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 confirmed.
All foreign worker deployments were temporarily suspended starting February 14, after which the Labor Ministry began selectively approving only 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 source explained that this decision was made following directives from the head of the State Administration Council (SAC).
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 arrangements for Laos are being directly screened and approved by the Labor Minister. The military council has expressed concerns about various issues, including insufficient foreign currency earnings from overseas workers, low rates of return migration, and resulting labor shortages and human resource losses within the country.
During military council meetings, Min Aung Hlaing has highlighted several challenges facing Myanmar, including population decline due to various factors such as increased overseas migration, casualties, and declining birth rates. He specifically mentioned that foreign currency difficulties are being exacerbated by lower-than-expected remittances from overseas workers. The military council’s response to these challenges has been to implement stricter controls on foreign employment, particularly affecting basic workers who make up the majority of Myanmar’s overseas workforce. These restrictions reflect the military council’s attempt to address what they perceive as demographic and economic challenges, though their approach has been criticized for potentially limiting economic opportunities for Myanmar’s workforce.
