Thailand has officially approved a work permit extension for Cambodian migrant workers, allowing them to stay and work in the country for an additional six months, until August 13, 2025. The announcement, made on February 5 by Thai Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, also includes extensions for migrant workers from Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
This move provides more flexibility for employers and migrant workers alike, as it allows sufficient time for necessary paperwork and processing. Employers will be able to submit the required documentation to extend work permits for Cambodian workers until February 13, 2027, with the option for a two-year extension thereafter.
The decision comes amid the ongoing need for migrant labour in Thailand, which currently hosts an estimated 2.4 million foreign workers. About 1.2 million of them are already on record with employers, meeting the February 13, 2025 deadline for required updates.
The extension is a crucial development for the Cambodian workforce, which represents a significant portion of the labour force in sectors such as agriculture, construction and manufacturing in Thailand. With the additional time granted, Cambodian workers will have greater stability in their working and living arrangements in the neighbouring country.
Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Employment, has emphasised the importance of employers completing the necessary documentation by the February 13 deadline. He urged businesses and workers to ensure all requirements are met on time to avoid potential delays in processing work permits.
As of June 2024, there were approximately 1.3 million Cambodian migrant workers living abroad, with most of them located in Thailand and South Korea. An overwhelming 1.2 million of them are working close to home in Thailand.
As for the rest, there are 22,000 migrant workers from Cambodia in Malaysia, around 19,000 in Japan, 400 in Singapore, and over 100 in Hong Kong, among other places.
- Tags: migrant workers, Thailand
