MDES Accelerates Efforts to Address Digital Workforce Shortage Partners with Relevant Agencies to Launch ‘Global Digital Talent Visa’ Program Attracting Digital Experts to Thailand
MDES Accelerates Efforts to Address Digital Workforce Shortage
Partners with Relevant Agencies to Launch ‘Global Digital Talent Visa’ Program Attracting Digital Experts to Thailand
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) is accelerating efforts to address the issue of a shortage of digital talent. In collaboration with various government agencies, they are formulate joint strategies to attract digital talent to the Thai economy, particularly in areas facing scarcity. This initiative is known as the Global Digital Talent Visa and is expected to yield significant benefits in terms of mitigating the shortfall of digital workforce within the Thai economy. Furthermore, the Minister has entrusted the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) to proceed with the drafting of the Ministerial Announcement, which will be subsequently presented for consideration by the Cabinet in the near future.
Mr. Prasert Jantararuangtong, Minister of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), along with Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa engaged in discussions regarding the strategic approach to attract digital talent in shortage areas into the Thai economy through the Global Digital Talent Visa program. In attendance during these deliberations were Mr. Pairoj Chotikasatien, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and representatives from the Department of Employment. Furthermore, Mr. Chotnarin Kerdsom, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, was present, along with representatives from the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior and the Department of Local Administration. Moreover, Mr. Chawadon Nipthanon, the Director-General of the Immigration Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with representatives from the Immigration Bureau and Mr. Somsak Anantawat, Deputy Director-General of the Revenue Department, who currently holds the interim role of Strategic Advisor for tax collection within the energy business group at the Ministry of Finance, along with representatives from the Board of Investment (BOI), were actively engaged in these discussions.
Mr. Prasert revealed that, following discussions on the approach to attract digital talent into the Thai economy through the Global Digital Talent Visa program between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of interior, on October 4th. Mr. Anutin expressed agreement with the proposed approach. As a result, MDES convened a meeting to further discussed on the matter, gathering insights and suggestions from executives and representatives from various relevant sectors. In order to compile essential information for the formulation of a ministerial announcement. The announcement will subsequently be presented for approval at a Cabinet meeting and issued as a ministerial regulation in the near future.
In this regard, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society recognizes that Thailand’s labor sector currently requires approximately 100,000 digital talents annually. However, the education sector has the capacity to produce only around 25,000 digital talents per year on average. As a result, the Global Digital Talent Visa program is seen as a mean to mitigate the scarcity of the digital workforce, not only in the digital industry but also in various other sectors in the country, through the recruitment of foreign workforce. The Global Digital Talent Visa introduces a new format with a one-year validity, providing opportunities for foreign nationals with digital expertise to reside, seek employment, and work in Thailand without the requirement of a Work Permit throughout the visa’s duration. This program will be open to two groups of foreign nationals, including:
- Digital Talent Track comprises individuals who are either currently pursuing their studies or have graduated within the past three years in technology and digital-related fields from universities ranked among the top 600 globally or currently pursuing their studies or have graduated within the past three years in technology and digital-related fields with high demand or scarcity. In this regard, depa will be responsible for evaluating each applicant. Additionally, applicants for the visa must maintain a minimum deposit of 300,000 Baht in a bank account linked to the NDID system in their country, must be prohibited from international money transfers, and must not be subject to legal restrictions related to immigration.
- Digital Nomad Track comprises individuals with digital expertise who must provide evidence of employment in digital positions or proof of income derived from digital work in their home country. Additionally, applicants for the visa must maintain a minimum deposit of 600,000 Baht in a bank account linked to the NDID system in their country, must be prohibited from international money transfers, and must not be subject to legal restrictions related to immigration.
“The approach to attracting digital talent into the Thai economy through the Global Digital Talent Visa program is a financially cost-free initiative, as it does not incur direct expenses and is not tied to tax-related measures. Furthermore, foreign nationals applying for the Global Digital Talent Visa will have the option to extend their stay under other visa categories, including Non-Immigrant Visa, SMART Visa, and Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR Visa). The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society estimated that within a 5-year timeframe of the operation, this program will successfully attract individuals with digital expertise to mitigate the scarcity in labor market, not only within the digital industry but also across various other sectors in the country,” said the MDES Minister.
In this regard, all relevant government agencies have been informed of the approach to attract digital talent into the Thai economy through the Global Digital Talent Visa program. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has assigned depa to urgently formulate the draft of the ministerial announcement. In addition to specifying detailed operation plan, types, and qualifications before engaging in discussions with the working team of relevant agencies. This collaborative effort aims to achieve a systematic integration of work processes. Once the ministerial announcement has received approval, it will be circulated to various departments for simultaneous implementation within the government agency. This coordinated effort aims to address bottlenecks in Thailand by enhancing the Ease of Doing Business, with the aspiration to become a hub for technology and digital innovation in the Southeast Asian region (ASEAN Digital Hub) in the future.
