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. Currently, only skilled workers and those going abroad under government-to-government (G to G) agreements are being permitted after screening, sources from the ministry reported.
All foreign worker deployments have been temporarily suspended since February 14, after which the Labor Ministry has only been approving skilled workers and those under G to G arrangements. Notably, the issuance of Overseas Worker Identification Cards (OWIC), which are essential for foreign employment, has been suspended for basic workers. The ministry continues to process applications only for skilled workers and those under government arrangements.
This restriction came after Min Aung Hlaing, the military council leader, appointed Chit Swe, former Myanmar ambassador to Thailand, as Labor Minister on January 31. Currently, only skilled workers heading to Japan and Russia, and workers under G to G arrangements going to Laos are being approved for departure after personal screening by the Labor Minister. The military council has cited several reasons for these restrictions, including low foreign currency earnings from overseas workers, minimal rates of return migration, and resulting human resource losses and labor shortages.
The military council has expressed concerns about Myanmar’s declining population, attributing it to increased emigration, higher mortality rates, and declining birth rates. They claim these factors, combined with the low rate of return migration and insufficient foreign currency remittances from overseas workers, have led to significant human resource challenges within the country. The restrictions appear to be part of the military council’s attempts to control the outflow of workers, though this has raised concerns about limiting economic opportunities for Myanmar’s workforce.
