CNI News

18 June 2024

Overseas employment agencies were finding it difficult because they were asked to present remittance accounts of workers they sent to foreign countries, said overseas employment agencies.

The agencies must submit whether the workers they sent abroad transfer 25 percent of their basic salaries to their families within Myanmar, said in the letter released by the Ministry of Labor a few days ago. 

So, they were finding it difficult, an official from the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation, told CNI News.

" The agencies that can't submit remittance accounts, they will be suspended. The workers will transfer their money to their families on their own plans. They probably will transfer 25 percent of their basic salary to their families through the banking system. We have to submit remittance accounts of the workers. We can't go and take their money. We can't ask them to transfer their money by force. We, agencies, told them all to transfer money through the banking system. Some of them transferred money, I think. Others have to transfer money plus interests." he said.

Those who have signed the contract with agencies to go abroad

25 percent of basic salary must be transferred to the families within Myanmar through an official channel, said in the contracts between the workers and overseas employment agencies. 

However, it was difficult to enforce the contract, overseas employment agencies told CNI News.

Because of the difficulties like this, it was a situation where the ministry and agencies have to renegotiate, U Win Myint, managing director of Lucky Overseas Employment Agency, told CNI News.

Dollar and kyat

" We have sent so many workers abroad. They are from many different parts of the country. It's not easy for us to go to their native places to collect remittance accounts. Agencies are asked to do so. Agencies must take responsibility. But it's not easy. It will be convenient only if the ministry present difficulty to the top officials. We can work only if they relax." he said.

As the age of the people who will go abroad to work has been limited, the business of overseas employment agencies is showing the red reportedly. 

So, agencies are sending workers from the old demand letters and as the rate of cost from the new demand letters in the neighboring country has been high, agencies can't send new workers abroad reportedly.