The military council has indefinitely suspended foreign employment permissions for basic workers due to low rates of Myanmar nationals returning from abroad, according to the Ministry of Labor in Naypyidaw. During this suspension period, only skilled workers and those going abroad under government-to-government agreements are being screened and permitted to leave the country.
Starting from February 14, all foreign worker deployments were temporarily suspended. Subsequently, the Labor Ministry has been screening and approving only skilled workers and those under government-to-government arrangements. Notably, the issuance of Overseas Worker Identification Cards (OWIC), which is crucial for foreign employment, has been completely suspended for basic workers, as confirmed by an official from the Labor Ministry.
This restriction on foreign worker deployments came after Military Council leader Min Aung Hlaing appointed former Myanmar Ambassador to Thailand Chit Swe as Labor Minister on January 31. Currently, only skilled workers bound for Japan, Russia, and Laos are being personally screened and approved for departure by the Labor Minister. The military council claims these restrictions are due to low foreign currency earnings from overseas workers and minimal returns of Myanmar nationals to the country, resulting in human resource losses.
Min Aung Hlaing has expressed concerns in military council meetings about Myanmar’s declining population, attributing it to increased emigration, deaths due to various causes, and declining birth rates. The regime has cited these factors, along with the resulting labor shortages and loss of human resources, as justification for the current restrictions. The military council’s decision reflects their attempt to control the outflow of workers while facing multiple challenges in maintaining the workforce within the country, though their policies continue to face criticism for limiting citizens’ employment opportunities and economic freedoms.
