The Labour Ministry will seek cabinet approval to extend the verification period of the remaining unregistered 400,000 alien workers for another 120 days.
A total of 54,702 employers earlier submitted their quotas to hire 414,820 migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) Thailand had signed with these countries, Employment Department chief Prawit Khiangpol said.
Thailand later set up one-stop service centres in major cities nationwide so the migrant workers could register by the April 13 deadline.
The centres, comprising officials from multiple state agencies, verify nationality documents submitted by migrant workers and issue work permits to those who pass the process.
However, the centres have the capacity to provide services to only 500 migrant workers a day, Mr Prawit said.
With over 400,000 migrant workers still awaiting the verification process, the centres need another 120 days to finish the work, he said.
The department would propose that Labour Minister Padermchai Sasomsap seek cabinet approval to extend the registration period for another 120 days, he said. During this period, unregistered migrant workers applying for the verification process would not be arrested.
He stressed the department would not open another round for employers to register new alien workers as the quota submission period has already ended.