CNI News
2 Mar 2023

A separate department should be formed to take action against illegal overseas employment agencies and agents, labour activists told the CNI.

As large numbers of Myanmar nationals are trying work abroad, the number of illegal overseas employment agencies and agents has increased.

Those who want to work abroad have fallen victim to illegal overseas employment agencies and agents and workers have been cheated out of their money or trafficked.

To make complaints against such incidents, it is necessary to establish a separate department, Labour Activists told the CNI.

He said, "When complaints are received, the standard procedure of our country is to report them to higher authorities. It is impossible to comfort the people who make complaints with such practices. Those who receive complaints can make phone calls at once in the era of social media. So, they need to resolve the issue in real time. They should tackle the issues immediately. Those who can address the issues on their own discretion should be appointed to do so."

Myanmar expatriates.

Even if such a separate department is established, the department is not likely to take actions against the illegal agencies and agents by taking bribes from them, said labour activists.

The new department should be free from corruption, labour activists suggested.

Formation of a new separate department to take action against illegal overseas employment agencies and agents will affect the illegal workers in neighbouring countries, Labour Activist U Min Oo of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.

He said, "This also depends on the ability of the department and how they can take effective action against illegal overseas employment agencies and agents. At a time when domestic issues cannot be resolved effectively, it is difficult to tackle issues in other countries. There are laws on illegal migration and labour laws and anti-human trafficking. They can take action against illegal migrants under the three laws. Myanmar migrant workers are leaving legally or illegally by bribing security checkpoints and through agents. There are a large number of illegal agents."

Illegal worker detained by Thai authorities.

Moreover, some overseas employment agencies and agents are submitting fake documents to the Department of Labour, the department announced on 24th February.

The department said it would take action not only against illegal agencies and agents but also on illegal workers, according to the announcement.

To prevent Myanmar workers from illegally working abroad, it is necessary to process applications for working abroad more quickly, labour activists suggested.