Laos · Work
Laos Technical staff visa
First stay: 1 yr
Technical visa for foreign employees (LA-B2)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Technical staff visa is a work route for Laos. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- LAK 1.2M ≈ $54
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government feesLAK 1.2M ≈ $54
- LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54)Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity; LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months and LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months are also listed.
RenewalRenewable
The stay permit and multiple-entry visa are no longer than 1 year and are renewed year by year.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Laos
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The company holds an investment licence or enterprise registration certificate.
- The company obtains quota approval for foreign employee use and approval of foreign employee import.
- Directors and deputy directors without shares must first obtain a Work Permit Card from the Skill Development and Employment Department.
What you must show2
- The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) for 12 months.
- The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months and LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months.
Steps4
- The application is submitted through the Investment Promotion Department.
- The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare issues the work permit card.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the LA-B2 labour visa.
- The foreigner control department issues a stay permit card.
What happens at day 183
How Laos decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a within the year, continuous or notForeign national working in Laos but paid abroad becomes liable to Lao income tax (Law on Income Tax, Article 32).
- Foreign-source income
Income of foreign nationals working in Laos is taxed in Laos, and foreign nationals paid from abroad are taxed in Laos once they stay more than 183 days in a year.
All tax rules for Laos Tax records checked
Full official text
Visa for foreign directors without shares, deputy directors and technical staff posted to approved companies or projects; requires quota and work permit. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) · Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity; LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months and LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months are also listed. 1
Requirements
- The company holds an investment licence or enterprise registration certificate. 1
- The company obtains quota approval for foreign employee use and approval of foreign employee import. 1
- Directors and deputy directors without shares must first obtain a Work Permit Card from the Skill Development and Employment Department. 1
- The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) for 12 months. 1
- The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months and LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months. 1
- The application is submitted through the Investment Promotion Department. 1
- The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare issues the work permit card. 2
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the LA-B2 labour visa. 2
- The foreigner control department issues a stay permit card. 2
Stay
- Stay permit and multiple-entry visa no longer than 1 year, renewed year by year.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Work in the approved project or company under a work permit.
Family
Family of technical officers can apply as part of the procedure.
Official sources
- Visa & Stay Permit Card (13 entry visa types, NI-B2 and LA-B2 procedures, levies) · Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
- Working, investing and studying in Laos · Department of Immigration, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
Technical staff visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical staff visa | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Expert visa E-B2 | – | – | Limited |
| LTR · Highly Skilled Thailand | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Engineer/Specialist visa Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Golden Visa · Parent rep $25M Indonesia | Needs an investment from $25M | 5 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Technical staff visa?
A fee of LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54). Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity; LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months and LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months are also listed.
How long can I stay on the Technical staff visa?
Stay permit and multiple-entry visa no longer than 1 year, renewed year by year.
Can I work on the Technical staff visa?
Limited. Work in the approved project or company under a work permit.
Can I bring my family on the Technical staff visa?
Family of technical officers can apply as part of the procedure.
How are Technical staff visa holders taxed in Laos?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Technical staff visa. The standard rules apply: Monthly employment income up to LAK 2,500,000 (≈ $110) is taxed at 0%, with progressive rates of 5% to 25% above that. Income of foreign nationals working in Laos is taxed in Laos, and foreign nationals paid from abroad are taxed in Laos once they stay more than 183 days in a year.
More in Laos
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Visa & Stay Permit Card (13 entry visa types, NI-B2 and LA-B2 procedures, levies) · Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
- Working, investing and studying in Laos · Department of Immigration, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.