Cambodia is stepping up efforts to reintegrate migrant workers returning from Thailand, as the country faces a growing labour shortage. Recently, Prime Minister Hun Manet instructed ministries and local authorities to provide coordinated support to returning citizens and ensure they are connected to employment opportunities within the country.
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has been tasked with matching returnees to local job openings, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working through Cambodian embassies and consulates in Thailand to facilitate the repatriation process. This includes procedural assistance and documentation support.
The directive also calls on the Ministry of Interior and authorities in seven border provinces, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Battambang, Pailin, Pursat, and Koh Kong, to coordinate efforts to assist returnees, even those without identification papers. Where numbers overwhelm local resources, authorities are instructed to provide transportation and logistical support.The move comes amid shifting employment dynamics in the region, with many Cambodian workers opting to return from Thailand due to policy changes, job instability, or personal reasons. The government’s strategy aims to absorb this returning workforce into the domestic labour market while addressing gaps in sectors experiencing worker shortages.