Thailand is one of the most sought-after expat destinations in the world, given its beautiful climate, tropical weather, world-class cuisine, friendly locals, affordable lifestyle, and vibrant culture (to name a few). But despite its popularity, remaining long-term in Thailand is far easier said than done. Which is why in this article, we’re going to share the best career options for relocating to Thailand permanently. Here’s everything you need to know…

A quick look at visas and work permits

First of all, if you wish to reside in Thailand long-term, you will need the appropriate visa and work permit. This will be easy enough once you secure a full-time position with a Thai company. Once accepted, they will help you through the application process.

The most popular career options for expats

To give you a rough idea of the options available to you, here are the most popular career paths you can take…

Become an English teacher

As you may have already guessed, teaching English is the easiest and most widely-accepted means of earning a living in Thailand as a foreigner.

• With a degree (in any field) and a TEFL / TESOL certification, you will be able to find work all over Thailand.
• For International schools you will need a formal education in teaching.

While you certainly won’t make your millions as a teacher, this option does offer a fairly competitive salary with great benefits. The main thing of course, is being able to live comfortably in Thailand and remain long-term.

A diving instructor

Another great opportunity is becoming a diving instructor. You will need to get your PADI certification and the work is typically seasonal, however, there’s a decent amount of opportunity in this field for those who love being in nature and teaching people how to safely explore it.

Work in hospitality

Finding hospitality work in Thailand without any previous experience in the field will be difficult. This is because entry-level hospitality jobs will be strictly reserved for Thai nationals. However, should you want to move to Thailand and further your career in hospitality, you may find some excellent opportunities in restaurant or hotel management, and as a seasoned chef.

Sales & marketing

Another excellent opportunity (particularly for those who hate teaching and can’t stand the thought of hospitality), is going into sales and marketing. In Bangkok you will find a wealth of international companies that have large sales teams targeting businesses all over the world. If you have the gift of the gab or have experience in content creation and graphic design, you may be able to find some excellent employment opportunities.

There’s also the option to become a digital nomad and work remotely, however, you must be able to prove that you earn a significant amount, consistently to qualify for the new digital nomad visa in Thailand.

Specialist work

As you may already know, finding regular work in Thailand is exceptionally difficult for foreigners, however, if you have a specialty skill and knowledge set that is sought-after, you can find plenty of opportunity in Thailand:

• Energy & resource engineers
• Language translators
• Software developers
• Tech specialists
• Pharmacists
• Data scientists

Finding your home

Once you’ve secured yourself an attractive career opportunity, the next step will be to find a place to call home. The easiest thing to do when looking for houses to buy in Thailand is find a reputable real estate agency and seek the relevant legal representation. What’s more is that investing in property in Thailand can provide you with a number of visa benefits (which is ideal if you don’t want to rush into employment immediately but want to remain long-term).