According to a report from the Ministry of Labor under the military council, the overseas employment of basic workers has been indefinitely suspended due to the decreasing number of Myanmar nationals returning to the country. Currently, only skilled workers and those under government-to-government (G to G) agreements are being permitted to work abroad after scrutiny by the military council. This suspension was implemented starting February 14, with a particular focus on completely halting the issuance of Overseas Worker Identification Cards (OWIC) for basic workers.
According to an official from the military council’s Ministry of Labor, OWIC cards are now only being issued to skilled workers and those traveling under government-to-government agreements, while the issuance for basic workers has been suspended. This action is being carried out under the direct orders of military council leader Min Aung Hlaing. The official cited several reasons for this decision, including insufficient tax revenue from overseas workers, low rates of return migration, resulting labor shortages, and loss of human resources. The situation has particularly impacted the domestic workforce availability and human resource management within the country.
This restrictive policy was implemented after Min Aung Hlaing appointed Chit Swe, former Myanmar ambassador to Thailand, as Labor Minister on January 31. Currently, only skilled workers bound for Japan and Russia, and workers under G to G agreements heading to Laos are being approved directly by the Labor Minister. The military council has justified these restrictions by citing various challenges, including foreign currency shortages, insufficient remittances from overseas workers, declining population numbers, and labor shortages. During a military council meeting in Naypyidaw on February 11, Min Aung Hlaing specifically mentioned the country’s foreign currency difficulties and the inadequate foreign exchange earnings from overseas workers. Furthermore, at another meeting on January 17, he expressed concerns about Myanmar’s declining population, attributing it to increased overseas migration, various causes of mortality, and declining birth rates, all of which have contributed to domestic labor shortages.
