Cambodia: Labor Migration Management

1. Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training Cambodia: Labor Migration Management Labor Migration Management in the GMS Learning Program Mekong Institute, Khon Kaen, Thailand

2. Background • Population 13,958,000, women account for 51.4% (census in 2010) • Real GDP growth rate 6.9%  (2011) • More than 80% are doing in agriculture sector • Working age population 8,853,000 (2010) • Labor force 7,702,000  (2010) • Young labor force in the ASEAN community • 20.000 to 30.000 join labor market annually • 80.000 to 90.000 drop out of school

3. Cambodia Economy

4. Population and Labor Market

5. Cambodia Labor Migrant Facts • While Cambodia now is a lovely and peaceful nation, cause of emigration is mostly hunting for better job opportunity • ASEAN countries are experienced the emigrate. They tend emigrate to other higher income economy which provide better payment, hygiene, and hi-tech oriented or knowledge based production • Emigration for a job in neighbor countries is keep circulating among to the public especially the rural poor labor who do self-employ in agriculture with family • The first official legal framework governing the migrant labor was put into force on July 20, 1995, namely Sub-decree 57 • To cope with the recipient country’s requirement, Cambodia offer 2 sending mechanisms-private recruitment agency and public agency.

6. Cambodia Labor Migrant Facts (Cont.) • Estimate the remittances around $ 500 Million, if better promoted • Under the private recruitment system, MLVT grant recruitment license to 35 companies and NGOs. • Manpower Training and Overseas Sending Board (MTOSB) is assigned to handle the public recruitment service mainly between government and government. • Destination countries for Cambodian migrant workers: • Malaysia: . 1998-2011 (05): 31,569 as domestic worker + 10,797 (female 5,098) as labor in various factories • Thailand (agriculture, fishing, and construction): . Aproximately 200,000 regular and irregular migrant workers (around 120,000 grand work permit by Thai Government and about 70,000 provided a certificate of Identity by RGC • Japan: 2007-2009: 166 (female 65) labors • South-Korea (agriculture, industry, fishing, and construction): . 2003-2006: 3,399 (female 469) labors . 2007-2012: 18,741 (female 2,803) labors • Qatar, Kuwait, gulf countries, Singapore are in process of sending

7. Ministries-Institutions: involvement and Roles • Inter-Ministerial Taskforce for Migration (Co-chaired by Minister of Women’s Affairs and Minister of MoLVT)_tri-parties including NGOs • Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Implementation of MOU with Thailand • MoLVT: Manpower, Training and Overseas Sending Board, General Directorate of Labor, and Department of Employment and Manpower • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relation: embassies • Ministry of Interior: Department for Issuance Passport, Department of Anti-Human Trafficking, and National Committee on the Suppression on Human Trafficking, smuggling, and sexual exploitation and children • The Office of the Council of Ministers: National for Committee for Population and Development

8. Existing Legal Frameworks • Constitution (article 36 & 40) • Law on Anti-Human Trafficking • Sub-Decree: . No. 190 (2011) on the Management of Sending Cambodian Workers abroad by Private Recruitment Agency .No. 162 (2009) on the Establishment of the National Committee on the Suppression on Human Trafficking, smuggling, and sexual exploitation and children . No. 195 (2008) on Passport issuance to Cambodian Workers to Work Legally Abroad . No. 70 (2006) on the Creation of the Manpower, Training and Overseas Sending Board (MTSOB) • Prakas No. 108 (2006) on Education of HIV/AIDS, Safe Migration, and Labor Right for Cambodian Workers Abroad

9. Existing Legal Frameworks (Cont.) • Prakas No. 074 (2008) on the Establishment of Working Group to Manage Migrant Workers Cross Border Cambodian-Thai Daily and Seasonally • Decision No. 02 (2005) on the Establishment of Inter-Ministerial Working Group to Identify Cambodian Workers Who are Working Illegally in Thailand • Labor Migrant Worker Policy • Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies (ACRA) In the process of the development of Prakas on: . The of Use of Terminology in Sub-Decree . The Recognition of Private Recruitment Agency . The Recruitment Procedure and Pre-Departure Orientation . The Implementation of Placement Service Contract

10. Existing Legal Frameworks (Cont.) • Pre-Departure Orientation Manual (IOM) • Develop Curriculum on Pre-Departure Orientation Others: . MOU between Cambodia-Thailand . MOU between Cambodia-South-Korea . MOU between Cambodia-Qatar . MOU between Cambodia-Kuwait . MOU between Cambodia-Malaysia (drafting) . Agreement between Cambodia-Japan . Agreement or MOU between Cambodia-Singapore

11. Operational System and Procedure: Recruitment and Registration, Exit and Entry • Recruitment and registration: in the process to develop Prakas on clarify and accurately dissemination about job opportunity abroad (working condition…) • Entry: all foreign workers have to register at Department of Employment and Manpower of MOLV • Exit: MOLV in collaboration with Ministry of Interior (Passport) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Affairs (manage and working Visa) • Return/repatriate and reintegration: Sub-Decree No. 190 on the Management of Sending Cambodian Workers abroad by Private Recruitment Agency(article: 26)_in the process to develop Prakas on the Procedure of Return, repatriate, and reintegration

12. Information or Data Management • Labor Migration Information System (private recruitment agencies) • Manpower Training and Overseas Sending Board (MTSOB): E.g: sending Cambodian workers to South-Korean

13. Good Practices and Challenges Good Practices: . Strong commitment from RGC . Legal frameworks: constitution, Prakas, Decision, and MOU …etc . Good collaboration with relevant ministries –institutions, Recipient countries, and development partners (ILO and IOM…etc) . Collaborate with destination countries to facilitate irregular migrant workers to become regular (Thailand) Challenges: . MoLVT got few year experiences . High cost of sending migrant Cambodian workers . Formulate sound management, policy and strengthen its legal framework and institution . Capacity development and limited human resource and legal frameworks

14. Conclusion • Emigration is an opportunity if well manage • Tri-parties (government, trade union, and recruitment agency) • Education and adequate skill could help domestic workers from enjoying the high paid and hygiene job category • Job opportunity abroad can be much maximized if proper skill can be equipped to labor • Spotting higher job opportunity in higher development countries like Australia, EU, or OECD • A pre-departure orientation about the risk and challenges that are likely to emerge while abroad and re-integration program should be adjusted and strengthening

15. Thank you very much!!!