Thailand's Targeted Industries in 2026: The Skilled Professionals Thailand Is Actively Recruiting

Start Here: Are You Working in Thailand?

Before income, cost, or how long the visa lasts, one question decides which of these visas you can apply for at all: where is your work legally performed, and who pays you?

• You work remotely for a company or clients outside Thailand. Your options are the DTV and the LTR Work-from-Thailand Professional. Both are remote-work visas: neither permits employment by a Thai company, work for Thai clients, or any Thai-source income.
• You are employed by a Thai entity — a Thai company, or the Thai operating entity or subsidiary of a foreign parent — in a BOI targeted industry. Your option is the LTR Highly-Skilled Professional. It is an employment visa, so it is not available to remote workers, freelancers, or the self-employed.
• You own or direct a Thai-registered company in a targeted industry, as a director or 25%+ shareholder. Your option is the SMART visa.

Only once you know which of the three describes you does the rest of this article — industries, income, qualifications, and cost — decide anything. Those figures choose between visas inside your branch; they never move you to a different one. This article is about the second and third branches: work performed in Thailand for a Thai entity, or for a Thai company you own.

About the Author: Issa Compass is a real-time visa platform that helps professionals apply for Thai immigration visas, including the LTR visa across multiple nationalities and industries.

Why Is Thailand Targeting Specific Industries in the First Place?

Thailand's talent recruitment strategy is deliberate, not broad. The government uses the BOI-targeted industry list as a filter: rather than offering long-term visas to any skilled worker, it directs benefits toward professionals whose expertise aligns with national development priorities. Think of it as the country publishing a formal job description for the talent it wants to attract.

This approach accelerated with the LTR visa, launched to bring senior professionals into Thailand under a 10-year residency structure rather than the annual-renewal cycle that makes long-term planning difficult. The 2026 reclassification of the targeted industry list signals that the government is actively refining, not contracting, this strategy.

Which Industries Qualify for the LTR Highly-Skilled Professional Visa?

The BOI maintains the official list of targeted industries for the HSP category [ltr.boi.go.th]. As of 2026, these include:

The full BOI list also covers defense, biofuels and biochemicals, transportation and logistics, the International Business Center (IBC), circular economy industries, and other industries where BOI determines the applicant holds special expertise. The same list governs which companies qualify for the SMART visa.

The 2026 reclassification used broader, more inclusive industry definitions. If you were assessed under the previous, narrower definitions and found yourself outside the scope, it is worth a fresh review under the updated criteria.

What Are the Actual Requirements for the HSP Visa?

Building on the industry context above, meeting the sector requirement is necessary but not sufficient. The HSP category also requires:

• Income: USD 80,000/yr average over the last 2 years, OR USD 40,000-80,000/yr combined with a master's degree in science or technology or special high-skilled expertise relevant to the job assignment in Thailand.
• Employment: You must be employed by a Thai entity — a Thai company, or the Thai operating entity or subsidiary of a foreign parent — whose activities fall within a BOI-targeted industry. HSP is an employment route: it is not available to remote workers employed by a company abroad, to freelancers, or to the self-employed. Owning or directing the company does not qualify either, because ownership income and director's fees are not qualifying employment income.
• Baseline financial proof: USD 50,000 health insurance with at least 10 months of coverage (travel insurance does not qualify), OR valid Thai Social Security benefits, OR USD 100,000 in personal savings maintained for 12 months.
• Digital Work Permit (DWP): HSP holders can apply for a digital work permit after the LTR is issued - it is a separate step, not bundled into visa approval. Allow 3-5 working days for processing at the Department of Employment, though additional documentation can extend this. Collect it at the Department of Employment desk, One Stop Service Center, Chamchuri Square.

The tax benefit is specific to this category: a flat 17% personal income tax rate applies to Thai employment income for HSP holders only [ltr.boi.go.th]. This does not extend to other LTR categories. HSP is also the only LTR category that comes with a digital work permit; the LTR Work-from-Thailand Professional, for instance, carries no work permit and no right to work for a Thai employer at all.

What Does the 10-Year LTR Structure Actually Mean in Practice?

A common misconception is treating the LTR like a long-stay tourist visa requiring periodic exits. It works differently. The 10-year permission is structured as 5 years plus a 5-year extension, providing continuous stay and free travel throughout. It replaces 90-day reporting with annual reporting [ltr.boi.go.th]. Once a complete application is submitted, the BOI qualification endorsement assessment runs for 20 business days, followed by additional steps. The overall process typically takes two to three months from initial submission to visa issuance, after which the visa is issued either in person at One Bangkok or through the e-visa system if you are applying from abroad.

The cost via Issa Compass is made up of two separate charges: a 35,000 THB Issa Compass service fee at Step 1 for the BOI endorsement, followed by a 50,000 THB government issuance fee at Step 2 if you collect the visa in Thailand. The 35,000 THB is Issa Compass's service fee, not a BOI or government fee.

Is the SMART Visa an Alternative for Skilled Professionals?

