The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), during its meeting on 20 March 2023, acknowledged the improvement of the Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR Visa) program, which was approved by the Cabinet recently, to cover target industries and attract more foreign talent to work in Thailand.

BOI Secretary General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said, “The improvement will increase the program’s flexibility and the industry coverage and provide an easier path to applications for talent we need to attract in key sectors.” 

He said, “Some of the new types of eligible activities include non-technological skills, such as international business center, trade and investment promotion, or financial advisory services, which will support our plan to attract more companies to set up regional headquarters in Thailand and contribute to the country’s economic development over the long term.”

The LTR Visa program, which started accepting applications in September 2022, is open to four categories of eligible individuals, namely wealthy global citizens, targeting investors; wealthy pensioners, targeting retirees; work-from-Thailand professionals, targeting remote workers; and highly skilled professionals, targeting talent and experts in key industries. Some 3,000 foreigners have so far applied for the scheme.

The improved list of target industries for the LTR Visa program has been expanded to cover talent working in activities such as the transport and logistics sector, the food industry, the petrochemical and chemical industry, and the establishment of international business centers.

The list of special skills eligible for LTR has also been expanded to include the following activities:

1. Research and development in target industries or target technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, advanced material technology, and digital technology;

2. Human resource development in science and technology at the vocational or higher education level;

3. Application of automation and robotic technology in business operations;

4. Digital planning and development to enhance business production and services;

5. Provision of financial or marketing services or advice;

6. Environmental and energy management;

7. Management or consulting of incubation, accelerator, innovation support, and startup ecosystem programs;

8. Alternative dispute resolution services;

9. Promotion and support of economic development, trade, and investment by institutions, such as foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand, and foreign trade and investment promotion organizations.