Ministries and other national bodies
Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training
Undocumented migrants signing up in new Thai centres
More than 70,000 undocumented Cambodians have registered in new centres in Thailand in their first week of operation, though experts yesterday warned the designated two-week window will be too short for all migrants to register. . ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/undocumented-migrants-signing-new-thai-centres
Campaign to legalise workers delayed
The Ministry of Labour yesterday confirmed there had been a slight delay to the planned 100-day campaign to provide illegal migrant workers in Thailand with proper documents to remain working in the country legally. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5076389/campaign-legalise-workers-delayed/
Migrants still lacking access to justice: ILO
Cambodians who leave the country for work overseas still often lack effective access to the country’s justice system when they have problems with recruitment agencies, despite some recent improvements, a new report from the International Labour Organization says. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/migrants-still-lacking-access-justice-ilo
Migrants given six months to get legal
The Labour Ministry yesterday released a detailed schedule for illegal migrant workers who remain in Thailand to aid them in gathering legal documentation over the next few months. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5074775/migrants-given-six-months-get-legal/
Labour minister visits illegal workers in Thailand
Labour Minister Ith Samheng visited migrant workers in Thailand over the weekend, urging them to make use of centres that Thai authorities are opening to provide them with legal documents to remain in the country. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5074413/labour-minister-visits-illegal-workers-thailand/
Halt migrant recruitment ads, radio stations told
The Ministry of Information has sent a letter to radio stations ordering them to immediately cease advertisements from recruitment agencies looking to send migrant workers abroad. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5074021/halt-migrant-recruitment-ads-radio-stations-told/
Child labour identified in Siem Reap
The National Committee for Counter Trafficking’s (NCCT) six-month report, released on Monday, identified two cases of child labour in brick-making factories in Siem Reap, though officials and a rights group monitor said the use of such labour had decreased in the province. ...
Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/child-labour-identified-siem-reap
International group demands severance for shuttered factory’s workers
An international alliance of NGOs has started a campaign to urge two prominent U.K. clothing retailers and a Canadian brand to compensate 208 factory workers who lost their jobs when the Chung Fai Knitwear factory abruptly closed a year ago. ...
Julia-grace Sanders
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/intl-group-demands-severance-for-shuttered-factorys-workers-132451/
Cambodia, Japan sign deal for trainees
Minister of Labour Ith Samheng yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with his Japanese counterparts to make it easier for Cambodian trainees to find work in Japan. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/40168/cambodia--japan-sign-deal-for-trainees/
Survey to guide minimum wage talks
The Ministry of Labour has announced plans of a month-long research campaign into the living standards of garment and footwear factory workers prior to setting a minimum wage in 2018. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/40136/survey-to-guide-minimum-wage-talks/
Centers in Thailand to grant migrant workers travel documents
The Thai government has agreed to set up stations across Thailand where Cambodian illegal migrant workers can register for documents that will allow them to stay and work in the country, Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng said at a news conference on Thursday. ...
Chhorn Phearun and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/centers-in-thailand-to-grant-migrant-workers-travel-documents-132234/
Cambodian migrant workers return from Thailand
Despite the Thai government’s temporary backtracking on its harsh punishments of undocumented migrant workers, hundreds of Cambodians working in Thailand continued to pour back into their home country yesterday. ...
Leonie Kijewski and Yon Sineat
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-migrant-workers-return-thailand
Confusion drives more legal, illegal workers from Thailand
Hundreds of fearful and confused Cambodian migrant workers—including those with legal documentation—are continuing to flee Thailand, workers said on Tuesday, even as both the Cambodian and Thai governments called for calm among the migrant workforce. ...
Chhorn Phearun and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second/confusion-drives-legal-illegal-workers-thailand-132138/
Fake recruitment ads targeted
The Ministry of Labour has written to the Ministry of Information requesting that it take action against fraudulent recruitment agencies promoting services for migrant workers via radio advertisements. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39898/fake-recruitment-ads-targeted/
Thailand backs off law on migrants
Facing a backlash from employers and observers alike, Thailand has backtracked on a new, heavily criticised law that imposes stricter punishments on irregular workers and their employers, though thousands of Cambodians are still being deported. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thailand-backs-law-migrants
Minimum wage talks to begin in July
Labour Minister Ith Sam Heng announced yesterday that this year’s round of garment sector minimum wage negotiations would begin in July, with unionists cautiously optimistic that next year’s national elections could benefit their cause despite calls from Sam Heng not to “politicise” the process. ...
Soth Koemsoeun and Martin de Bourmont
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/minimum-wage-talks-begin-july
2011 ban on maids working in Malaysia lifted months ago
The government lifted a 2011 ban on sending Cambodian maids to Malaysia in January, according to a directive Prime Minister Hun Sen signed late last year, contradicting months of government denials. ...
Zsombor Peter and Phan Soumy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/2011-ban-maids-working-malaysia-lifted-months-ago-131127/
Government approves agencies to send workers abroad
The Labour Ministry has announced the names of 77 private recruitment agencies approved to select, train and send Cambodian workers to Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39112/government-approves-agencies-to-send-workers-abroad/
Agencies to begin sending workers to HK
Recruitment agencies will soon be able to send Cambodians to work in Hong Kong, especially domestic workers, for the first time. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/38390/agencies-to-begin-sending-workers-to-hk/
New Hong Kong maid deal raises old concerns over abuse
Employment agencies in Hong Kong are already raising doubts about the likely success of a pilot program that could see hundreds of Cambodians start arriving later this year to work as maids, only a day after a deal creating the program was signed, according to ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/new-hong-kong-maid-deal-raises-old-concerns-over-abuse-128623/
Health cash fails workers
The Labor Ministry spent more than four billion riel on help for garment workers involved in accidents in the first three months of the year, but unions say staff are still struggling to access healthcare. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37777/health-cash-fails-workers/
Minimum wage for all in sight
A new law on a national minimum wage for all workers will come into force by the end of the year, the Labor Minister said, after union and employer representatives met officials to discuss the issue yesterday. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37653/minimum-wage-for-all-in-sight/
Near-zero unemployment in Cambodia, claims Labor Minister
The Labor Ministry proclaimed yesterday that unemployment was nearly eradicated in Cambodia after a recent study showed that less than one percent of citizens remained without jobs. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37336/near-zero-unemployment-in-cambodia--claims-labor-minister/
Ministry pushes fortnightly pay
The Labor Ministry is encouraging employers, with the support of unions, to implement article 116 of the Labor Law, which requires owners of enterprises and factories to pay their workers twice a month. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36951/ministry-pushes-fortnightly-pay/