According to sources from the Ministry of Labor in Naypyidaw, the military council will impose restrictions on the number of Myanmar workers permitted to work abroad and will soon officially announce country-specific quotas. The new regulations will affect major destination countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Russia, where Myanmar workers commonly seek employment. Unlike previous practices, there will no longer be unrestricted deployment, and the processing procedures will become more time-consuming, as stated by the ministry source.
The newly appointed Labor Minister Chit Swe, installed by the military council, revealed plans to implement these restrictions during a meeting with employment agencies on February 15. Additionally, the military council has established initiatives to recall Myanmar citizens from abroad who are eligible for military service. The Naypyidaw Labor Ministry will directly oversee the re-exit permissions for workers who return on leave. This represents a significant shift in the management of overseas worker deployment.
Workers who return on leave and do not possess an Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) must submit a complete application with all required documentation to Naypyidaw. The issuance of OWIC cards, previously handled at the Mayangone office, will now be processed only at the North Dagon office and requires prior approval from Naypyidaw. Even after obtaining an OWIC, workers must submit additional applications to Naypyidaw for permission to leave the country. Notably, those who fall within the military service age range will not be granted permission to return abroad, highlighting the military council’s efforts to restrict movement of potential military-age individuals.
Employment agencies report facing severe operational challenges due to the military council’s stringent regulations and directives. Agencies specializing in sending skilled workers to Japan particularly emphasize that even with existing demand letters, they cannot deploy workers without the Labor Ministry’s approval. This creates a complex situation where delayed deployments may jeopardize future demand letters, potentially disrupting the entire overseas employment process. The new restrictions have created an increasingly difficult operating environment for employment agencies, making it nearly impossible to continue their regular business operations under the current circumstances.
