Illustrative image (Photo: Internet) Bangkok (VNA) - Thai authorities have relaxed proceduresto create favourable conditions for migrant workers and address labour shortages in thepost-COVID-19 recovery process.
Thailand and Cambodia havereached an agreement to create more favourable conditions for more than 40,000Cambodian migrant workers who are reapplying for or renewing their workpermits.
Pairoj Chotikasathien, Director-General of the Department of Employment under the Thai Ministry of Labour,said the agreement was obtained at a meeting between Thai labour authoritiesand their Cambodian counterparts, in the hope of easing a labour shortages.
Under the memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) between the two nations, Cambodian workers are allowed towork legally in Thailand for four years.
Many migrant workers returnedto their home country during the pandemic. As work permits held by these workers are expiring for theperiod of January of last year to July 31, 2023, they will have to renew theirpermits and other related documents to either return to work in Thailand orcontinue living and working in this country.
Pairof said that theseCambodian workers will be exempt from the usual requirement to wait 30days from the day their work permit expires until they are allowed to reapply.
The entire reapplication processwill be conducted online to improve convenience for workers, he added.
A similar agreement was alsoreached at a meeting between the Thai labour authorities and their Myanmarcounterparts. Myanmar migrant workers will be also exempt from the 30-daybreak rule and will be able to reapply immediately for a work permit when theircurrent one is about to expire.
Both Cambodia and Myanmar authorities have requested a discount on thevisa fee./.
