CNI News
31 Jan 2023
Labour activists told the CNI that they welcomed the move by the Ministry of Labour of Thailand to extend the stay and work permits of more than 100,000 foreign MOU workers including Myanmar nationals whose four-year permits have expired.
About 60,000 migrant workers whose four-year permits expired during the period from 1st November to 31st December, 2022 and about 50,000 migrant workers whose four-year permits are expiring from 1st Jan to 31 July, 2023 were permitted to stay and work in Thailand for six months starting from the expiry of their permits.
As identity document renewals for workers by Myanmar authorities have been delayed, it was a relief for Myanmar workers, Labour Activist U Min Oo of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.
Migrant workers.
He told the CNI, "It gives Myanmar workers enough time to renew their identity documents, especially passports. If valid periods of their passports expire, it is impossible for Thai authorities to renew their visas and permits. Now, Thailand has unilaterally extended their visas and permits. The two governments should have cooperated for such programs because they both have known whose passports have already expired and are expiring. Myanmar authorities announced that they will allow to renew passports which expired in 2022 and passports that are expiring in 2023 are required to wait. However, workers are required to have at least a six-month valid period for renewing their visas and permits."
As the Myanmar embassy in Thailand has not been able to renew passports in a timely manner, authorities have requested Thai counterparts to extend the visas and work permits of Myanmar workers until 1st August. As a result, migrant workers have been allowed to stay and work in Thailand until their identity documents have been renewed by extending the process of the CI Centre, according to a statement of the Ministry of Labour.
Migrant workers.
It is impossible to complete the renewals of all passports of Myanmar workers within six months, Labour Activist for Myanmar workers Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI.
He told the CNI, "The renewal process cannot be completed within six months because there are millions and millions of Myanmar workers including three groups of pink card holders in Thailand. Under visa regulations, migrants whose passports have expired can be detained. Everything depends on the policies of the Thai government."
Currently, Thai authorities have allowed employers to hire migrant workers without sending them back to their countries, according to the decision of the meeting of the Ministry of Labour.
