the Department of Employment issues the list, no one can tell an employer their business qualifies.
- Repatriation and social security. The process at end of contract or early termination, and what happens to contributions the worker has accrued, are not yet set out.
We are not able to answer points 3, 5 and 6 today, because Thai secondary legislation has not been issued. We can commit on points 1, 2 and 4, and we would rather say that plainly than promise a timeline we cannot control. Source: Prachatai, 16 September 2026.
Who we are
Foreign Worker Employment Agency Jobs Worker Service Company Limited is a Thai company licensed by the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour, to bring foreign nationals into Thailand to work for Thai employers. Our licence number is นจ.0003/2559.
- Eighteen years of continuous operation bringing migrant workers into Thailand under the government-to-government framework
- Currently licensed and operating for Myanmar and Lao nationals, placing roughly 300 to 600 workers per month into factories and service businesses
- Our own Thai staff and interpreters based in the source country, meeting workers at the border crossing in person rather than handing them to sub-agents
- Full in-house document and compliance service for the employer: work permits, visa extensions, social security registration, payroll, and monthly on-site worker care
- Client base includes export factories that are audited to international standards. We already work to RBA and SMETA requirements, and we are preparing an application for IRIS certification
The corridors we already operate
Sri Lanka would be a new source country for us. The work itself is not. We run two government-to-government corridors into Thailand today, under the same Thai law that will govern the Sri Lankan channel, and an agency partnership with us would look the same. Here is what that means in practice.
Myanmar
Our largest corridor
- Counterpart — an overseas employment agency licensed by the Myanmar Ministry of Labour, working to a signed job order, not a verbal one
- Worker documents — passport or Certificate of Identity, visa, Thai work permit, and social security registration, all handled by us
- Contract — two years, renewable for a further two, signed by the worker before entry
- On the ground — our own Thai staff and Burmese-speaking interpreters meet every worker at the Thai checkpoint in person, rather than handing them to a sub-agent
- After arrival — orientation, handover to the employer, and monthly on-site care for the life of the permit
Lao PDR
Second corridor
- Counterpart — a recruitment company licensed by the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
- Worker documents — passport, visa, Thai work permit, and social security registration
- Contract — two years, renewable for a further two, signed by the worker before entry
- On the ground — Lao-speaking staff at the crossing and on site, so the employer is never the one explaining Thai payroll to a new arrival
- After arrival — the same orientation, handover and monthly care as the Myanmar corridor
How a corridor runs, step by step
Who we would like to hear from
We are interested in speaking with licensed recruitment agencies in Sri Lanka, and in other countries Thailand opens in future, that are able to work to the standard described above. If that is you, please send the following in your first email so we can assess quickly.
- Your company name, country, and licence number issued by your national labour authority, with a scan of the licence
- The categories of workers you can supply, and realistic monthly volume
- Your position on recruitment fees charged to workers, and how you document it
- Whether you have placed workers into Thailand or into other ASEAN destinations before, and for which employers
- Any ethical recruitment audits or certifications you hold
- A named contact person who communicates in English
We are also happy to hear from Thai employers who want to register early interest, although we will not take any commitment or payment until the Department of Employment publishes the procedure.
Nattawut P.
Overseas agency partnerships — source country relations
Please write in English. We reply to every genuine agency enquiry, normally within two business days, Thailand time.
Frequently asked questions
Can Sri Lankan workers apply for jobs in Thailand now?
Not yet. The Thai Cabinet approved the framework on 8 September 2026, but the Department of Employment has not published the permitted occupations, the opening date, or the application procedure. Until it does, nobody can lawfully process a Sri Lankan worker into Thailand under this channel.
How long is the employment contract?
Two years, renewable for a further two years once the worker has completed the contract.
Who pays for the worker to return home?
The Thai employer is responsible for the full cost of repatriating the worker to the country of origin.
Are Sri Lankan workers protected by Thai labour law?
Yes. The agreement provides for equal protection under Thai labour law on a non-discrimination basis, the same protection that applies to workers already in Thailand.
Which nationalities do you currently place?
We currently operate for Myanmar and Lao nationals. We are preparing for Sri Lanka and will confirm publicly once the Thai Department of Employment opens the channel.
Do you charge recruitment fees to workers?
Our commercial terms are agreed case by case with the employer. On the worker side, we expect partner agencies to be able to document what a worker is charged, and this is one of the first things we ask about.
Do you already place Myanmar and Lao workers?
Yes. Myanmar and Lao nationals are our current business, placed under the existing government-to-government framework, at roughly 300 to 600 workers per month into Thai factories and service businesses. Sri Lanka would be an addition to that, not a replacement.
Can a Myanmar or Lao agency approach you, not only a Sri Lankan one?
Yes. We work with licensed counterpart agencies in Myanmar and Laos continuously and we will look at any licensed agency in either country that can meet the standard set out above. Send the same information listed under “Who we would like to hear from”.
Information correct as at 14 September 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Procedures should be confirmed with the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour, Thailand.
