Phnom Penh – A new initiative led by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, aims to assist an estimated 20,000 returning migrant workers in reintegrating into the local economy. The 24-month project, titled “Promoting employment of returning migrant workers affected by the border conflict,” addresses the needs of Cambodians returning following tensions along the Cambodia–Thailand border by providing a comprehensive package of protection, employment, and skills development services.
The initiative will establish three Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs) in the high-return provinces of Oddar Meanchey, Pursat, and Preah Vihear. These centres will offer counselling, legal assistance, outreach, and data collection, while supporting employment through consultations with employers and workers’ organizations, commune-level job fairs, and targeted awareness campaigns focused on labour-intensive sectors such as garments, construction, and manufacturing.
The project also emphasizes demand-driven upskilling and reskilling through short courses, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), employability and entrepreneurship training, and strengthening national systems for sustainable reintegration into decent work. By linking skills recognition, job matching, and social protection, it aims to ensure returning migrant workers can rebuild their lives with dignity and secure productive livelihoods.
The agreement was signed at the Embassy of Japan in Phnom Penh on 18 February 2026 by Atsushi Ueno, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, and Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, in the presence of Minister Heng Sour. Ambassador Ueno highlighted Japan’s commitment to human security and regional stability, while Minister Sour emphasized the importance of a coordinated national response to support returning workers. Director Qian noted that the project strengthens reintegration systems, providing returnees with access to skills development, employment opportunities, and social protection.
