CNI News
17 February 2024
All the agencies that are sending workers to foreign countries have been allowed to submit new demand letters to the Ministry of Labor on 15th February, overseas employment agencies told CNI News.
New demand letters that were being submitted to the ministry was temporarily suspended starting from 13th February and news came out that suspension would be long until April after which submitting new demand letters has been allowed again, U Myat Thu, general secretary of the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF), told CNI News.
" New demand letters can be submitted. The ministry announced that at 11:00 a.m. today." he said..
The temporary suspension of submitting demand letters from foreign countries might be related to the People's Military Service Law, the agencies reviewed. However, Myanmar nationals who will go abroad for work apply for Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC), they have to do more processes, agencies told CNI News.
At present, when applying for OWIC, it is necessary to fill up the slip issued by the immigration department, which is one more thing to do reportedly.
Those who will go abroad with MoU
" According to the mandatory military service law, a new committee is formed. Those who will go abroad need to have a letter of recommendation from the committee, namely biometric form, which is one more thing to do. Most of the people who go abroad are youths. They want to scrutinize the youths thoroughly. So, submitting demand letters was temporarily closed, I think. More people want to go to Japan and South Korea where better salaries are paid." said Ko Nay Oo, director from an overseas employment agency that sends Myanmar workers to Japan.
After the compulsory military service law was approved, as the number of Myanmar citizens who apply for a visa to Thailand is too many, only 400 people who could apply would be accepted a day, the Thai Embassy in Myanmar has stated.
The People's Military Service Law was approved by the chairman of the State Administration Council(SAC) on 10th February 2024.
5,000 people will be recruited for one training course every month to do the military service. Only men will be called for the Training Course No.1. Women will be called starting from the Training Course No.5 reportedly.
