Thailand allows Cambodians with expired permits to continue working

November 1, 2024 – by admin – leave a commentCambodia’s Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Heng Sour (L), meets with Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Labour in Singapore on Wednesday. MLVTThailand’s Ministry of Labour stated that the Thai Council of Ministers has decided to allow Cambodian workers in Thailand to renew their work and residence permits, if they expire by February 13 next year, as they will be permitted to work for another two years without having to leave the country, according to an announcement by the Cambodian Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) on Wednesday.This announcement was made during a bilateral working meeting between the Cambodia’s Labour Minister Heng Sour and his Thai counterpart Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn during their attendance at the 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM) held on Wednesday in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Labour Ministry will request the Thai Council of Ministers to consider the possibility of waiving the re-entry fee for Cambodian workers for Khmer New Year next year, as they did this year, following the request of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Sour once again extended warm congratulations to Phiphat, who was recently appointed as the Minister of Labour.
During the meeting, Thailand said they will consider Cambodia’s request to train Cambodian workers with skills and provide certification on completion of their training, which the MLVT will recognise on their return to Cambodia.
Phiphat informed Sour that Cambodian workers in Thailand receive the same social security benefits as Thai workers. At the same time, Sour requested the Thai Labour Ministry to continue to collaborate with the National Social Security Fund’s initiative of allowing the workers to be able to access their social security benefits, whilst out of the country, in accordance with ASEAN Guidelines on Portability of Social Security Benefits for Migrant Workers in ASEAN.
The two sides will increase cooperation on the use of information technology to fully control the worker migration process for the benefit of the workers and Thai employers, in particular reducing the time for processing documents and reducing the flow of illegal Cambodian workers in Thailand.
The 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM) was chaired by Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower of Singapore, and attended by representatives of ASEAN Member States, Secretary-General of ASEAN and their respective accompanying delegations. Representatives from Timor-Leste attended as observers.Kim Hourn expressed the ASEAN Secretariat’s readiness to fully support Cambodia-led regional initiatives, as well as that of other ASEAN Member States, to advance social protection for all workers and to strengthen resilience and competencies of workforce in the region.