Stepping back from the LTR structure, a separate and related question is whether the SMART visa serves the same professional audience. It does not. The SMART visa is BOI-linked and draws on the same targeted industry list, but it is an ownership and directorship route, not a talent or skilled-employment route. To qualify for SMART S — the only category still open to a principal applicant — you must already have a company registered in Thailand in a targeted industry, and you must be a director of it or hold at least 25% of its shares. You must also hold THB 600,000 in a personal checking or savings account for the last 3 months. The visa is granted for 2 years from the start, is renewable, and requires no work permit.

The SMART T (Talent), I (Investor) and E (Executive) categories, which did once serve skilled employees, investors and executives, have been discontinued. That matters in two directions. If you are a skilled professional being hired by a Thai company, SMART is not your route — the LTR HSP is, or a Non-Immigrant B with a work permit. And if you are an employer, you cannot use SMART to hire or sponsor a foreign employee; that is a Non-B. Professionals uncertain about which pathway fits their situation can contact Issa Compass for a direct eligibility assessment to understand current availability and options.

Can You Get a Work Permit on a Non-O Visa?

Only on two bases. A Non-Immigrant O held on the basis of marriage to a Thai spouse, or as the parent of a Thai child, allows the holder to apply for a Thai work permit. Every other Non-O category is not allowed to get one — that includes Non-O retirement, guardian of a foreign child, dependant of a Non-B work permit holder, and dependant of a retirement visa holder. The Non-OA and Non-OX retirement visas do not allow a work permit either.

On the two categories that do qualify, the visa and the work permit are independent of each other. The marriage or parent-of-Thai-child visa only allows the holder to apply for a work permit; it does not depend on one. If the holder stops working, they can cancel the work permit and keep the visa, provided they still meet that visa's financial requirement — typically 400,000 THB in savings at extension.

The employer requirements are lighter than on a Non-Immigrant B. A company sponsoring a work permit for a marriage or parent-of-Thai-child visa holder needs a ratio of 2 Thai employees per foreigner rather than 4:1, and 1,000,000 THB in registered share capital rather than 2,000,000 THB.

There is also an alternative to the savings test at extension: a valid Thai work permit plus 40,000 THB per month in income, evidenced with the PND 91 annual personal income tax return and PND 1 monthly withholding returns. The work permit alone is not sufficient — immigration needs the tax filings to verify the income.

As with any Thai work permit, it is tied to a single employer: the holder may only work for that one Thai company while the permit is active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2026 BOI industry reclassification automatically change my visa status if I already hold an LTR?

No. The reclassification affects eligibility for new applications. If you currently hold an LTR HSP, your existing visa is not affected. Consult Issa Compass if you are unsure how the updated definitions apply to a renewal or a new application.

Can I qualify for the HSP category if my employer is a foreign company?

No. The HSP category requires employment by a Thai entity — a Thai company, or the Thai operating entity or subsidiary of a foreign parent — whose activities fall within a BOI-targeted industry. If your employer is located outside Thailand and you would be working remotely from Thailand, HSP is not open to you; the remote-work routes are the DTV and the LTR Work-from-Thailand Professional, and neither permits Thai employment, Thai clients, or Thai-source income.

Can I use the SMART visa to bring a skilled foreign hire into my Thai company?

No. SMART is an ownership and directorship route for the founder or director, not a hiring route. A foreign employee needs a Non-Immigrant B visa and a work permit, or, if the role and industry qualify, the LTR Highly-Skilled Professional.

Does the flat 17% tax rate apply to all income I earn while on the LTR?

The 17% rate applies to Thai employment income for HSP holders only. It does not apply to other LTR categories, and foreign-income tax treatment is a separate matter governed by Thai Revenue Department rules and applicable tax treaties.

Can my family join me on an LTR HSP visa?

Yes. Spouses and children under 20 qualify as dependents. They must apply at the same location as the main applicant and after the main applicant's BOI endorsement. Dependents must meet one of three financial requirements: USD 50,000+ health insurance with at least 10 months of coverage, valid Thai Social Security benefits, or USD 25,000 maintained in a bank account for 12 months.

What happens if my LTR application is rejected after Issa Compass pre-qualifies it?

If a pre-qualified application is not approved by the government, the Issa Compass money-back guarantee covers their service fee (and partner course fee if applicable), or offers a free reapplication, for eligible submissions under Issa Compass's terms and conditions.

Is the USD 80,000 income requirement an average or an annual minimum?

For the HSP category, it is a 2-year average. If your income falls between USD 40,000 and USD 80,000 annually, you may still qualify by pairing it with a qualifying master's degree in science or technology or by demonstrating special high-skilled expertise relevant to the job assignment in Thailand. Note that the LTR Work-from-Thailand Professional uses the same income bands but accepts a master's degree in any field, so the two categories are not interchangeable on this point.

References

1. BOI LTR Visa brochure 2025 (ltr.boi.go.th)
2. Targeted Industries - LTR Visa Thailand - BOI (ltr.boi.go.th)