Myanmar Junta Blocks 40,000 Migrants Under Draft Law

Labor Ministry

YANGON, 15 May 2025 — More than 40,000 Myanmar migrant workers have found their futures abruptly stalled after the junta barred those selected for military conscription from leaving the country, sparking widespread disruption and financial loss.

The sweeping travel ban, enforced under a bylaw introduced on 23 January, targets men awaiting military training. Despite passing medical exams and securing overseas employment, they’ve been ordered to stay put. The military regime has since suspended the issuing of Overseas Workers Identity Cards (OWICs) — essential documents for working abroad — without offering any clear justification.

“They had flight tickets to places like Japan and Thailand,” said one recruitment agency official. “The cancellations have cost more than $300,000.”

The halt in OWICs came shortly after the appointment of former ambassador Chit Swe as Labour Minister. On 14 February, his ministry paused all approvals under the pretext of reviewing procedures — a move that left both workers and agencies in limbo.

For many, the situation is personal and painful. “I had a job lined up in Thailand. Changing the ticket cost $50, but with no idea when we can leave, I had to cancel,” one stranded worker shared.

Even returning migrants are trapped. Those on home leave, previously able to reapply for OWICs with proof of remittances and employer consent, now face an opaque and ever-changing system.

Myanmar’s workers must remit 25% of their income through official channels at unfavourable rates and pay a 10% income tax, further disincentivising legal migration paths.

Sources close to the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF) describe utter confusion within the ministry. “No one — not even directors-general — knows what’s going on. Decisions come directly from the top, without explanation.”

While the junta has barred most workers aged 18–35 from departing for Thailand, it sent 24 workers to Russia in March as part of a bilateral pilot project. Officials say more are expected to follow — raising alarm amid reports of foreign workers being conscripted into Russia’s war effort.

For now, tens of thousands remain trapped in uncertainty, caught between a militarised regime and the loss of economic opportunity abroad.

-2025-03-15